As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 7, 2016
Registration No. 001-37586​
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Amendment No. 2
to
FORM 10
GENERAL FORM FOR REGISTRATION OF SECURITIES
Pursuant to Section 12(b) or (g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Ingevity Corporation
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
Delaware
47-4027764
(State or Other Jurisdiction
of Incorporation or Organization)
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)
5255 Virginia Avenue
North Charleston, SC
29406
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(Zip Code)
(843) 740-2300
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class
to be so registered
Name of each exchange on which
each class is to be registered
Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share
New York Stock Exchange
Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
None
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of  “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
Large accelerated filer Accelerated filer
☑ Non-accelerated filer
Smaller reporting company
(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN REGISTRATION STATEMENT
CROSS-REFERENCE SHEET BETWEEN INFORMATION STATEMENT AND
ITEMS OF FORM 10
Our information statement is filed as Exhibit 99.1 to this Form 10. For your convenience, we have provided below a cross-reference sheet identifying where the items required by Form 10 can be found in our information statement. None of the information contained in the information statement shall be incorporated by reference herein or deemed to be a part hereof unless such information is specifically incorporated by reference.
Item No.
Caption
Location in Information Statement
Item 1. Business The following sections of our information statement are hereby incorporated by reference: “Summary,” “Risk Factors,” “Cautionary Statement for the Purposes of the ‘Safe Harbor’ Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995,” “The Separation,” “Capitalization,” “Business,” “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions,” “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”
Item 1A. Risk Factors The following sections of our information statement are hereby incorporated by reference: “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Statement for the Purposes of the ‘Safe Harbor’ Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.”
Item 2. Financial Information The following sections of our information statement are hereby incorporated by reference: “Summary,” “Selected Historical Combined Financial Information of Ingevity,” “Risk Factors,” “Capitalization,” “Unaudited Pro Forma Combined Financial Statements,” “Index to Financial Statements,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.”
Item 3. Properties The following section of our information statement is hereby incorporated by reference: “Business — Properties.”
Item 4. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management The following section of our information statement is hereby incorporated by reference: “Stock Ownership.”
Item 5. Directors and Executive Officers The following section of our information statement is hereby incorporated by reference: “Management.”

Item No.
Caption
Location in Information Statement
Item 6.
Executive Compensation
The following sections of our information statement are hereby incorporated by reference: “Management,” “Compensation Discussion and Analysis,” “Executive Compensation,” and “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions.”
Item 7. Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions, and Director Independence The following sections of our information statement are hereby incorporated by reference: “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions,” “Management” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”
Item 8. Legal Proceedings The following section of our information statement is hereby incorporated by reference: “Business — Legal Proceedings.”
Item 9. Market Price of and Dividends on the Registrant’s Common Equity and Related Stockholder Matters The following sections of our information statement are hereby incorporated by reference: “Summary,” “The Separation,” “Dividend Policy,” “Capitalization” and “Description of Capital Stock.”
Item 10. Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities Not applicable.
Item 11. Description of Registrant’s Securities to be Registered The following sections of our information statement are hereby incorporated by reference: “Dividend Policy” and “Description of Capital Stock.”
Item 12. Indemnification of Directors and Officers The following sections of our information statement are hereby incorporated by reference: “Description of Capital Stock — Limitation on Liability of Directors and Indemnification of Directors and Officers.”
Item 13. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data The following sections of our information statement are hereby incorporated by reference: “Index to Financial Statements” and the statements referenced therein.
Item 14. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure Not applicable.
Item 15. Financial Statements and Exhibits The following sections of our information statement are hereby incorporated by reference: “Unaudited Pro Forma Combined Financial Statements” and “Index to Financial Statements” and the statements referenced therein.

(a)
List of Financial Statements and Schedules.
The following financial statements are included in the information statement and filed as part of this Registration Statement on Form 10:
(1)
Unaudited Pro Forma Combined Financial Statements; and
(2)
Financial Statements, including Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.
(b)
Exhibits.
The following documents are filed as exhibits hereto:
Exhibit No.
Exhibit Description
2.1
Form of Separation and Distribution Agreement between Ingevity Corporation and WestRock Company.*
3.1
Form of Ingevity Corporation Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation.†
3.2
Form of Ingevity Corporation Amended and Restated Bylaws.
10.1
Form of Tax Matters Agreement between Ingevity Corporation and WestRock Company.
10.2
Form of Transition Services Agreement between Ingevity Corporation and WestRock Company.*
10.3
Form of Employee Matters Agreement between Ingevity Corporation and WestRock Company.*
10.4
Form of Covington Plant Services Agreement between Ingevity Virginia Corporation and WestRock Virginia, LLC.
10.5
Form of Covington Plant Ground Lease Agreement between Ingevity Virginia Corporation and WestRock Virginia, LLC.
10.6
Form of Crude Tall Oil and Black Liquor Soap Skimmings Agreement by and between Ingevity Corporation, WestRock Shared Services, LLC and WestRock MWV, LLC.
10.7
Form of Prospective Board Member Consulting Agreement.
10.8
Credit Agreement, dated as of March 7, 2016, among Ingevity Corporation, as U.S. borrower, the lenders from time to time party thereto and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as administrative agent.
21.1
List of Subsidiaries of Ingevity Corporation.
99.1
Preliminary Information Statement of Ingevity Corporation, subject to completion, dated March 7, 2016.
 
*
To be filed by amendment.

Previously filed.

SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
INGEVITY CORPORATION
By: /s/ Robert B. McIntosh
Name: Robert B. McIntosh
Title: Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
Dated: March 7, 2016

EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit No.
Exhibit Description
 2.1
Form of Separation and Distribution Agreement between Ingevity Corporation and WestRock Company.*
 3.1
Form of Ingevity Corporation Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation.†
 3.2
Form of Ingevity Corporation Amended and Restated Bylaws.
10.1
Form of Tax Matters Agreement between Ingevity Corporation and WestRock Company.
10.2
Form of Transition Services Agreement between Ingevity Corporation and WestRock Company.*
10.3
Form of Employee Matters Agreement between Ingevity Corporation and WestRock Company.*
10.4
Form of Covington Plant Services Agreement between Ingevity Virginia Corporation and WestRock Virginia, LLC.
10.5
Form of Covington Plant Ground Lease Agreement between Ingevity Virginia Corporation and WestRock Virginia, LLC.
10.6
Form of Crude Tall Oil and Black Liquor Soap Skimmings Agreement by and between Ingevity Corporation, WestRock Shared Services, LLC and WestRock MWV, LLC.
10.7
Form of Prospective Board Member Consulting Agreement.
10.8
Credit Agreement, dated as of March 7, 2016, among Ingevity Corporation, as U.S. borrower, the lenders from time to time party thereto and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as administrative agent.
21.1
List of Subsidiaries of Ingevity Corporation.
99.1
Preliminary Information Statement of Ingevity Corporation, subject to completion, dated March 7, 2016.
*
To be filed by amendment.

Previously filed.

 

Exhibit 3.2

 

BYLAWS

 

OF

 

INGEVITY CORPORATION

 

 

 

ARTICLE I

MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS

 

SECTION 1.1. Place of Meetings . The annual meeting of stockholders for the election of directors and all special meetings for that or for any other purpose shall be held at such time and place, either within or without the State of Delaware as may from time to time be designated by the Board of Directors.

 

SECTION 1.2. Annual Meetings. The annual meeting of stockholders for elections of directors, and for the transaction of such other business as may be required or authorized to be transacted by stockholders, shall be held on such date and time as designated from time to time by the Board of Directors.

 

SECTION 1.3. Special Meetings. A special meeting of stockholders for any purpose may be called at any time only by a majority of the Board of Directors, by the Chairman of the Board, by the Chief Executive Officer or by the holders of at least 50 percent of the voting power of the then outstanding common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Corporation. Stockholders may call a special meeting of stockholders in accordance with the foregoing by delivering to the Secretary notice of such request (which notice shall include the purpose for which such special meeting is being called) signed by the holders of the required percentage of shares. If the stockholders call a special meeting of stockholders in accordance with the foregoing, the Board of Directors shall have the exclusive right and power to do the following with respect to such special meetings: (a) fix the record date for the determination of whether the holders of the required percentage of shares has called a special meeting, (b) fix the date and time of such special meeting which date shall be no more than 180 days after the date on which the Secretary received notice of the request for a special meeting and (c) fix the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at the special meeting, in accordance with Section 6.4 of these Bylaws. At any such special meeting the only business transacted shall be in accordance with the purposes specified in the notice calling such meeting.

 

SECTION 1.4. Notice of Meetings . Except as may otherwise be provided by statute or the Certificate of Incorporation, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary shall cause written notice of the place, date and hour for holding each annual and special meeting of stockholders to be given not less than ten days nor more than sixty days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting by mailing the notice, postage prepaid, to the stockholder at his post office address as it appears on the records of the Corporation. Notice of each special meeting shall contain a statement of the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called. Except as otherwise provided by statute, no notice of an adjourned meeting need be given other than by announcement at the meeting which is being adjourned of the time and place of the adjourned meeting.

 

SECTION 1.5. Postponement . Any previously scheduled annual or special meeting of

 

 

 

 

stockholders may be postponed by resolution of the Board of Directors, upon public notice given prior to the date scheduled for such meeting.

 

SECTION 1.6. Quorum . The holders of shares of the outstanding stock of the Corporation representing a majority of the total votes entitled to be cast at any meeting of stockholders, if present in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business unless a larger proportion shall be required by statute or the Certificate of Incorporation. The Chairman of a meeting of stockholders may adjourn such meeting from time to time, whether or not there is a quorum of stockholders at such meeting. In the absence of a quorum at any stockholders’ meeting, the stockholders present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote may, by majority vote, adjourn the meeting from time to time until a quorum shall attend. At any such adjourned meeting, at which a quorum shall be present, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally called. The lack of the required quorum at any meeting of stockholders for action upon any particular matter, shall not prevent action at such meeting upon other matters which may properly come before the meeting, if the quorum required for taking action upon such other matters shall be present.

 

SECTION 1.7. Chairman; Secretary . The Chairman of the Board shall call meetings of the stockholders to order and shall act as Chairman of such meeting. If there is no Chairman of the Board, or in the event of his absence or disability, the president of the Corporation (the “President”), or in the event of his absence or disability, one of the Executive Vice Presidents (in order of first designation as an Executive Vice President) present, or in absence of all Executive Vice Presidents, one of the Senior Vice Presidents (in order of first designation as a Senior Vice President) present, or in the absence also of all Senior Vice Presidents, one of the Vice Presidents (in order of first designation as a Vice President) present, shall call meetings of the stockholders to order and shall act as Chairman thereof. The Secretary of the Corporation, or any person appointed by the Chairman of the meeting, shall act as Secretary of the meeting of stockholders.

 

SECTION 1.8. Inspectors of Election; Opening and Closing the Polls . The Board of Directors in advance of any meeting of stockholders shall appoint two or more inspectors of election to act at such meeting or any adjournment thereof. In the event of the failure of the Board of Directors to make such appointments, or if any inspector shall for any reason fail to attend or to act at any meeting, or shall for any reason cease to be an inspector before completion of his duties, the appointments shall be made by the Chairman of the meeting.

 

The Chairman of the meeting shall fix and announce at the meeting the date and time of the opening and the closing of the polls for each matter upon which the stockholders will vote at a meeting.

 

SECTION 1.9. Voting . At each meeting of the stockholders each stockholder entitled to vote thereat shall, except as otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, be entitled to one vote in person or by proxy for each share of the stock of the Corporation registered in his name on the books of the Corporation on the date fixed pursuant to Section 6.4 of these Bylaws as the record date fixed for such meeting.

 

At each meeting of the stockholders at which a quorum is present, all matters (except as otherwise provided in Section 2.3 or Section 7.7 of these Bylaws, in the Certificate of Incorporation, or by statute) shall be decided by the affirmative vote of the majority of the shares present in person or represented by proxy at such meeting and entitled to vote on the subject matter.

 

 

 

 

The Board of Directors, in its discretion, or the officer of the Corporation presiding at the meeting of stockholders, in his discretion, may require that any votes cast at such meeting shall be by written ballot.

 

SECTION 1.10. Meeting Required . Any action by stockholders of the Corporation shall be taken at a meeting of stockholders and no corporate action may be taken by written consent of stockholders entitled to vote upon such action.

 

SECTION 1.11. Notification of Proposals . The proposal of business, other than nominations, which are governed by Section 2.4 of these Bylaws, to be considered by the stockholders may be made at an annual meeting of stockholders (a) pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting, (b) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or (c) by any stockholder of the Corporation who was a stockholder of record at the time of giving of notice provided for in this Bylaw, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who complies with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 1.11.

 

For business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to clause (c) of the first paragraph of this Section 1.11, the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary of the Corporation and such other business must otherwise be a proper matter for stockholder action. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the 90th day nor earlier than the close of business on the 120th day prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, provided, however, that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is more than 30 days before or more than 60 days after such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be delivered not earlier than the close of business on the 120th day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 90th day prior to such annual meeting or the seventh day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made by the Corporation. In no event shall the public announcement of an adjournment of an annual meeting commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above. Such stockholder’s notice shall set forth (a) as to the business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting, (i) a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the meeting, the reasons for conducting such business at the meeting and any material interest in such business of such stockholder and the beneficial owner; if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made and (ii) a description of all agreements, arrangements and understandings between such stockholder and beneficial owner, if any, and any other person or persons (including their names) in connection with the proposal of such business by such stockholder; and (b) as to the stockholder giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made (i) the name and address of such stockholder, as they appear on the Corporation’s books, and of such beneficial owner and (ii) (A) the class and number of shares of the Corporation which are, directly or indirectly, owned beneficially and of record by such stockholder and such beneficial owner, (B) any option, warrant, convertible security, stock appreciation right, or similar right with an exercise or conversion privilege or a settlement payment or mechanism at a price related to any class of shares of the Corporation or with a value derived in whole or in part from the value of any class of shares of the Corporation, whether or not such instrument or right shall be subject to settlement in the underlying class of capital stock of the Corporation or otherwise (a “Derivative Instrument”) directly or indirectly owned beneficially by such stockholder and any other direct or indirect opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any increase or decrease in the value of shares of the Corporation, (C) any proxy, contract, arrangement, understanding, or relationship pursuant to which such stockholder has a right to vote any shares of

 

 

 

 

any security of the Corporation, (D) any short interest in a security of the Corporation (for purposes of this Bylaw a person shall be deemed to have a short interest in a security if such person directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, has the opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any decrease in the value of the subject security), (E) any rights to dividends on the shares of the Corporation owned beneficially by such stockholder that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of the Corporation, (F) any proportionate interest in shares of the Corporation or Derivative Instruments held, directly or indirectly, by a general or limited partnership in which such stockholder is a general partner or, directly or indirectly, beneficially owns an interest in a general partner and (G) any performance-related fees (other than an asset-based fee) that such stockholder is entitled to based on any increase or decrease in the value of shares of the Corporation or Derivative Instruments, if any, as of the date of such notice, including without limitation any such interests held by members of such stockholder’s immediate family sharing the same household (which information shall be supplemented by such stockholder and beneficial owner, if any, not later than 10 days after the record date for the meeting to disclose such ownership as of the record date), and (iii) any other information relating to such stockholder and beneficial owner, if any, that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for, as applicable, the proposal and/or for the election of directors in a contested election pursuant to Section 14 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

Only such business shall be conducted at a meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 1.11. Except as otherwise provided by law, the Chairman of the meeting shall have the power and duty to determine whether any business proposed to be brought before the meeting was proposed in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 1.11 and, if any proposed business is not in compliance with this Section 1.11, to declare that such defective proposal shall be disregarded.

 

For purposes of this Section 1.11, “public announcement” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press or comparable national news service or in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 1.11, a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this Section 1.11. Nothing in this Section 1.11 shall be deemed to affect any rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act.

 

ARTICLE II

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

SECTION 2.1. General Powers, Number, Qualifications and Term of Office. The business and property of the Corporation shall be managed and controlled by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall consist of a number of directors to be determined from time to time only by resolution adopted by the Board of Directors.

 

Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect additional directors under specified circumstances, and unless the Board of Directors otherwise determines, any

 

 

 

 

vacancy resulting from death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office or other cause, and any newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors, may be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors, though less than a quorum of the Board of Directors, and any director so chosen shall hold office for the remainder of the term that was being served by the director whose absence creates the vacancy, or, in the case of a vacancy created by an increase in the number of directors, a term expiring at the next annual meeting of stockholders, and in each case until such director’s successor shall have been duly elected and qualified. No decrease in the number of authorized directors constituting the total number of directors which the Corporation would have if there were no vacancies shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.

 

SECTION 2.2. Election of Directors; Vacancies; New Directorships . Subject to Section 2.1 of this Article, directors shall be elected annually in the manner provided in these Bylaws. At each annual or special meeting of the stockholders for the election of directors, at which a quorum is present, each director shall be elected by the vote of the majority of the votes cast, provided that if as of a date that is fourteen (14) days in advance of the date the Corporation files its definitive proxy statement (regardless of whether or not thereafter revised or supplemented) with the Securities and Exchange Commission the number of nominees exceeds the number of directors to be elected, the directors shall be elected by the vote of a plurality of the shares represented in person or by proxy at any such meeting and entitled to vote on the election of directors. For purposes of this Section 2.2, a majority of the votes cast means that the number of shares voted “for” a director must exceed the number of votes cast “against” that director. The Nominating and Governance Committee has established procedures under which any director who is not elected shall offer to tender his or her resignation to the Chairman of the Board and the Nominating and Governance Committee. Any vacancies on the Board of Directors caused by death, removal, resignation or any other cause and any newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors, may be filled only by a majority of the directors then in office, even though less than a quorum, at any regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors, and any director so elected shall hold office for the remainder of the term that was being served by the director whose absence creates the vacancy, or, in the case of a vacancy created by an increase in the number of directors, a term expiring at the next annual meeting of stockholders, and in each case until such director’s successor shall have been duly elected and qualified.

 

SECTION 2.3. Removal of Directors . Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect additional directors under specified circumstances, any director, or the entire Board of Directors, may be removed from office at any time by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of the then outstanding Voting Stock, voting together as a single class, provided , that for as long as the Board of Directors is separated into separate classes, directors may only be removed for cause.

 

SECTION 2.4. Notification of Nomination . Nominations for the election of directors may be made by the Board of Directors or by any stockholder entitled to vote for the election of directors. Any stockholder entitled to vote for the election of directors at a meeting may nominate persons for election as directors only if written notice of such stockholder’s intent to make such nomination is given, either by personal delivery or by the United States mail, postage prepaid, to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, not later than (I) with respect to an election to be held at an annual meeting of stockholders, the close of business on the 90 th day nor earlier than the close of business on the 120th day prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, provided, however, that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is more than 30

 

 

 

 

days before or more than 60 days after such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be delivered not earlier than the close of business on the 120 th day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 90 th day prior to such annual meeting or the seventh day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made by the Corporation, and (II) with respect to an election to be held at a special meeting of stockholders for the election of directors, the close of business on the seventh day following the date on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made by the Corporation. In no event shall the public announcement of an adjournment of an annual meeting commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above. Each such notice shall set forth: (a) the name and address of the stockholder who intends to make the nomination and of the person or persons to be nominated, (b) (i) the class and number of shares of the Corporation which are, directly or indirectly, owned beneficially and of record by such stockholder and such beneficial owner, (ii) any option, warrant, convertible security, stock appreciation right, or similar right with an exercise or conversion privilege or a settlement payment or mechanism at a price related to any class of shares of the Corporation or with a value derived in whole or in part from the value of any class of shares of the Corporation, whether or not such instrument or right shall be subject to settlement in the underlying class of capital stock of the Corporation or otherwise (a “Derivative Instrument”) directly or indirectly owned beneficially by such stockholder and any other direct or indirect opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any increase or decrease in the value of shares of the Corporation, (iii) any proxy, contract, arrangement, understanding, or relationship pursuant to which such stockholder has a right to vote any shares of any security of the Corporation, (iv) any short interest in a security of the Corporation (for purposes of this Bylaw a person shall be deemed to have a short interest in a security if such person directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, has the opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any decrease in the value of the subject security), (v) any rights to dividends on the shares of the Corporation owned beneficially by such stockholder that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of the Corporation, (vi) any proportionate interest in shares of the Corporation or Derivative Instruments held, directly or indirectly, by a general or limited partnership in which such stockholder is a general partner or, directly or indirectly, beneficially owns an interest in a general partner and (vii) any performance-related fees (other than an asset-based fee) that such stockholder is entitled to based on any increase or decrease in the value of shares of the Corporation or Derivative Instruments, if any, as of the date of such notice, including without limitation any such interests held by members of such stockholder’s immediate family sharing the same household (which information shall be supplemented by such stockholder and beneficial owner, if any, not later than 10 days after the record date for the meeting to disclose such ownership as of the record date), and (iii) any other information relating to such stockholder and beneficial owner, if any, that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for the election of directors in a contested election pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, (c) a representation that such stockholder is a holder of record of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at such meeting and intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to nominate the person or persons specified in the notice, (d) a description of all direct and indirect compensation and other material monetary agreements, arrangements and understandings during the past three years, and any other material relationships, between or among such stockholder and beneficial owner, if any, and their respective affiliates and associates, or others acting in concert therewith, on the one hand, and each proposed nominee, and his or her respective affiliates and associates, or others acting in concert therewith, on the other hand, including, without limitation, all information that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to Rule 404 promulgated under Regulation S-K if the stockholder making the nomination

 

 

 

 

and any beneficial owner on whose behalf the nomination is made, if any, or any affiliate or associate thereof or person acting in concert were the “registrant” for purposes of such rule and the nominee were a director or executive officer of such registrant, (e) such other information regarding each nominee proposed by such stockholder as would have been required to be included in a proxy statement filed pursuant to the proxy rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission had each nominee been nominated, or intended to be nominated by the Board of Directors, and (f) the consent of each nominee to serve as a director of the Corporation if so elected. The Chairman of the meeting may refuse to acknowledge the nomination of any person not made in compliance with the foregoing procedures. The Corporation may require any proposed nominee to furnish such other information as may reasonably be required by the Corporation to determine the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as an independent director of the Corporation or that could be material to a reasonable stockholder’s understanding of the independence, or lack thereof, of such nominee.

 

SECTION 2.5. Place of Meetings . The Board of Directors may hold its meetings at such place or places, within or without the State of Delaware, as it may from time to time determine. In the absence of any such determination, such meetings shall be held at the principal business office of the Corporation. Any meeting may be held upon direction to the Secretary by the Chairman of the Board, or, in his absence, by the President at any place, provided that notice of the place of such meeting, whether regular or special, shall be given in the manner provided in Section 2.8 of this Article unless such notice is not required by reason of Section 2.6 of these Bylaws.

 

SECTION 2.6. Regular Meetings . Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held in each year on such dates as a resolution of the Board of Directors may designate at the beginning of each year. Any regular meeting of the Board may be dispensed with upon order of the Board of Directors, or by the Chairman of the Board, or, in his absence, the President if notice thereof is given to each director at least one day prior to the date scheduled for the meeting. If any day fixed for a regular meeting shall be a legal holiday, then such meeting shall be held on the next succeeding business day not a legal holiday. No notice shall be required for any regular meeting of the Board, except that notice of the place of such meeting shall be given (as provided in Section 2.8) if such meeting is to be held at a place other than the principal business office of the Corporation or if the meeting is held on a date other than that established at the beginning of each year by a resolution of the Board of Directors.

 

SECTION 2.7. Special Meetings . Special meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held whenever called by the direction of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, an Executive Vice President, or a majority of the Board of Directors then in office.

 

SECTION 2.8. Notice of Special Meetings . Notice of the place, day and hour of every special meeting of the Board of Directors and, if required by Section 2.6 of these Bylaws, of a regular meeting of the Board of Directors shall be given by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary to each director at least twelve hours before the meeting, by telephone, telegraph or cable, telecopier or e-mail, or by delivery to him personally or to his residence or usual place of business, or by mailing such notice at least three days before the meeting, postage prepaid, to him at his last known post office address according to the records of the Corporation. Except as provided by statute, or by Section 4.3 or Section 7.7 of these Bylaws, such notice need not state the business to be transacted at any special meeting. No notice of any adjourned meeting of the Board of Directors need be given. A meeting may be held at any time without notice if all the directors are present or if those not present waive notice of the meeting in accordance with Section 7.6 of these Bylaws.

 

 

 

 

SECTION 2.9. Quorum and Manner of Acting . A whole number of directors equal to at least a majority of the total number of directors as determined by resolution in accordance with Section 2.1, regardless of any vacancies, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting except to fill vacancies in accordance with Section 2.1 and Section 2.2 of this Article, and the act of a majority of the directors present at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board of Directors unless otherwise provided by statute or these Bylaws. In the absence of a quorum, a majority of the directors present may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice until a quorum be had. At any such adjourned meeting at which a quorum shall be present, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally scheduled. The directors present at a duly organized meeting may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough directors to leave less than a quorum.

 

SECTION 2.10. Chairman; Secretary . At each meeting of the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board shall act as Chairman of such meeting. If there is no Chairman of the Board, or in the event of his absence or disability, the Lead Independent Director or in his absence or disability, the President or in his absence or disability, one of the Executive Vice Presidents who is also a director, or in their absence, a director chosen by a majority of the directors present, shall act as Chairman. The Secretary, or in his absence or disability, an Assistant Secretary, or any person appointed by the Chairman of the meeting, shall act as Secretary of the meeting.

 

SECTION 2.11. Compensation . Each director except a director who is an active employee of the Corporation in receipt of a salary shall be paid such sums as director’s fees as shall be fixed by the Board of Directors. Each director may be reimbursed for all expenses incurred in attending meetings of the Board of Directors and in transacting any business on behalf of the Corporation as a director. Nothing in this Section 2.11 shall be construed to preclude a director from serving the Corporation in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor.

 

SECTION 2.12. Indemnification and Insurance .    (A)   Each person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is otherwise involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (hereinafter a “proceeding”), by reason of the fact that he or she or a person of whom he or she is the legal representative is or was, at any time during which these Bylaws are in effect (whether or not such person continues to serve in such capacity at the time any indemnification or payment of expenses pursuant hereto is sought or at the time any proceeding relating thereto exists or is brought), a director or officer of the Corporation or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, trustee, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans maintained or sponsored by the Corporation (hereinafter, an “indemnitee”), whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director, officer, trustee, employee or agent or in any other capacity while serving as a director, officer, trustee, employee or agent, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation to the fullest extent authorized by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware as the same exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment, only to the extent that such amendment permits the Corporation to provide broader indemnification rights than said law permitted the Corporation to provide prior to such amendment), against all expense, liability and loss (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties and amounts paid or to be paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by such person in connection therewith and such indemnification shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a

 

 

 

 

director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and administrators; provided, however, that except as provided in paragraph (C) of this Bylaw, the Corporation shall indemnify any such person seeking indemnification in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person only if such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board of Directors. The right to indemnification conferred in this Bylaw shall include the right to be paid by the Corporation the expenses incurred in defending any such proceeding in advance of its final disposition, such advances to be paid by the Corporation within twenty (20) days after the receipt by the Corporation of a statement or statements from the claimant requesting such advance or advances from time to time; provided, however, that if the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware requires, the payment of such expenses incurred by a director or officer in his or her capacity as a director or officer (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by such person while a director or officer, including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit plan) shall be made only upon delivery to the Corporation of an undertaking (hereinafter, the “undertaking”) by or on behalf of such director or officer, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined by final judicial decision from which there is no further right of appeal (a “final disposition”) that such director or officer is not entitled to be indemnified for such expenses under this Bylaw or otherwise. The rights conferred upon indemnitees in this Bylaw shall be contract rights and such rights shall continue as to an indemnitee who has ceased to be a director, officer, trustee, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the indemnitee’s heirs, executors and administrators.

 

(B) To obtain indemnification under this Bylaw, a claimant shall submit to the Corporation a written request, including therein or therewith such documentation and information as is reasonably available to the claimant and is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent the claimant is entitled to indemnification. Upon written request by a claimant for indemnification pursuant to the first sentence of this paragraph (B), a determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to the claimant’s entitlement thereto shall be made as follows: (1) if requested by the claimant, by Independent Counsel (as hereinafter defined), or (2) if no request is made by the claimant for a determination by Independent Counsel, (i) by the Board of Directors by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of Disinterested Directors (as hereinafter defined), or (ii) if a quorum of the Board of Directors consisting of Disinterested Directors is not obtainable or, even if obtainable, such quorum of Disinterested Directors so directs, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board of Directors, a copy of which shall be delivered to the claimant, or (iii) if a quorum of Disinterested Directors so directs, by the stockholders of the Corporation. In the event the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel at the request of the claimant, the Independent Counsel shall be selected by the Board of Directors unless there shall have occurred within two years prior to the date of the commencement of the action, suit or proceeding for which indemnification is claimed a “Change of Control” as defined in the Corporation’s current equity compensation plan, in which case the Independent Counsel shall be selected by the claimant unless the claimant shall request that such selection be made by the Board of Directors. If it is so determined that the claimant is entitled to indemnification, payment to the claimant shall be made within 10 days after such determination.

 

(C) If a claim under paragraph (A) of this Bylaw is not paid in full by the Corporation within sixty (60) days after a written claim pursuant to paragraph (B) of this Bylaw has been received by the Corporation (except in the case of a claim for advancement of expenses, for which the applicable period is twenty (20) days), the claimant may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Corporation to recover the unpaid amount of the claim and, if successful in whole or in part, the claimant shall be entitled to be paid also the expense of prosecuting such claim. It shall be a defense

 

 

 

 

to any such action (other than an action brought to enforce a claim for expenses incurred in defending any proceeding in advance of its final disposition where the required undertaking, if any is required, has been tendered to the Corporation) that the claimant has not met the standard of conduct which makes it permissible under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware for the Corporation to indemnify the claimant for the amount claimed, but the burden of proving such defense shall be on the Corporation. Neither the failure of the Corporation (including its Board of Directors, Independent Counsel or stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such action that indemnification of the claimant is proper in the circumstances because he or she has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including its Board of Directors, Independent Counsel or stockholders) that the claimant has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that the claimant has not met the applicable standard of conduct.

 

(D) If a determination shall have been made pursuant to paragraph (B) of this Bylaw that the claimant is entitled to indemnification, the Corporation shall be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to paragraph (C) of this Bylaw.

 

(E) The Corporation shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to paragraph (C) of this Bylaw that the procedures and presumptions of this Bylaw are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in such proceeding that the Corporation is bound by all the provisions of this Bylaw.

 

(F) The right to indemnification and the payment of expenses incurred in defending a proceeding in advance of its final disposition conferred in this Bylaw shall not be exclusive of any other right which any person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, these Bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or Disinterested Directors or otherwise. Any amendment, modification, alteration or repeal of this Bylaw that in any way diminishes or adversely affects any right of an indemnitee or its successors shall be prospective only and shall not limit or eliminate any such right with respect to any proceeding involving any occurrence or alleged occurrence of any action or omission that took place prior to such amendment or repeal.

 

(G) The Corporation may maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any expense, liability or loss, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability or loss under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. To the extent that the Corporation maintains any policy or policies providing such insurance, each such director or officer, and each such agent or employee to which rights to indemnification have been granted as provided in paragraph (H) of this Bylaw, shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage thereunder for any such director, officer, employee or agent.

 

(H) The Corporation may, to the extent authorized from time to time by the Board of Directors, grant rights to indemnification, and rights to be paid by the Corporation the expenses incurred in defending any proceeding in advance of its final disposition, to any employee or agent of the Corporation to the fullest extent of the provisions of this Bylaw with respect to the indemnification and advancement of expenses of directors and officers of the Corporation.

 

 

 

 

(I)   If any provision or provisions of this Bylaw shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (1) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Bylaw (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph of this Bylaw containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby; and (2) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Bylaw (including, without limitation, each such portion of any paragraph of this Bylaw containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested by the provision held invalid, illegal or unenforceable.

 

(J)     For purposes of this Bylaw:

 

(1) “Disinterested Director” means a director of the Corporation who is not and was not a party to the matter in respect of which indemnification is sought by the claimant.

 

(2) “Independent Counsel” means a law firm, a member of a law firm, or an independent practitioner, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and shall include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would not have a conflict of interest in representing either the Corporation or the claimant in an action to determine the claimant’s rights under this Bylaw.

 

(K) Any notice, request or other communication required or permitted to be given to the Corporation under this Bylaw shall be in writing and either delivered in person or sent by telecopy, telex, telegram, overnight mail or courier service, or certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, to the Secretary of the Corporation and shall be effective only upon receipt by the Secretary.

 

SECTION 2.13. The Chairman of the Board . The Chairman of the Board shall be chosen from the Board of Directors. The Chairman of the Board shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders in accordance with Section 1.7 of these Bylaws and preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors. In addition, if the Chairman of the Board is an independent director, the Chairman of the Board shall preside at and schedule all executive sessions of the independent directors. The Chairman of the Board shall provide oversight, direction and leadership to the Board of Directors and facilitate communication among directors and the regular flow of information between management and directors. He shall provide input to the Compensation and Organizational Development Committee and Nominating and Governance Committee, as appropriate, with respect to the performance evaluation process of the Chief Executive Officer, annual board performance self-evaluation process and management and Board of Directors succession planning. In addition, he shall exercise such other powers and perform such other duties as may be assigned to him by the Board of Directors.

 

SECTION 2.14. Lead Independent Director . If the Board of Directors has not made a determination that the Chairman of the Board is an independent director of the Corporation under applicable stock exchange rules and any applicable law, the Board of Directors shall appoint from among the directors with respect to whom the Board of Directors has made such an independence determination, a Lead Independent Director.

 

The Lead Independent Director shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors at which the Chairman of the Board is not present, including executive sessions of the independent directors,

 

 

 

 

have the authority to call meetings of the independent directors, serve as liaison between the Chairman of the Board and the independent directors, and, if requested by a major shareholder, ensure that he or she is available for consultation and direct communication.

 

ARTICLE III

COMMITTEES

 

SECTION 3.1.  Committees of Directors . The Board of Directors may, by resolution passed by a majority of the whole Board of Directors, designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of one or more of the directors of the Corporation. Such resolution shall specify a designation by which a committee shall be known, shall fix its powers and authority, and may fix the term of office of its members. Any such committee, to the extent provided in the resolution of the Board of Directors, or in these Bylaws, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation, and may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers which may require it; except as otherwise provided by statute. The Board of Directors shall establish the following Committees: the Nominating and Governance Committee; the Compensation and Organizational Development Committee; the Audit Committee; and the Finance Committee.

 

SECTION 3.2. Removal; Vacancies . The members of committees of directors shall serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors. Any member of a committee of directors may be removed at any time and any vacancy in any such committee may be filled by majority vote of the whole Board of Directors.

 

SECTION 3.3. Compensation . The Board of Directors may by resolution determine from time to time the compensation, if any, including reimbursement for expenses, of members of any committee of directors for services rendered to the Corporation as a member of any such committee.

 

ARTICLE IV

OFFICERS

 

SECTION 4.1. Number . The officers of the Corporation shall be chosen by the Board of Directors and shall be a Chief Executive Officer, a President, one or more Vice Presidents, a Secretary and a Treasurer. Officers of the Corporation may also include a Controller, Assistant Vice Presidents, Assistant Secretaries, Assistant Treasurers, and Assistant Controllers. One or more persons may hold any two of such offices. The Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation will also serve as the President of the Corporation. Subject to the direction of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer shall have general supervision of the business and affairs of the Corporation and over its officers, employees and agents with such powers and duties incident to being Chief Executive Officer of a corporation, and as are provided for him in these Bylaws. In addition, the Chief Executive Officer shall exercise such other powers and perform such other duties as may be assigned to him by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may add additional titles to any office to indicate seniority or additional responsibility.

 

SECTION 4.2. Election; Term of Office and Qualifications . The officers shall be chosen annually by the Board of Directors at its first regular meeting following the annual meeting of stockholders and each shall hold office until the corresponding meeting in the next year and until his successor shall have been elected and shall qualify, or until his earlier death or resignation or until

 

 

 

 

he shall have been removed in the manner provided in Section 4.3. Any vacancy in any office shall be filled for the unexpired portion of the term by the Board of Directors at any regular or special meeting.

 

SECTION 4.3. Removal . Any officer may be removed from office, either with or without cause, by the majority of the whole Board of Directors at a special meeting called for that purpose, or at a regular meeting.

 

SECTION 4.4. Salaries . The Board of Directors shall have authority to determine any and all salaries of employees of the Corporation. The Board may by resolution authorize a committee of directors (none of whom shall be an officer or employee of the Corporation) to fix any such salaries. Salaries not determined by the Board of Directors, or by a committee of directors, may be fixed by the Chief Executive Officer.

 

SECTION 4.5. The President . The President shall have all powers and perform all duties incident to the office of the President as are provided for him in these Bylaws and shall exercise such other powers and perform such other duties (in addition to his duties as Chief Executive Officer) as may be assigned to him by the Board of Directors.

 

SECTION 4.6. The Vice Presidents . The Vice Presidents shall have such powers and perform such duties as are provided for them in these Bylaws and as may be assigned to them, or any of them, by the Board of Directors or the President. The Executive Vice Presidents (in order of first designation as an Executive Vice President), in the event of the death or disability of the President, shall perform all the duties of the President and when so acting shall have the powers of the President. In the event of the death or disability of the President and all Executive Vice Presidents, the available Senior Vice President (in order of first designation as a Senior Vice President), or in the event of the death or disability also of all Senior Vice Presidents, the Vice President who is available and was first elected a Vice President prior to all other available Vice Presidents shall perform all the duties of the President and when so acting shall have the powers of the President. A Vice President performing the duties and exercising the powers of the President shall perform the duties and exercise the powers of the Chief Executive Officer.

 

SECTION 4.7. The Assistant Vice Presidents . The Assistant Vice Presidents shall have such powers and perform such duties as may be assigned to them, or any of them, by the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer.

 

SECTION 4.8. The Secretary . The Secretary shall keep, or cause to be kept in books provided for the purpose, the minutes of the meeting of stockholders and of the Board of Directors and any minutes of Committees of the Board of Directors; shall see that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws and as required by statute; shall be custodian of the records and of the corporate seal or seals of the Corporation; and shall cause the corporate seal to be affixed to any document the execution of which, on behalf of the Corporation, under its seal, is duly authorized and when so affixed, may attest the same. The Secretary shall have all powers and perform all duties incident to the office of a secretary of a corporation and as are provided for in these Bylaws and shall exercise such other powers and perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Board of Directors, or, as to matters not related to the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or, as to matters related to the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board.

 

SECTION 4.9. The Assistant Secretaries . In the absence or disability of the Secretary, the

 

 

 

 

Assistant Secretary designated by the Secretary shall perform all the duties of the Secretary and, when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the Secretary. The Assistant Secretaries shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as are provided for them in these Bylaws and as may be assigned to them, or any of them, by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or the Secretary.

 

SECTION 4.10. The Treasurer . The Treasurer shall have general charge of and general responsibility for all funds, securities, and receipts of the Corporation and shall deposit, or cause to be deposited, in the name of the Corporation, all moneys or other valuable effects in such banks, trust companies or other depositories as shall from time to time be designated in accordance with Section 5.2 of these Bylaws. He shall have all powers and perform all duties incident to the office of a treasurer of a corporation and as are provided for him in these Bylaws and shall exercise such other powers and perform such other duties as may be assigned to him by the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer.

 

SECTION 4.11. The Assistant Treasurers . In the absence or disability of the Treasurer, the Assistant Treasurer designated by the Treasurer shall perform all the duties of the Treasurer and, when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the Treasurer. The Assistant Treasurers shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as are provided for them in these Bylaws and as may be assigned to them, or any of them, by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or the Treasurer.

 

SECTION 4.12. The Controller . The Controller shall have general charge and supervision of financial reports; he shall maintain adequate records of all assets, liabilities and transactions of the Corporation; he shall keep the books and accounts and cause adequate audits thereof to be made regularly; he shall exercise a general check upon the disbursements of funds of the Corporation; and in general shall perform all duties incident to the office of a controller of a corporation, and shall exercise such other powers and perform such other duties as may be assigned to him by the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer.

 

SECTION 4.13. The Assistant Controllers . In the absence or disability of the Controller, the Assistant Controller designated by the Controller shall perform all the duties of the Controller and, when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the Controller. The Assistant Controllers shall exercise such other powers and perform such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to them, or any of them, by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or the Controller.

 

ARTICLE V

AUTHORITY TO ACT AND SIGN FOR THE CORPORATION

 

SECTION 5.1. Contracts, Agreements, Checks and Other Instruments . Except as may be otherwise provided by statute or by the Board of Directors, the President, any Vice President, the Secretary, the Treasurer, and each of them, may make, sign, endorse, verify, acknowledge and deliver, in the name and on behalf of the Corporation, all deeds, leases and other conveyances, contracts, agreements, checks, notes, drafts and other commercial paper, bonds, assignments, bills of sale, releases, reports and all other instruments and documents deemed necessary or advisable by the officer or officers executing the same for carrying on the business and affairs of the Corporation, subject, however, to Section 5.4 relating to stock certificates of the Corporation, to Section 5.5

 

 

 

 

relating to execution of proxies and to Section 5.6 relating to securities held by the Corporation.

 

SECTION 5.2. Bank Accounts; Deposits; Checks, Drafts and Orders Issued in the Corporation’s Name . Except as otherwise provided by the Board of Directors, any two of the following officers: the President, any Vice President, and the Treasurer may from time to time, (1) open and keep in the name and on behalf of the Corporation, with such banks, trust companies or other depositories as they may designate, general and special bank accounts for the funds of the Corporation, (2) terminate any such bank accounts and (3) select and contract to rent and maintain safe deposit boxes with depositories as they may designate and terminate such contracts and authorize access to any safe deposit box by any two employees designated for such purposes, at least one of whom shall be an officer, and revoke such authority. Any such action by two of the officers as specified above shall be made by an instrument in writing signed by such two officers.

 

All funds and securities of the Corporation shall be deposited in such banks, trust companies and other depositories as are designated by the Board of Directors or by the aforesaid officers in the manner hereinabove provided, and for the purpose of such deposits, the President, any Vice President, the Secretary, the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer, and each of them, or any other person or persons authorized by the Board of Directors, may endorse, assign and deliver checks, notes, drafts, and other orders for the payment of money which are payable to the Corporation. Except as otherwise provided by the Board of Directors, all checks, drafts or orders for the payment of money, drawn in the name of the Corporation, may be signed by the President, any Executive or Senior Vice President, the Secretary or the Treasurer or by any other officers or any employees of the Corporation who shall from time to time be designated to sign checks, drafts, or orders on all accounts or on any specific account of the Corporation by an “instrument of designation” signed by any two of the following officers: the President, any Executive or Senior Vice President, and the Treasurer.

 

SECTION 5.3. Delegation of Authority . The Board of Directors, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary may appoint such managers and attorneys and agents of the Corporation (who also may be employees of the Corporation) as may be deemed desirable who shall serve for such periods, have such powers, bear such titles and perform such duties as the Board of Directors, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary may from time to time prescribe.

 

SECTION 5.4. Stock Certificates . All certificates of stock issued by the Corporation shall be executed in accordance with Section 6.1 of these Bylaws.

 

SECTION 5.5. Voting of Stock in Other Corporations . Stock in other corporations, which may from time to time be held by the Corporation, may be represented and voted at any meeting of stockholders of such other corporation by proxy executed in the name of the Corporation by the President, any Executive Vice President or the Treasurer, with the corporate seal affixed and attested by the Secretary.

 

SECTION 5.6. Sale and Transfer of Securities . The President or any Executive or Senior Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary are authorized to sell, transfer, endorse and assign any and all shares of stock, bonds and other securities owned by or standing in the name of the Corporation. The executing officers or officer may execute and deliver in the name and on behalf of the Corporation any instrument deemed necessary or advisable by the executing officers or officer to accomplish such transactions.

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE VI

STOCK

 

SECTION 6.1. Certificates of Stock . Shares of stock shall be uncertificated unless the Board of Directors by resolution determines otherwise. Where the Board of Directors determines to issue certificates, such certificates shall be in such form as shall be required by applicable law and as determined by the Board of Directors and shall be signed by the President or an Executive Vice President and the Secretary and sealed with the seal of the Corporation. Where such certificate is signed by a transfer agent and by a registrar, the signatures of Corporation officers and the corporate seal may be facsimile, engraved or printed. In case any officer who shall have signed, or whose facsimile signature shall have been used on any such certificate, shall cease to be such officer of the Corporation, whether caused by death, resignation or otherwise, before such certificate shall have been delivered by the Corporation, such certificate shall nevertheless be deemed to have been adopted by the Corporation and may be issued and delivered as though the person who signed the same, or whose facsimile signature shall have been used thereon, had not ceased to be such officer of the Corporation. The certificates for shares of the capital stock of the Corporation shall be in such forms as shall be approved by the Board of Directors.

 

SECTION 6.2. Transfer of Stock . Shares of stock shall be transferable only on the books of the Corporation by the holder thereof, in person or by duly authorized attorney, upon the surrender of the certificate, properly endorsed, representing the shares to be transferred.

 

SECTION 6.3. Transfer Agents and Registrars . The Corporation may have a transfer agent and a registrar of its stock for different locations appointed by the Board of Directors from time to time. The Board of Directors may direct that the functions of transfer agent and registrar be combined and appoint a single agency to perform both functions at one or more locations. Duties of the transfer agent, registrar and combined agency may be defined from time to time by the Board of Directors. No certificate of stock shall be valid until countersigned by a transfer agent and until registered by a registrar even if both functions are performed by a single agency.

 

SECTION 6.4. Record Dates . The Board of Directors shall have power to fix in advance a record date to determine the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof or to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock or for the purpose of any other lawful action and such record date shall not be more than sixty nor less than ten days before the date of any meeting, nor more than sixty days prior to any other action.

 

SECTION 6.5. Electronic Securities Recordation . Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 6.1 of this Article VI, the Corporation may adopt a system of issuance, recordation and transfer of its shares by electronic or other means not involving any issuance of certificates, provided the use of such system by the Corporation is permitted in accordance with applicable law.

 

ARTICLE VII

SUNDRY PROVISIONS

 

SECTION 7.1. Offices . The Corporation’s registered office shall be in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle. The Corporation may also have other offices at such other places as the

 

 

 

 

business of the Corporation may require.

 

SECTION 7.2. Seal . The corporate seal of the Corporation shall have inscribed thereon the following words and figures: “Ingevity Corporation 2015 Incorporated Delaware”. The seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or otherwise reproduced. A duplicate seal or duplicate seals may be provided and kept for the necessary purposes of the Corporation.

 

SECTION 7.3. Books and Records . The Board of Directors may determine from time to time whether, and, if allowed, when and under what conditions and regulations, the books and records of the Corporation, or any of them, shall be open to the inspection of stockholders, and the rights of stockholders in this respect are and shall be limited accordingly (except as otherwise provided by statute). Under no circumstances shall any stockholder have the right to inspect any book or record or receive any statement for an improper or illegal purpose. Subject to the provisions of statutes relating thereto, the books and records of the Corporation may be kept outside the State of Delaware at such places as may be from time to time designated by the Board of Directors.

 

SECTION 7.4. Fiscal Year . Unless otherwise ordered by the Board of Directors, the fiscal year of the Corporation shall be twelve calendar months beginning on the first day of January in each year.

 

SECTION 7.5. Independent Public Accountants . The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors shall appoint annually an independent public accountant or firm of independent public accountants to audit the books of the Corporation for each fiscal year; this appointment shall be subject to shareholder ratification at the annual meeting next succeeding the appointment.

 

SECTION 7.6. Waiver of Notice . Any shareholder or director may waive any notice required to be given by law or by the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or by these Bylaws; provided that such waiver shall be in writing and signed by such shareholder or director or by the duly authorized attorney of the shareholder, either before or after the meeting, notice of which is being waived.

 

SECTION 7.7. Amendments . The Board of Directors shall have power to make, alter and amend any Bylaws of the Corporation by a vote of a majority of the whole Board at any regular meeting of the Board of Directors, or any special meeting of the Board of Directors if notice of the proposed Bylaw, alteration or amendment be contained in the notice of such special meeting; provided, however, that no Bylaw shall be deemed made, altered or amended, by the Board of Directors unless the resolution authorizing the same shall specifically state that a Bylaw is thereby being made, altered or amended. Except as otherwise provided in these Bylaws or the Certificate of Incorporation, the stockholders of the Corporation may make, alter, amend or repeal any Bylaws of the Corporation at any annual or special meeting at which a majority of the total votes entitled to be cast at such meeting is present in person or by proxy by the affirmative vote of the majority of the shares present in person or represented by proxy at such meeting, when notice of any such proposed addition, alteration, amendment or repeal shall have been given in the notice of such meeting; provided , that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in these Bylaws, Section 1.3, Section 2.1, the last sentence of Section 2.2, Section 2.11, Section 2.12 or this last sentence of this Section 7.7 may be modified, amended or repealed, and any Bylaw provision inconsistent with such provisions may be adopted, by the stockholders of the Corporation only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 75 percent (75%) of the voting power of the then outstanding shares of capital stock of the

 

 

 

 

Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors.

 

SECTION 7.8. Exclusive Forum . Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director or officer or other employee of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation or any director or officer or other employee of the Corporation arising pursuant to any provision of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware or the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws (as either may be amended from time to time), or (iv) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation or any director or officer or other employee of the Corporation governed by the internal affairs doctrine shall be a state court located within the State of Delaware (or, if no state court located within the State of Delaware has jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware).

 

Certificate

 

I certify that this is a true and correct copy of the Bylaws of Ingevity Corporation.

 

       
       
Date [●], 2016      
    Corporate Seal  

 

 

 

Exhibit 10.1

 

FORM OF TAX MATTERS AGREEMENT

 

by and between

 

WESTROCK COMPANY

 

and

 

INGEVITY CORPORATION

 

Dated as of [●], 2016

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

    Page
     
Article I
   
DEFINITIONS
     
Section 1.01. General 2
Section 1.02. Additional Definitions 12
     
Article II
   
PREPARATION, FILING AND PAYMENT OF TAXES SHOWN DUE
ON TAX RETURNS
     
Section 2.01. Combined Tax Returns 12
Section 2.02. Parent Separate Tax Returns 12
Section 2.03. SpinCo Separate Tax Returns 12
Section 2.04. Restructuring Transfer Tax Returns 13
     
Article III
   
TAX RETURN PROCEDURES
     
Section 3.01. Procedures Relating to Combined Tax Returns and Parent Separate Tax Returns 13
Section 3.02. Procedures relating to SpinCo Separate Tax Returns 14
Section 3.03. Preparation of all Tax Returns 14
Section 3.04. Tax Returns Reflecting Restructuring/Distribution Taxes 14
     
Article IV
   
TAX TIMING AND ALLOCATION
     
Section 4.01. Timing of Payments 14
Section 4.02. Expenses 14
Section 4.03. Apportionment of SpinCo Taxes 15
     
Article V
INDEMNIFICATION
     
Section 5.01. Indemnification by Parent 15
Section 5.02. Indemnification by SpinCo 15
Section 5.03. Characterization of and Adjustments to Payments 15
Section 5.04. Timing of Indemnification Payments 16

 

 

 

 

Article VI
REFUNDS, DEDUCTIONS
     
Section 6.01. Refunds 16
Section 6.02. Treatment of Deductions Associated with Equity-Related Compensation 16
     
Article VII
TAX PROCEEDINGS
     
Section 7.01. Notification of Tax Proceedings 17
Section 7.02. Tax Proceedings 17
     
Article VIII
TAX-FREE STATUS OF THE TRANSACTIONS
     
Section 8.01. Representations and Warranties 18
Section 8.02. Restrictions Relating to the Distribution 19
Section 8.03. Procedures Regarding Post-Distribution Rulings and Unqualified Tax Opinions 21
Section 8.04. Section 336(e) Election 22
     
Article IX
COOPERATION
     
Section 9.01. General Cooperation 23
Section 9.02. Retention of Records 23
     
Article X
MISCELLANEOUS
     
Section 10.01. Dispute Resolution 24
Section 10.02. Tax Sharing Agreements 24
Section 10.03. Interest on Late Payments 24
Section 10.04. Survival of Covenants 24
Section 10.05. Severability 24
Section 10.06. Entire Agreement 25
Section 10.07. No Third-Party Beneficiaries 25
Section 10.08. Specific Performance 25
Section 10.09. Amendment 25
Section 10.10. Rules of Construction 25
Section 10.11. Counterparts 26
Section 10.12. Coordination with Separation and Distribution Agreement 26
Section 10.13. Coordination with the Employee Matters Agreement 26
Section 10.14. Governing Law 26
Section 10.15. Assignability 26
Section 10.16. Notices 26
Section 10.17. Effective Date 27

 

  ii    

 

 

DEFINED TERMS

 

  Page
   
Acquisition Transaction 2
Adjustment 2
Affiliate 2
Agreement 1, 2
Ancillary Agreement 3
Benefited Party 3, 16
Cash Transfer 3
Code 3
Combined Tax Return 3
Contribution 3
Disqualifying Action 3
Distribution 1, 3
Distribution Date 3
Due Date 3
Effective Time 3
Employee Matters Agreement 3
Equity Securities 3
Fifty-Percent or Greater Interest 3
Final Determination 3
Income Tax Return 4
Income Taxes 4
Indemnified Party 4
Indemnifying Party 4
Information 4, 23
Internal Contribution 4
Internal Controlled 4
Internal Controlled Entity 4
Internal Controlled Group 4
Internal Distributing 5
Internal Distributing Acquisition Transaction 5
Internal Distributing Active Trade or Business 5
Internal Distributing Entity 5
Internal Distributing Group 6
Internal Distribution 6
IRS 6
IRS Ruling 6
IRS Ruling Request 6
Law 6
Liability 6
Non-Income Tax Return 6
Notified Action 6, 21
Ordinary Course of Business 6
Parent 1, 6

 

  iii    

 

 

Parent Board 6
Parent Business 6
Parent Disqualifying Action 6
Parent Entity 7
Parent Group 7
Parent Mergers 7
Parent Separate Tax Return 7
Parent Tax Proceeding 7, 17
Parent Taxes 7
Parties 1
Party 1, 8
Past Practice 8, 13
Payment Date 8
Person 8
Plan of Reorganization 8
Post-Distribution Ruling 8, 21
Prime Rate 8
Record Holders 8
Refund 8
Representatives 8
Restriction Period 8
Restructuring 1, 8
Restructuring Transfer Taxes 9
Restructuring/Distribution Taxes 8
SAG 9
Section 336(e) Election 9, 22
Separate Return 9
Separation and Distribution Agreement 1, 9
SpinCo 1, 9
SpinCo Active Trade or Business 9
SpinCo Assets 9
SpinCo Business 9
SpinCo Disqualifying Action 9
SpinCo Entity 9
SpinCo Group 10
SpinCo Liabilities 10
SpinCo Separate Tax Return 1
SpinCo Shares 10, 17
SpinCo Tax Proceeding 10
SpinCo Taxes 10
Subsidiary 10
Tax 10
Tax Attributes 11
Tax Counsel 11
Tax Item 11
Tax Materials 11

 

  iv    

 

 

Tax Matter 11, 23
Tax Opinions 11
Tax Package 11
Tax Proceeding 11
Tax Return 11
Tax-Free Status 11
Taxing Authority 12
Taxing Jurisdiction 12
Transactions 12
Transfer Taxes 12
Treasury Regulations 12
U.S. 12
Unqualified Tax Opinion 12
Waiver 12, 21

 

  v    

 

 

TAX MATTERS AGREEMENT

 

THIS TAX MATTERS AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”), dated as of [●], 2016, is by and between WestRock Company, a Delaware corporation (“ Parent ”), and Ingevity Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“ SpinCo ”). Each of Parent and SpinCo is sometimes referred to herein as a “ Party ” and, collectively, as the “ Parties .”

 

RECITALS

 

WHEREAS, Parent, through its respective Subsidiaries, is engaged in the Parent Business and the SpinCo Business;

 

WHEREAS, the Parent Board has determined that it is in the best interests of Parent and its stockholders to create a new publicly traded company which shall operate the SpinCo Business;

 

WHEREAS, Parent and SpinCo have entered into the Separation and Distribution Agreement, dated as of [●], 2016 (the “ Separation and Distribution Agreement ”), providing for the separation of the SpinCo Business from the Parent Business, pursuant to which (a) Parent will, and will cause its Subsidiaries to, transfer the SpinCo Assets and the SpinCo Liabilities to SpinCo and its Subsidiaries, as a result of which transfer SpinCo and its Subsidiaries will own, directly and through their respective Subsidiaries, the SpinCo Business (the “ Restructuring ”) and (b) Parent will distribute all of the outstanding shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of SpinCo (“ SpinCo Shares ”) owned by Parent to the Record Holders of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of Parent on a pro rata basis (the “ Distribution ”);

 

WHEREAS, Parent and its Subsidiaries have engaged in the Internal Contribution (as defined below) and Internal Distribution (as defined below) to facilitate the Distribution;

 

WHEREAS, for U.S. federal Income Tax purposes, it is intended that (i) the Contribution (as defined herein) and the Distribution, taken together, and (ii) the Internal Contribution and the Internal Distribution, taken together, shall in each case qualify as a tax-free transaction under Sections 355(a) and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code; and

 

WHEREAS, the Parties wish to (a) provide for the payment of Tax liabilities and entitlement to refunds thereof, (b) allocate responsibility for, and cooperation in, the filing of Tax Returns, and provide for certain other matters relating to Taxes, and (c) set forth certain covenants and indemnities relating to the preservation of the tax-free status of certain steps of the Restructuring and the Distribution.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the terms, conditions, covenants and provisions of this Agreement, each of the Parties mutually covenants and agrees as follows:

 

 

 

 

Article I

DEFINITIONS

 

Section 1.01.          General . As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

Acquisition Transaction ” means a transaction or series of transactions (or any agreement, understanding or arrangement, within the meaning of Section 355(e) of the Code and Treasury Regulations Section 1.355-7, or any other regulations promulgated thereunder, to enter into a transaction or series of transactions), whether such transaction is supported, permitted or solicited by management or shareholders of SpinCo, is a hostile acquisition, or otherwise, as a result of which SpinCo would merge or consolidate with or enter into any other reorganization transaction with any other Person or as a result of which one or more Persons would (directly or indirectly) acquire, or have the right to acquire, from SpinCo and/or one or more holders of outstanding shares of Equity Securities of SpinCo, as the case may be, a number of shares of Equity Securities of SpinCo that would, when combined with any other direct or indirect changes in ownership of the Equity Securities of SpinCo pertinent for purposes of Section 355(e) of the Code (including the Parent Mergers), comprise a 50% or greater interest in SpinCo (A) by value, as of the date of such transaction, or in the case of a series of transactions, the date of the last transaction of such series, or (B) by vote, as of the date of such transaction, or in the case of a series of transactions, the date of the last transaction of such series. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Acquisition Transaction shall not include (A) the adoption by SpinCo of a shareholder rights plan or (B) issuances of Equity Securities by SpinCo that satisfy Safe Harbor VIII (relating to acquisitions in connection with a person’s performance of services) or Safe Harbor IX (relating to acquisitions by a retirement plan of an employer) of Treasury Regulations Section 1.355-7(d). For purposes of determining whether a transaction constitutes an indirect acquisition, any recapitalization resulting in a shift of voting power shall be treated as an indirect acquisition of shares of Equity Securities by the shareholders whose voting power is increased thereby and any redemption of shares of Equity Securities shall be treated as an indirect acquisition of shares of Equity Securities by the non-exchanging shareholders. For purposes of this definition, each reference to SpinCo shall include a reference to any entity treated as successor thereto. This definition and the application thereof is intended to monitor compliance with Section 355(e) of the Code and shall be interpreted accordingly. Any clarification of, or change in, the statute or regulations promulgated under Section 355(e) of the Code or published IRS guidance with respect thereto shall be incorporated in this definition and its interpretation.

 

Adjustment ” means any change in the Tax liability of a taxpayer, whether in connection with a Tax Proceeding, resulting from a change in facts or subsequent transactions, pursuant to amendment or otherwise, determined issue-by-issue, transaction-by-transaction, or with respect to a taxable period, as the case may be.

 

Affiliate ” has the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

 

Agreement ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

  2    

 

 

Ancillary Agreement ” has the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

 

Benefited Party ” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.01(b).

 

Cash Transfer ” has the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

 

Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

Combined Tax Return ” means a consolidated, combined, unitary, affiliated or similar Income Tax Return or Non-Income Tax Return that actually includes, by election or otherwise, one or more members of the Parent Group together with one or more members of the SpinCo Group.

 

Contribution ” means the contribution and assignment by Parent and certain of its Subsidiaries of certain SpinCo Assets and SpinCo Liabilities to SpinCo in exchange for SpinCo Shares and the Cash Transfer, pursuant to the Plan of Reorganization and the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

 

Disqualifying Action ” means a Parent Disqualifying Action or a SpinCo Disqualifying Action.

 

Distribution ” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.

 

Distribution Date ” has the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

 

Due Date ” means (i) with respect to a Tax Return, the date (taking into account all valid extensions) on which such Tax Return is required to be filed under applicable Law and (ii) with respect to a payment of Taxes, the date on which such payment is required to be made to avoid the incurrence of interest, penalties and/or additions to Tax.

 

Effective Time ” has the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

 

Employee Matters Agreement ” has the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

 

Equity Securities ” means, with respect to a Person, all classes or series of capital stock of such Person (or any entity treated as a successor to such Person) and all other instruments treated as stock in such Person (or any entity treated as a successor to such Person) for U.S. federal Income Tax purposes, and including all options, warrants or any other rights to acquire such stock.

 

Fifty-Percent or Greater Interest ” has the meaning ascribed to such term for purposes of Sections 355(d) and (e) of the Code.

 

Final Determination ” means the final resolution of liability for any Tax or Tax Item, which resolution may be for a specific issue or adjustment or for a taxable period, by or as a result

 

  3    

 

 

of (i) IRS Form 870 or 870-AD (or any successor forms thereto), on the date of acceptance by or on behalf of the taxpayer, or by a comparable form under the Laws of any Taxing Jurisdiction, except that an IRS Form 870 or 870-AD or comparable form shall not constitute a Final Determination to the extent that it reserves (whether by its terms or by operation of law) the right of the taxpayer to file a claim for Refund or the right of the Taxing Authority to assert a further deficiency in respect of such issue or adjustment or for such taxable period (as the case may be); (ii) a final decision, judgment, decree or other order by any court of competent jurisdiction that can no longer be appealed; (iii) a final settlement with the IRS, a closing agreement or accepted offer in compromise under Sections 7121 or 7122 of the Code, or a comparable agreement under the Laws of any Taxing Jurisdiction; (iv) any allowance of a Refund or credit in respect of an overpayment of Tax, but only after the expiration of all periods during which such Refund or credit may be recovered by the jurisdiction imposing the Tax; or (v) any other final resolution, including by reason of the expiration of the applicable statute of limitations, the execution of a pre-filing agreement with the IRS or other Taxing Authority or by mutual agreement of the Parties.

 

Income Tax Return ” means any Tax Return relating to Income Taxes.

 

Income Taxes ” means any Taxes measured by or calculated with respect to net income, profits, net receipts or gross receipts (including any margin Tax, capital Tax, excise Tax or franchise Tax), but excluding (i) any Transfer Taxes and (ii) those Taxes listed on Schedule 1.

 

Indemnified Party ” means the Party which is entitled to seek indemnification from another Party pursuant to the provisions of Article V.

 

Indemnifying Party ” means the Party from which another Party is entitled to seek indemnification pursuant to the provisions of Article V.

 

Information ” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.01.

 

Internal Contribution ” means the deemed contribution of assets to Internal Controlled upon its conversion to a state law corporation, pursuant to the Plan of Reorganization and the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

 

Internal Controlled ” shall mean the successor of WestRock Virginia Corporation, a Delaware corporation, after the completion of both (i) its conversion to a limited liability company organized under the laws of the State of Delaware disregarded as separate from Internal Distributing for U.S. federal income Tax purposes, and (ii) its subsequent conversion to a state law corporation, in each case pursuant to the Plan of Reorganization.

 

Internal Controlled Entity ” means any member of the Internal Controlled Group other than Internal Controlled.

 

Internal Controlled Group ” means individually or collectively, as the case may be, (a) Internal Controlled and any of its Subsidiaries (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any such Subsidiary that is treated as a “disregarded entity” for U.S. federal Income Tax purposes (or for purposes of any state, local or foreign Tax law)) immediately after the Internal Distribution (giving effect to the Restructuring completed up to such time and the Internal Distribution), (b) any

 

  4    

 

 

Person that shall have merged or liquidated into Internal Controlled or any such Subsidiary and (c) any predecessor or successor to any Person otherwise described in this definition.

 

Internal Distributing ” shall mean Ingevity Virginia Corporation, a Virginia corporation.

 

Internal Distributing Acquisition Transaction ” means a transaction or series of transactions (or any agreement, understanding or arrangement, within the meaning of Section 355(e) of the Code and Treasury Regulations Section 1.355-7, or any other regulations promulgated thereunder, to enter into a transaction or series of transactions), whether such transaction is supported, permitted or solicited by management or shareholders of SpinCo and/or Internal Distributing, is a hostile acquisition, or otherwise, as a result of which Internal Distributing would merge or consolidate with or enter into any other reorganization transaction with any other Person or as a result of which one or more Persons would (directly or indirectly) acquire, or have the right to acquire, from Internal Distributing and/or one or more holders of outstanding shares of Equity Securities of Internal Distributing, as the case may be, a number of shares of Equity Securities of Internal Distributing that would, when combined with any other direct or indirect changes in ownership of the Equity Securities of Internal Distributing pertinent for purposes of Section 355(e) of the Code (including the Parent Mergers), comprise a 50% or greater interest in Internal Distributing (A) by value, as of the date of such transaction, or in the case of a series of transactions, the date of the last transaction of such series, or (B) by vote, as of the date of such transaction, or in the case of a series of transactions, the date of the last transaction of such series. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Internal Distributing Acquisition Transaction shall not include (A) the adoption by Internal Distributing of a shareholder rights plan or (B) issuances of Equity Securities by Internal Distributing that satisfy Safe Harbor VIII (relating to acquisitions in connection with a person’s performance of services) or Safe Harbor IX (relating to acquisitions by a retirement plan of an employer) of Treasury Regulations Section 1.355-7(d). For purposes of determining whether a transaction constitutes an indirect acquisition, any recapitalization resulting in a shift of voting power shall be treated as an indirect acquisition of shares of Equity Securities by the shareholders whose voting power is increased thereby and any redemption of shares of Equity Securities shall be treated as an indirect acquisition of shares of Equity Securities by the non-exchanging shareholders. For purposes of this definition, each reference to Internal Distributing shall include a reference to any entity treated as successor thereto. This definition and the application thereof is intended to monitor compliance with Section 355(e) of the Code and shall be interpreted accordingly. Any clarification of, or change in, the statute or regulations promulgated under Section 355(e) of the Code or published IRS guidance with respect thereto shall be incorporated in this definition and its interpretation.

 

Internal Distributing Active Trade or Business ” means the active conduct (as defined in Section 355(b)(2) of the Code and the regulations thereunder) by Internal Distributing and its “separate affiliated group” (as defined in Section 355(b)(3)(B) of the Code) of the business of manufacturing and selling specialty chemicals, immediately prior to the Internal Distribution.

 

Internal Distributing Entity ” means any member of the Internal Distributing Group other than Internal Distributing.

 

Internal Distributing Group ” means individually or collectively, as the case may be, (a) Internal Distributing and any of its Subsidiaries (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any such

 

  5    

 

 

Subsidiary that is treated as a “disregarded entity” for U.S. federal Income Tax purposes (or for purposes of any state, local or foreign Tax law)) immediately after the Internal Distribution (giving effect to the Restructuring completed up to such time and the Internal Distribution), (b) any Person that shall have merged or liquidated into Internal Distributing or any such Subsidiary and (c) any predecessor or successor to any Person otherwise described in this definition.

 

Internal Distribution ” shall mean the distribution by Internal Distributing of all the common stock of Internal Controlled to Parent (or a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent disregarded for U.S. federal income Tax purposes) in a transaction intended to qualify as a distribution that is generally tax free pursuant to Sections 355(a) and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code.

 

IRS ” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.

 

IRS Ruling ” means the U.S. federal income Tax ruling, and any supplements thereto, issued to Parent by the IRS in connection with the Restructuring and the Distribution.

 

IRS Ruling Request ” means any letter filed by Parent with the IRS requesting a ruling regarding certain tax consequences of the Transactions and any amendment or supplement to such ruling request letter.

 

Law ” has the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

 

Liability ” has the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

 

Non-Income Tax Return ” means any Tax Return relating to Taxes other than Income Taxes.

 

Non-Income Taxes ” means (i) any Taxes other than Income Taxes and (ii) for the avoidance of doubt, those Taxes listed on Schedule 1 .

 

Notified Action ” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.03(a).

 

Ordinary Course of Business ” means an action taken by a Person only if such action is taken in the ordinary course of the normal day-to-day operations of such Person.

 

Parent ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

Parent Board ” has the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

 

Parent Business ” has the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

 

Parent Disqualifying Action ” means (i) any action (or the failure to take any action) by Parent or any Parent Entity (including entering into any agreement, understanding or arrangement or any negotiations or discussions with respect to any transaction or series of transactions) that, (ii) any acquisition of all or a portion, or any event (or series of events) involving, the Equity Securities of Parent, any assets of Parent or any Equity Securities or assets of any Parent Entity, Internal Controlled or any Internal Controlled Entity that, or (iii) any inaccuracy in or breach

 

  6    

 

 

by Parent or any Parent Entity of any of the representations, warranties or covenants of or made by Parent in this Agreement or in connection with the Tax Opinions, the IRS Ruling, or any IRS Ruling Request (other than, in each case, any representations and warranties made by Parent on behalf of, or with respect to, SpinCo or any SpinCo Entity) that, in each case, causes any of the Transactions to fail to have Tax-Free Status; provided , however , that the term “Parent Disqualifying Action” shall not include any action expressly contemplated by the Separation and Distribution Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement or that is undertaken pursuant to the Restructuring, the Distribution or the Plan of Reorganization.

 

Parent Entity ” means any member of the Parent Group other than Parent.

 

Parent Group ” means, individually or collectively, as the case may be, (a) Parent and any of its Subsidiaries (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any such Subsidiary that is treated as a “disregarded entity” for U.S. federal Income Tax purposes (or for purposes of any state, local or foreign Tax law)) immediately after the Effective Time (and giving effect to the Restructuring and the Distribution), (b) any Person that shall have merged or liquidated into Parent or any such Subsidiary and (c) any predecessor or successor to any Person otherwise described in this definition.

 

The “ Parent Mergers ” means the Mergers, as defined in the Second Amended and Restated Business Combination Agreement, dated as of April 17, 2015, by and among Parent (then named Rome-Milan Holdings, Inc.), MeadWestvaco Corporation, a Delaware Corporation, Rock-Tenn Company, a Georgia Corporation, Milan Merger Sub, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and Rome Merger Sub, Inc., a Georgia corporation, as restated and amended by the First Amendment to the Second Amended and Restated Business Combination Agreement, by and among Parent (then named Rome-Milan Holdings, Inc.), MeadWestvaco Corporation, Rock-Tenn Company, Milan Merger Sub, LLC and Rome Merger Sub, Inc.

 

Parent Separate Tax Return ” means any Separate Return required to be filed by any member of the Parent Group.

 

Parent Tax Proceeding ” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.02(a).

 

Parent Taxes ” means, without duplication, (i) any Taxes of or imposed on Parent or any Parent Entity (including any Taxes reported on or otherwise imposed with respect to a Combined Tax Return, but excluding any Restructuring/Distribution Taxes), whether imposed as a result of an Adjustment, amendment or otherwise, (ii) any Restructuring Transfer Taxes (A) due in connection with an originally-filed Tax Return that Parent determines to be due or (B) attributable to, or arising with respect to, assets or activities of the Parent Business (in the case of clause (B), whether imposed as a result of an Adjustment, amendment or otherwise), (iii) any Restructuring/Distribution Taxes, whether imposed as a result of an Adjustment, amendment or otherwise, and (iv) any Taxes attributable to a Parent Disqualifying Action, whether imposed as a result of an Adjustment, amendment or otherwise; provided , that, notwithstanding anything in clauses (i) through (iv) to the contrary, Parent Taxes shall not include any SpinCo Taxes (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any Taxes attributable to a SpinCo Disqualifying Action).

 

Party ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

  7    

 

 

Past Practice ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01(a).

 

Payment Date ” means (i) with respect to any Combined Tax Return, the earliest of the due date for any required installment of estimated taxes determined under Section 6655 of the Code or any similar provision of foreign Tax Law, the due date (determined without regard to extensions) for filing the return determined under Section 6072 of the Code or any similar provision of foreign Tax Law, and the date the return is filed, and (ii) with respect to any other Tax Return, the corresponding dates determined under the applicable Tax Law.

 

Person ” has the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

 

Plan of Reorganization ” has the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

 

Post-Distribution Ruling ” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.02(d).

 

Post-Separation Period ” means any taxable period (or portion thereof) beginning on or after the Distribution Date, including for the avoidance of doubt, the portion of any Straddle Period beginning on or after the Distribution Date.

 

Prime Rate ” has the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

 

Record Holders ” has the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

 

Refund ” means any refund (or credit in lieu thereof) of Taxes (including any overpayment of Taxes that can be refunded or, alternatively, applied to other Taxes payable), including any interest paid on or with respect to such refund of Taxes; provided , however , that for purposes of this Agreement, the amount of any Refund required to be paid to another Party shall be reduced by the net amount of any Income Taxes imposed on, related to, or attributable to, the receipt or accrual of such Refund.

 

Representatives ” has the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

 

Restriction Period ” means the period beginning on the date hereof and ending on the twenty five (25) month anniversary of the Distribution Date.

 

Restructuring ” has the meaning set forth in the recitals and includes, for the avoidance of doubt, the Contribution and the Distribution.

 

Restructuring/Distribution Taxes ” means any Taxes imposed on, in connection with, or by reason of the Restructuring or the Distribution (not including any Transfer Taxes), other than any such Taxes caused by a Disqualifying Action.

 

Restructuring Transfer Taxes ” means any Transfer Taxes imposed on, in connection with, or by reason of the Restructuring or the Distribution.

 

  8    

 

 

SAG ” has the meaning ascribed to the term “separate affiliated group” in Section 355(b)(3)(B) of the Code.

 

Section 336(e) Election ” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.04.

 

Separate Return ” means (i) in the case of any Tax Return required to be filed by any member of the Parent Group (including any consolidated, combined, unitary or similar Tax Return), any such Tax Return that does not include any member of the SpinCo Group and (ii) in the case of any Tax Return required to be filed by any member of the SpinCo Group (including any consolidated, combined, unitary or similar Tax Return), any such Tax Return that does not include any member of the Parent Group.

 

Separation and Distribution Agreement ” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.

 

SpinCo ” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

SpinCo Active Trade or Business ” means the trade or business actively conducted (within the meaning of Section 355(b) of the Code) by SpinCo (taking into account Section 355(b)(3) of the Code and Revenue Ruling 2007-42, 2007-2 C.B. 44) immediately prior to the Distribution and relied upon to satisfy the requirements of Section 355(b) of the Code with respect to the Distribution, as set forth in the Tax Materials.

 

SpinCo Assets ” has the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

 

SpinCo Business ” has the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

 

SpinCo Disqualifying Action ” means (i) any action (or the failure to take any action) by SpinCo or any SpinCo Entity (including entering into any agreement, understanding or arrangement or any negotiations or discussions with respect to any transaction or series of transactions) that, (ii) any acquisition of all or a portion, or any event (or series of events) involving, the Equity Securities of SpinCo, any assets of SpinCo or any Equity Securities or assets of any SpinCo Entity, Internal Distributing or any Internal Distributing Entity that, or (iii) any inaccuracy in or breach by SpinCo or any SpinCo Entity of any of the representations, warranties or covenants of or made by SpinCo in this Agreement or in connection with the Tax Opinions, the IRS Ruling or any IRS Ruling Request (irrespective of whether Parent made the same representation or warranty on behalf of, or with respect to, SpinCo or any SpinCo Entity), that, in each case, causes any of the Transactions to fail to have Tax-Free Status (regardless of whether a Post-Distribution Ruling, Unqualified Tax Opinion or Waiver may have been obtained or provided with respect to such action, event, inaccuracy or breach); provided , however , that the term “SpinCo Disqualifying Action” shall not include any action expressly contemplated by the Separation and Distribution Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement or that is undertaken pursuant to the Restructuring, the Distribution or the Plan of Reorganization.

 

SpinCo Entity ” means any member of the SpinCo Group other than SpinCo.

 

SpinCo Group ” means individually or collectively, as the case may be, (a) SpinCo and any of its Subsidiaries (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any such Subsidiary that is treated

 

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as a “disregarded entity” for U.S. federal Income Tax purposes (or for purposes of any state, local or foreign Tax law)) immediately after the Effective Time (and giving effect to the Restructuring and the Distribution), (b) any Person that shall have merged or liquidated into SpinCo or any such Subsidiary and (c) any predecessor or successor to any Person otherwise described in this definition.

 

SpinCo Liabilities ” has the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

 

SpinCo Separate Tax Return ” means any Separate Return required to be filed by any member of the SpinCo Group.

 

SpinCo Tax Proceeding ” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.02(a).

 

SpinCo Taxes ” means, without duplication, (i) any Income Taxes of or imposed on any member of the SpinCo Group (including any Taxes reported on or otherwise imposed with respect to a Combined Tax Return), in each case, for any Post-Separation Period, attributable to, or arising with respect to, assets or activities of the SpinCo Business (excluding any Restructuring/Distribution Taxes or any Restructuring Transfer Taxes), whether imposed as a result of an Adjustment, amendment or otherwise, (ii) any Non-Income Taxes of or imposed on any member of the Parent Group or any member of the SpinCo Group (including any Taxes reported on or otherwise imposed with respect to a Combined Tax Return), in each case, required to be paid in any Post-Separation Period, attributable to, or arising with respect to, assets or activities of the SpinCo Business (excluding any Restructuring/Distribution Taxes or any Restructuring Transfer Taxes), whether imposed as a result of an Adjustment or amendment or otherwise, (iii) any Restructuring Transfer Taxes resulting from an Adjustment or amendment and attributable to, or arising with respect to, assets or activities of the SpinCo Business, and (iv) any Taxes attributable to a SpinCo Disqualifying Action, whether imposed as a result of an Adjustment, amendment or otherwise; provided , that SpinCo Taxes shall not include any Taxes attributable to a Parent Disqualifying Action.

 

Straddle Period ” means any taxable period beginning on or prior to the Distribution Date and ending after the Distribution Date.

 

Subsidiary ” has the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

 

Tax ” means (i) all taxes, charges, fees, duties, levies, imposts, or other similar assessments, imposed by any U.S. federal, state or local or foreign governmental authority, including, but not limited to (A) income, gross receipts, excise, property, sales, use, license, capital stock, transfer, franchise, margin, payroll, withholding, social security, value added and other taxes and (B) for the avoidance of doubt, those taxes listed on Schedule 1 , (ii) any interest, penalties or additions attributable thereto and (iii) all liabilities in respect of any items described in clause (i) or (ii) payable by reason of contract, transferee or successor liability, operation of Law or Treasury Regulations Section 1.1502-6(a) (or any predecessor or successor thereof or any analogous or similar provision under Law).

 

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Tax Attributes ” means net operating losses, capital losses, credits, earnings and profits, overall foreign losses, previously taxed income, separate limitation losses and all other Tax attributes.

 

Tax Counsel ” shall mean tax counsel of recognized national standing that is acceptable to Parent.

 

Tax Item ” means any item of income, gain, loss, deduction, credit, recapture of credit or any other item that increases or decreases Taxes paid or payable.

 

Tax Materials ” means (i) the IRS Ruling, (ii) the Tax Opinions, (iii) each submission to the IRS in connection with any IRS Ruling Request, (iv) the representation letters from Parent and SpinCo addressed to Tax Counsel supporting the Tax Opinions and (v) any other materials delivered or deliverable by Parent or SpinCo in connection with the rendering by Tax Counsel of the Tax Opinions or the issuance by the IRS of the IRS Ruling.

 

Tax Matter ” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.01.

 

Tax Opinions ” shall mean the opinions issued by Tax Counsel to Parent with respect to certain Tax aspects of the Contribution and the Distribution, as referenced in [Section 3.3(a)(iv)] of the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

 

Tax Package ” means all relevant Tax-related information relating to the operations of the Parent Business or the SpinCo Business, as applicable, that is reasonably necessary to prepare and file the applicable Tax Return.

 

Tax Proceeding ” means any audit, assessment of Taxes, pre-filing agreement, other examination by any Taxing Authority, proceeding, appeal of a proceeding or litigation relating to Taxes, whether administrative or judicial, including proceedings relating to competent authority determinations.

 

Tax Return ” means any return, report, certificate, form or similar statement or document (including any related or supporting information or schedule attached thereto and any information return, or declaration of estimated Tax) supplied to, filed with or required to be supplied to or filed with, a Taxing Authority in connection with the payment, determination, assessment or collection of any Tax or the administration of any Laws relating to any Tax and any amended Tax return or claim for refund.

 

Tax-Free Status ” means, with respect to (a) the Contribution and the Distribution, taken together, and (b) the Internal Contribution and the Internal Distribution, taken together, the qualification in each case thereof (i) as a reorganization described in Sections 355(a) and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code, (ii) as a transaction in which the stock distributed thereby is “qualified property” for purposes of Sections 355(c)(2) and 361(c) of the Code, and (iii) as a transaction in which Parent, SpinCo, members of the Parent Group, members of the SpinCo group and the shareholders of Parent recognize no income or gain for U.S. federal Income Tax purposes pursuant to Sections 355, 361 and 1031 of the Code, other than intercompany items or excess loss accounts taken into account pursuant to the Treasury Regulations promulgated pursuant to Section 1502 of the Code.

 

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Taxing Authority ” means any governmental authority or any subdivision, agency, commission or entity thereof or any quasi-governmental or private body having jurisdiction over the assessment, determination, collection or imposition of any Tax (including the IRS).

 

Taxing Jurisdiction ” means the United States and every other government or governmental unit having jurisdiction to tax Parent, SpinCo or any of their respective Affiliates.

 

Transactions ” means the transactions referred to in the definition of “Tax-Free Status.”

 

Transfer Taxes ” means all sales, use, transfer, real property transfer (whether such transfer is direct or indirect), intangible, recordation, registration, documentary, stamp or similar Taxes.

 

Treasury Regulations ” means the final and temporary (but not proposed) income Tax regulations promulgated under the Code, as such regulations may be amended from time to time (including corresponding provisions of succeeding regulations).

 

U.S. ” means the United States of America.

 

Unqualified Tax Opinion ” means a “will” opinion, without substantive qualifications, of a nationally recognized law firm, which law firm is reasonably acceptable to Parent, to the effect that a transaction will not affect the conclusions set forth in the Tax Opinions.

 

Waiver ” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.02(d).

 

Section 1.02.          Additional Definitions . Capitalized terms not defined in this Agreement shall have the meaning ascribed to them in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

 

Article II

PREPARATION, FILING AND PAYMENT OF TAXES SHOWN DUE
ON TAX RETURNS

 

Section 2.01.          Combined Tax Returns . Parent shall prepare and file (or cause to be prepared and filed) all Combined Tax Returns and shall pay (or cause to be paid) all Taxes shown to be due and payable on such Tax Returns; provided , that SpinCo shall reimburse Parent for any such Taxes that are SpinCo Taxes.

 

Section 2.02.          Parent Separate Tax Returns . Parent shall prepare and file (or cause to be prepared and filed) all Parent Separate Tax Returns and shall pay (or cause to be paid) all Taxes shown to be due and payable on such Tax Returns; provided , that SpinCo shall reimburse Parent for any such Taxes that are SpinCo Taxes.

 

Section 2.03.          SpinCo Separate Tax Returns . SpinCo shall prepare and file (or cause to be prepared and filed) all SpinCo Separate Tax Returns and shall pay (or cause to be paid) all Taxes shown to be due and payable on such Tax Returns; provided , that Parent shall reimburse SpinCo for any such Taxes that are Parent Taxes.

 

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Section 2.04.          Restructuring Transfer Tax Returns . Parent shall prepare and file (or cause to be prepared and filed) all Tax Returns required to be filed with respect to Restructuring Transfer Taxes and Parent shall pay (or cause to be paid) all Taxes shown to be due and payable on such Tax Returns; provided , that SpinCo shall reimburse Parent for any such Taxes that are SpinCo Taxes.

 

Article III

TAX RETURN PROCEDURES

 

Section 3.01.          Procedures Relating to Combined Tax Returns and Parent Separate Tax Returns .

 

(a)           In connection with the preparation of any Combined Tax Return pursuant to Section 2.01 or any Parent Separate Tax Return pursuant to Section 2.02 that may include Tax Items relating to the activities or assets of the SpinCo Business, SpinCo will (and will cause the SpinCo Entities to) assist and cooperate with Parent by preparing and providing to Parent such information and other documentation as may be requested by or necessary to enable Parent, in such form as Parent may reasonably request, to prepare such Combined Tax Return or Parent Separate Tax Return, including, but not limited to, pro forma Tax Returns for SpinCo and any SpinCo Entity to be included in such Combined Tax Return or equivalent financial data to be used in the preparation of such Parent Separate Tax Return, as applicable. Any such pro forma Tax Return or equivalent financial data shall be prepared in accordance with past practices, accounting methods, elections and conventions (“ Past Practice ”), unless otherwise required by Law or reasonably requested in writing by Parent, and shall be delivered no later than sixty (60) days following Parent’s request therefor. At its option, Parent may engage an accounting firm of its choice to review the pro forma Tax Return or equivalent financial data, supporting documentation, and statements submitted by SpinCo and in connection therewith, shall determine whether such Tax Return was prepared in accordance with Past Practice. All costs and expenses associated with such review will be borne by Parent.

 

(b)           Parent (or its designee) shall determine the entities to be included in any Combined Tax Return and make or revoke any Tax elections, adopt or change any Tax accounting methods, and determine any other position taken on or in respect of any Combined Tax Return or Parent Separate Tax Return. Notwithstanding the immediately preceding sentence, any Combined Tax Return or Parent Separate Tax Return shall, to the extent relating to SpinCo, any SpinCo Entity or the activities or assets of the SpinCo Business, be prepared in good faith. Parent shall deliver to SpinCo for its review a draft of any Combined Tax Return or Parent Separate Tax Return, in each case, if such Tax Return reflects or relates to Taxes for which SpinCo would reasonably be expected to be liable hereunder, at least fifteen (15) days prior to the Due Date for such Tax Return to enable SpinCo to analyze and comment on such Tax Return (along with a statement setting forth the calculation of the Tax shown due and payable on such Tax Return reimbursable by SpinCo under Section 2.01 or Section 2.02). Parent shall in good faith consider any such reasonable comments received from SpinCo and Parent and SpinCo shall attempt in good faith to resolve any issues arising out of the review of any such Tax Return; provided , however , that nothing herein shall prevent Parent from timely filing (or causing to be filed) any such Tax Return.

 

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Section 3.02.          Procedures relating to SpinCo Separate Tax Returns . In the case of any SpinCo Separate Tax Return that reflects or relates to Taxes for which Parent would reasonably be expected to be liable hereunder, SpinCo shall (1) unless otherwise required by Law or agreed to in writing by Parent, prepare (or cause to be prepared) such Tax Return in a manner consistent with Past Practice to the extent such items affect the Taxes for which Parent may be responsible pursuant to this Agreement, and (2) submit to Parent a draft of any such Tax Return (along with a statement setting forth the calculation of the Tax shown due and payable on such Tax Return reimbursable by Parent under Section 2.03) at least fifteen (15) days prior to the Due Date for such Tax Return to enable Parent to analyze and comment on such Tax Return. SpinCo shall reflect any such reasonable comments received from Parent in good faith, to the extent such comments relate to Taxes for which Parent would reasonably be expected to be liable hereunder.

 

Section 3.03.          Preparation of all Tax Returns . Except as required by applicable Law or as a result of a Final Determination, (i) neither Parent nor SpinCo shall (nor shall cause or permit any members of the Parent Group or SpinCo Group, respectively, to) take any position that is either inconsistent with the Tax-Free Status (or analogous status under any state or local Law) or, with respect to a specific Tax Item on any Tax Return, treat such Tax Item in a manner that is inconsistent with the manner such Tax Item is reported on a Tax Return prepared or filed by Parent pursuant to Article II hereof (including, without limitation, the claiming of a deduction previously claimed on any such Tax Return) and (ii) Parent and SpinCo shall (and shall cause the members of the Parent Group and SpinCo Group, respectively, to) prepare all Tax Returns in a manner consistent with the terms of this Agreement and the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

 

Section 3.04.          Tax Returns Reflecting Restructuring/Distribution Taxes . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Articles II, III and IV, the portion of any Tax Return that relates to any Restructuring/Distribution Taxes or any Taxes attributable to a Parent Disqualifying Action shall be prepared by Parent in the manner determined by Parent in its sole discretion.

 

Article IV

TAX TIMING AND ALLOCATION

 

Section 4.01.          Timing of Payments . All Taxes required to be paid or caused to be paid pursuant to Article II by either Parent or SpinCo, as the case may be, to an applicable Taxing Authority or to be reimbursed by Parent or SpinCo to the other Party (or any member of its Group) pursuant to this Agreement, shall, in the case of a payment to a Taxing Authority, be paid on or before the Due Date for the payment of such Taxes and, in the case of a payment to the other Party, be paid at least two (2) business days before the Due Date for the payment of such Taxes by the other Party.

 

Section 4.02.          Expenses . Except as otherwise expressly provided herein (including in Section 3.01), each Party shall bear its own expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement.

 

Section 4.03.          Apportionment of SpinCo Taxes . For all purposes of this Agreement, Parent shall determine in its sole discretion exercised in good faith which Tax Items are properly

 

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attributable to assets or activities of the SpinCo Business (and in the case of a Tax Item that is properly attributable to both the SpinCo Business and the Parent Business, the allocation of such Tax Item between the SpinCo Business and the Parent Business).

 

Article V
INDEMNIFICATION

 

Section 5.01.          Indemnification by Parent . Parent shall pay, and shall indemnify and hold SpinCo and the SpinCo Entities harmless from and against, without duplication, (i) all Parent Taxes, (ii) all Taxes incurred by SpinCo or any SpinCo Entity as a result of any inaccuracy in or breach by Parent or any Parent Entity of any of the representations, warranties or covenants of or made by Parent in this Agreement, and (iii) any costs and expenses related to the foregoing (including reasonable fees of attorneys and experts and out-of-pocket expenses).

 

Section 5.02.          Indemnification by SpinCo . SpinCo shall pay, and shall indemnify and hold Parent and the Parent Entities harmless from and against, without duplication, (i) all SpinCo Taxes, (ii) all Taxes incurred by Parent or any Parent Entity as a result of any inaccuracy in or breach by SpinCo or any SpinCo Entity of any of the representations, warranties or covenants of or made by SpinCo in this Agreement, and (iii) any costs and expenses related to the foregoing (including reasonable fees of attorneys and experts and out-of-pocket expenses).

 

Section 5.03.          Characterization of and Adjustments to Payments .

 

(a)           For all Tax purposes, the Parties agree to treat (and to cause their respective Affiliates to treat) (i) any payment required by this Agreement (other than payments with respect to interest accruing after the Distribution Date) as either a contribution by Parent to SpinCo or a distribution by SpinCo to Parent, as the case may be, occurring immediately prior to the Distribution or as a payment of an assumed or retained Liability and (ii) any payment of non-federal Taxes by or to a Taxing Authority or any payment of interest as taxable or deductible, as the case may be, to the Party entitled under this Agreement to retain such payment or required under this Agreement to make such payment, in each case, except as otherwise required by applicable Law.

 

(b)           Any indemnification payment under this Article V and under Article VI of the Separation and Distribution Agreement shall be increased to take into account any inclusion in taxable income of the Indemnified Party arising from the receipt of such indemnity payment and shall be decreased to take into account any reduction in taxable income of the Indemnified Party arising from such indemnified Liability. For purposes hereof, any adjustment to an indemnification payment on account of Taxes shall be determined (i) using the highest marginal rates in effect for Parent, in the case of an Indemnified Party that is a member of the Parent Group, or for SpinCo, in the case of an Indemnified Party that is a member of the SpinCo Group, at the time of the determination and (ii) assuming that the Indemnified Party will be liable for Taxes at such rate and has no Tax Attributes at the time of the determination.

 

Section 5.04.          Timing of Indemnification Payments . Indemnification payments required pursuant to this Article V shall be paid by the Indemnifying Party to the Indemnified Party within ten (10) business days of the receipt by the Indemnifying Party of notification of the amount owed, together with reasonable documentation showing (i) the basis for the calculation of such

 

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amount and (ii) if the Indemnified Party has already paid such amount to the relevant Taxing Authority or other recipient, evidence of such payment.

 

Article VI
REFUNDS, DEDUCTIONS

 

Section 6.01.          Refunds .

 

(a)           Parent shall be entitled to all Refunds of Taxes for which Parent is responsible pursuant to Article II or for which Parent is or may be liable pursuant to Article V, and SpinCo shall be entitled to all Refunds of Taxes for which SpinCo is responsible pursuant to Article II or for which SpinCo is or may be liable pursuant to Article V. A Party receiving a Refund to which the other Party is entitled pursuant to this Agreement shall pay the amount to which such other Party is entitled within ten (10) days after the receipt of the Refund.

 

(b)           In the event of an Adjustment relating to Taxes for which one Party is responsible pursuant to Article II or is or may be liable pursuant to Article V which would have given rise to a Refund but for an offset against the Taxes for which the other Party is or may be liable pursuant to Article V (the “ Benefited Party ”), then the Benefited Party shall pay to the other Party, within ten (10) days of the Final Determination of such Adjustment an amount equal to the lesser of (i) the amount of such hypothetical Refund or (ii) the amount of such reduction in the Taxes of the Benefited Party, in each case plus interest at the rate set forth in Section 6621(a)(1) of the Code on such amount for the period from the filing date of the Tax Return that would have given rise to such Refund to the payment date. For purposes of this Section 6.01(b), a decrease in taxable income shall be considered a reduction in Taxes of a Benefited Party, and an increase in taxable income shall be considered Taxes for which a party is or may be liable.

 

(c)           Notwithstanding Section 6.01(a), to the extent that a Party applies or causes to be applied an overpayment of Taxes as a credit toward or a reduction in Taxes otherwise payable (or a Taxing Authority requires such application in lieu of a Refund) and such overpayment of Taxes, if received as a Refund, would have been payable by such Party to the other Party pursuant to this Section 6.01, such Party shall pay such amount to the other Party no later than the Due Date of the Tax Return for which such overpayment is applied to reduce Taxes otherwise payable.

 

(d)           To the extent that the amount of any Refund under this Section 6.01 is later reduced by a Taxing Authority or a Tax Proceeding, such reduction shall be allocated to the Party to which such Refund was allocated pursuant to this Section 6.01 and an appropriate adjusting payment shall be made.

 

Section 6.02.          Treatment of Deductions Associated with Equity-Related Compensation . The treatment of Tax deductions associated with equity-related compensation shall be governed by Section [5.3] of the Employee Matters Agreement.

 

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Article VII
TAX PROCEEDINGS

 

Section 7.01.          Notification of Tax Proceedings . Within thirty (30) days after an Indemnified Party becomes aware of the commencement of a Tax Proceeding that may give rise to Taxes for which an Indemnifying Party is responsible pursuant to Article V, such Indemnified Party shall notify the Indemnifying Party of such Tax Proceeding, and thereafter shall promptly forward or make available to the Indemnifying Party copies of notices and communications relating to such Tax Proceeding. The failure of the Indemnified Party to notify the Indemnifying Party of the commencement of any such Tax Proceeding within such thirty (30)-day period or promptly forward any further notices or communications shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party of any obligation which it may have to the Indemnified Party under this Agreement except to the extent that the Indemnifying Party is actually prejudiced by such failure.

 

Section 7.02.          Tax Proceedings .

 

(a)           Generally . Except as provided in Section 7.02(c)(i), Parent (or such member of the Parent Group as Parent shall designate) shall have the sole right to control, and to represent the interests of the members of the Parent Group and the members of the SpinCo Group and to employ counsel of its choice at its expense in, any Tax Proceeding (including any Tax Proceeding with respect to Restructuring/Distribution Taxes) relating to (i) any Combined Tax Return, (ii) any Parent Separate Tax Return, (iii) any Restructuring/Distribution Taxes, or (iv) any Non-Income Taxes that are both SpinCo Taxes and Parent Taxes (each, a “ Parent Tax Proceeding ”). Except as provided in Section 7.02(c)(ii), SpinCo (or such member of the SpinCo Group as SpinCo shall designate) shall have the sole right to control, and to represent the interests of the members of the SpinCo Group and to employ counsel of its choice at its expense in, (i) any Tax Proceeding relating to any SpinCo Separate Tax Return and (ii) any Non-Income Taxes or Restructuring Transfer Taxes that are attributable to, or arise with respect to, assets or activities of the SpinCo Business, in each case, other than a Parent Tax Proceeding (a “ SpinCo Tax Proceeding ”).

 

(b)           Power of Attorney . SpinCo shall (and shall cause the members of the SpinCo Group to) execute and deliver to Parent (or such member of the Parent Group as Parent shall designate) any power of attorney or other document reasonably requested by Parent (or such designee) in connection with any Parent Tax Proceeding.

 

(c)           Participation Rights .

 

(i)           Parent Tax Proceedings . In the event of any Parent Tax Proceeding the resolution of which could reasonably be expected to give rise to an indemnification obligation of SpinCo pursuant to Article V, (A) Parent shall consult with SpinCo reasonably in advance of taking any significant action in connection with such Tax Proceeding, (B) Parent shall consult with SpinCo and offer SpinCo a reasonable opportunity to comment before submitting any written materials prepared or furnished in connection with such Tax Proceeding, (C) Parent shall defend such Tax Proceeding diligently and in good faith as if it were the only party in interest in connection with such Tax Proceeding, and (D) Parent shall provide SpinCo copies of any written materials relating to such Tax Proceeding received from the relevant Taxing Authority.

 

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Notwithstanding anything in the preceding sentence to the contrary, the final determination of the positions taken, including with respect to settlement or other disposition, in any Parent Tax Proceeding shall be made in the sole discretion of Parent and shall be final and not subject to the dispute resolution provisions of Section 10.01 (or, for the avoidance of doubt, Article [VII] of the Separation and Distribution Agreement).

 

(ii)          SpinCo Tax Proceedings . In the event of any SpinCo Tax Proceeding the resolution of which could reasonably be expected to give rise to an indemnification obligation of Parent pursuant to Article V or which otherwise could reasonably be expected to have an adverse impact on Parent, (A) SpinCo shall consult with Parent reasonably in advance of taking any significant action in connection with such Tax Proceeding, (B) SpinCo shall consult with Parent and offer Parent a reasonable opportunity to comment before submitting any written materials prepared or furnished in connection with such Tax Proceeding, (C) SpinCo shall defend such Tax Proceeding diligently and in good faith as if it were the only party in interest in connection with such Tax Proceeding, (D) SpinCo shall provide Parent copies of any written materials relating to such Tax Proceeding received from the relevant Taxing Authority, (E) Parent shall be entitled to participate in such Tax Proceeding at its own expense and (F) SpinCo shall not settle, compromise or abandon any such Tax Proceeding without obtaining the prior written consent of Parent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed.

 

Article VIII
TAX-FREE STATUS OF THE TRANSACTIONS

 

Section 8.01.          Representations and Warranties .

 

(a)           SpinCo . SpinCo hereby represents and warrants that (i) it has examined the Tax Materials, and (ii) the facts presented and the representations made in the Tax Materials, to the extent descriptive of or in reference to the SpinCo Group or the SpinCo Business (including with respect to the plans, proposals, intentions and policies of the SpinCo Group), are true, correct and complete in all respects.

 

(b)           Parent . Parent hereby represents and warrants that (i) it has delivered complete and accurate copies of the Tax Materials to SpinCo and (ii) the facts presented and the representations made in the Tax Materials, to the extent descriptive of or in reference to the Parent Group or the Parent Business (including with respect to the business purposes for the Distribution described in the Tax Materials and the plans, proposals, intentions and policies of the Parent Group), are true, correct and complete in all respects.

 

(c)           No Contrary Plan . Each of Parent and SpinCo represents and warrants that neither it, nor any of its Affiliates, has any plan or intention to take any action (or fail to take any action) or knows of any fact or circumstance (after due inquiry) (A) which is inconsistent with any statements or representations made in the Tax Materials, this Agreement or the Separation and Distribution Agreement (or that could cause any such statements or representations to be untrue) or (B) which may cause any of the Transactions not to have Tax-Free Status.

 

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Section 8.02.          Restrictions Relating to the Distribution .

 

(a)           General . SpinCo shall not, and shall not permit any SpinCo Entity to, take any action that constitutes (and shall not fail to take an action, the omission of which would result in) a Disqualifying Action described in the definition of SpinCo Disqualifying Action.

 

(b)           SpinCo Obligations . SpinCo shall not take any action (including, but not limited to, any cessation, transfer or disposition of all or any portion of any SpinCo Business, payment of extraordinary dividends and acquisitions or issuance of Equity Securities) or permit any member of the SpinCo Group to take any such action, and SpinCo shall not fail to take any such action or permit any SpinCo Entity to fail to take any such action, in each case, unless such action or failure to act (x) could not reasonably be expected to cause any of the Transactions to fail to have Tax-Free Status or (y) could not require Parent or SpinCo to reflect a liability or reserve for Taxes or other amounts with respect to the Transactions in its financial statements.

 

(c)           SpinCo Restrictions . Prior to the first (1 st ) day after the end of the Restriction Period, SpinCo:

 

(i)           (x) shall continue and/or cause to be continued the active conduct (within the meaning of Section 355(b) of the Code) of the SpinCo Active Trade or Business and the Internal Distributing Active Trade or Business (by Internal Distributing) as conducted immediately prior to the Distribution, taking into account Section 355(b)(3) of the Code and Revenue Ruling 2007-42, 2007-2 C.B. 44, and (y) shall not engage (or permit Internal Distributing or any other SpinCo Entity to engage) in any transaction (including, without limitation, any cessation, transfer or disposition of all or any portion of any SpinCo Business) that could reasonably be expected to result in either SpinCo ceasing to be a company engaged in the SpinCo Active Trade or Business or Internal Distributing ceasing to be a company engaged in the Internal Distributing Active Trade or Business.

 

(ii)          shall not, and shall not permit any SpinCo Entity, Internal Distributing or any Internal Distributing Entity (other than any SpinCo Entity or Internal Distributing Entity treated as an entity disregarded as separate from its owner for U.S. federal Income Tax purposes) to voluntarily dissolve or liquidate (or take any other action or enter into any transaction that would effect a liquidation for U.S. federal Income Tax purposes).

 

(iii)         shall not (1) enter into, solicit, agree to, participate in, approve or effect any Acquisition Transaction or any Internal Distributing Acquisition Transaction or, to the extent SpinCo has the right to prohibit any Acquisition Transaction or any Internal Distributing Acquisition Transaction, permit any Acquisition Transaction or any Internal Distributing Acquisition Transaction to occur, (2) redeem or otherwise repurchase or agree to redeem or otherwise repurchase (directly or through an Affiliate) any Equity Securities of SpinCo or Internal Distributing, except to the extent such repurchases satisfy Section 4.05(1)(b) of Revenue Procedure 96-30 (as in effect prior to the amendment of such Revenue Procedure by Revenue Procedure 2003-48), (3) amend SpinCo’s or Internal Distributing’s certificate of incorporation (or other organizational documents), or take any other action, whether through a stockholder vote or otherwise, affecting the relative voting rights of SpinCo’s or Internal Distributing’s Equity Securities (including through the conversion of any Equity Securities into another class of Equity Securities), (4) merge or consolidate (or agree to merge or consolidate) with any other Person or permit any SpinCo Entity, Internal Distributing or any Internal Distributing Entity to merge or consolidate

 

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(or agree to merger or consolidate) with any other Person (other than, (A) in the case of a SpinCo Entity, either SpinCo or another SpinCo Entity, or (B) in the case of an Internal Distributing Entity, Internal Distributing or another Internal Distributing Entity) or (5) take any other action or actions (including any action or transaction that would be reasonably likely to be inconsistent with any statement or representation made in the Tax Materials) which, individually or in the aggregate (and taking into account any other transactions described in this Section 8.02(c)(iii)) would be reasonably likely to have the effect of causing or permitting one or more Persons (whether or not acting in concert) to acquire, directly or indirectly, Equity Securities representing a Fifty-Percent or Greater Interest in SpinCo or Internal Distributing or otherwise jeopardize the Tax-Free Status of any of the Transactions. In addition, SpinCo shall not at any time, whether before or subsequent to the expiration of the Restriction Period, engage in or permit any action described in the immediately preceding sentence if it is pursuant to an agreement negotiated (in whole or in part) prior to the first (1 st ) day after the end of the Restriction Period, even if at the time of the Distribution or thereafter such action is subject to various conditions.

 

(iv)         (1) shall not, and shall not permit any SpinCo Entity to, sell, transfer, or otherwise dispose of or agree to, sell, transfer or otherwise dispose (including in any transaction treated for U.S. federal Income Tax purposes as a sale, transfer or disposition) of assets (including, any shares of Equity Securities of a Subsidiary) that, in the aggregate, constitute more than thirty percent (30%) of the gross assets of SpinCo or more than thirty percent (30%) of the consolidated gross assets of SpinCo and the members of its SAG; and (2) shall not permit Internal Distributing or any Internal Distributing Entity to sell, transfer, or otherwise dispose of or agree to, sell, transfer or otherwise dispose (including in any transaction treated for U.S. federal Income Tax purposes as a sale, transfer or disposition) of assets (including, any shares of Equity Securities of a Subsidiary) that, in the aggregate, constitute more than thirty percent (30%) of the gross assets of Internal Distributing or more than thirty percent (30%) of the consolidated gross assets of Internal Distributing and the members of its SAG. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (A) sales, transfers, or dispositions of assets in the Ordinary Course of Business, (B) any cash paid to acquire assets from an unrelated Person in an arm’s-length transaction, (C) any assets transferred to a Person that is disregarded as an entity separate from the transferor for U.S. federal Income Tax purposes or (D) any mandatory or optional repayment (or pre-payment) of any indebtedness of SpinCo or Internal Distributing, as applicable (or any member of the applicable SAG). The percentages of gross assets of SpinCo or of the consolidated gross assets of SpinCo and the members of its SAG, as the case may be, sold, transferred, or otherwise disposed of, shall be based on the fair market value of the gross assets of such entity or entities as of the Distribution Date. The percentages of gross assets of Internal Distributing or of the consolidated gross assets of Internal Distributing and the members of its SAG, as the case may be, sold, transferred, or otherwise disposed of, shall be based on the fair market value of the gross assets of such entity or entities as of the date of the Internal Distribution. For purposes of this Section 8.02(c)(iv), a merger of SpinCo or Internal Distributing (or a member of the applicable SAG) with and into any Person shall constitute a disposition of all of the assets of such entity or such member.

 

(d)           Notwithstanding the restrictions imposed by Section 8.02(c), during the Restriction Period, SpinCo may proceed with (or permit to proceed) any of the actions or transactions described in Section 8.02(c), if (x) such action or transaction is not described in Section 8.02(a) or Section 8.02(b) and (y) prior to entering into any agreement contemplating such action

 

  20    

 

 

or transaction, and prior to taking or consummating any such action or transaction, (i) SpinCo shall first have requested Parent to obtain a private letter ruling from the IRS (and any other relevant Taxing Authority) (a “ Post-Distribution Ruling ”) in accordance with Section 8.03(d) of this Agreement to the effect that such action or transaction will not affect the Tax-Free Status of any of the Transactions and Parent shall have received such Post-Distribution Ruling in form and substance satisfactory to Parent in its sole and absolute discretion, (ii) SpinCo shall have provided Parent with an Unqualified Tax Opinion in form and substance satisfactory to Parent in its sole and absolute discretion, or (iii) Parent shall have waived in writing (a “ Waiver ”) the requirement to obtain such Post-Distribution Ruling or Unqualified Tax Opinion. In determining whether a Post-Distribution Ruling or Unqualified Tax Opinion is satisfactory, Parent shall exercise its discretion in good faith and may consider, among other factors, the appropriateness of any underlying assumptions or representations used as a basis for the Post-Distribution Ruling or Unqualified Tax Opinion and the views on the substantive merits. For the avoidance of doubt, SpinCo shall not be relieved of any indemnification obligation pursuant to Article V or otherwise under this Agreement as a result of having satisfied the requirements of clauses (i), (ii) or (iii) of this Section 8.02(d).

 

(e)           Tax Reporting . Each of SpinCo and Parent covenants and agrees that it will not take, and will cause its respective Affiliates not to take, any position on any Tax Return that is inconsistent with the Tax-Free Status of the Transactions.

 

Section 8.03.          Procedures Regarding Post-Distribution Rulings and Unqualified Tax Opinions .

 

(a)           Notification . If SpinCo determines that it desires to take one of the actions described in Section 8.02(c) (a “ Notified Action ”), SpinCo shall promptly notify Parent of this fact in writing.

 

(b)           Post-Distribution Rulings or Unqualified Tax Opinions at SpinCo’s Request . Upon the reasonable request of SpinCo pursuant to Section 8.03(a), Parent shall cooperate with SpinCo and use its commercially reasonable efforts to seek to obtain, as expeditiously as possible, a Post-Distribution Ruling or an Unqualified Tax Opinion for the purpose of permitting SpinCo to take the Notified Action unless Parent shall have waived the requirement to obtain such Post-Distribution Ruling or Unqualified Tax Opinion in writing pursuant to Section 8.02(d). Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall Parent be required to file or cooperate in the filing of any ruling request for a Post-Distribution Ruling under this Section 8.03(b) unless SpinCo represents that (i) it has read such ruling request, and (ii) all statements, information and representations relating to any member of the SpinCo Group contained in such ruling request are (subject to any qualifications therein) true, correct and complete. SpinCo shall reimburse Parent for all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by the Parent Group in obtaining a Post-Distribution Ruling or Unqualified Tax Opinion requested by Parent within ten (10) days after receiving an invoice from Parent therefor.

 

(c)           Post-Distribution Rulings or Unqualified Tax Opinions at Parent’s Request . Parent shall have the right to obtain a Post-Distribution Ruling or a tax opinion at any time in its sole and absolute discretion. If Parent determines to obtain a Post-Distribution Ruling or a tax opinion, SpinCo shall (and shall cause each SpinCo Entity to) cooperate with Parent and use

 

  21    

 

 

commercial reasonably efforts to take any and all actions reasonably requested by Parent in connection with obtaining such Post-Distribution Ruling or tax opinion (including, without limitation, by making any representation or covenant or providing any information, documents and materials requested by the IRS, any other relevant Taxing Authority or the Tax Counsel issuing such opinion); provided , that SpinCo shall not be required to make (or cause a SpinCo Entity to make) any representation or covenant that is inconsistent with historical facts or as to future matters or events over which it has no control. Parent and SpinCo shall each bear its own costs and expenses in obtaining a Post-Distribution Ruling or tax opinion requested by Parent.

 

(d)           All Post-Distribution Rulings . Parent shall have sole and exclusive control over the process of obtaining any Post-Distribution Ruling, and only Parent shall be permitted to apply for a Post-Distribution Ruling. In connection with obtaining a Post-Distribution Ruling, (i) Parent shall keep SpinCo informed in a timely manner of all material actions taken or proposed to be taken by Parent in connection therewith; (ii) Parent shall (1) reasonably in advance of the submission of any request for a Post-Distribution Ruling provide SpinCo with a draft copy thereof; (2) reasonably consider SpinCo’s comments on such draft copy; and (3) provide SpinCo with a final copy; and (iii) Parent shall provide SpinCo with notice reasonably in advance of, and SpinCo shall have the right to attend, any formally scheduled meetings with the IRS (subject to the approval of the IRS) that relate to such Post-Distribution Ruling. Neither SpinCo nor any SpinCo Entity shall seek any guidance from the IRS or any other Taxing Authority (whether written, verbal or otherwise) at any time concerning the Restructuring, the Distribution, the Internal Contribution or the Internal Distribution (including the impact of any transaction on the Restructuring, the Distribution, the Internal Contribution or the Internal Distribution, as applicable) without Parent’s prior written consent.

 

Section 8.04.          Section 336(e) Election . The Parties agree that (i) Parent and SpinCo shall enter into a written, binding agreement and (ii) Parent and Internal Distributing, as applicable, shall timely make a protective election under Section 336(e) of the Code (and any similar provision of any relevant U.S. state or local jurisdiction) and Treasury Regulation Section 1.336-2(j) (each election, a “ Section 336(e) Election ”), with respect to the Distribution and the Internal Distribution, in each case, in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.336-2(h). SpinCo shall (or shall cause the relevant SpinCo Entity or Internal Distributing Entity to) join with Parent or the relevant Parent Entity in the making of such election and shall take any action reasonably requested by Parent or that is otherwise necessary to give effect to such election (including making any other related election). To the extent, pursuant to a Final Determination, the Distribution or the Internal Distribution constitutes a “qualified stock disposition,” as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.336-1(b)(6), the Parties shall not and shall not permit any of their respective Subsidiaries to, take any position for Tax purposes inconsistent with the relevant Section 336(e) Election, except as may be required pursuant to a Final Determination. For the avoidance of doubt, in the event that (x) Section 336(e) applies to the Distribution and (y) neither Section 355(c) nor Section 361(c) applies to the Internal Distribution, Parent shall be permitted to make an election under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1502-13(f)(5)(ii) in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.1502-13(f)(5)(ii)(E) and specifying Treasury Regulation Section 1.1502-13(f)(5)(ii)(C) as the basis for relief. In the event the Transactions fail to have Tax-Free Status and Parent is not entitled to indemnification for any Taxes or Losses arising from such failure, SpinCo shall pay over to Parent any refund, credit, or other reduction in otherwise required Tax payments realized by the SpinCo Group or any member of the SpinCo Group arising from the

 

  22    

 

 

step-up in Tax basis resulting from a Section 336(e) Election. In the event the Transactions fail to have Tax-Free Status and Parent is entitled to indemnification for any Taxes or Losses arising from such failure, the Restructuring/Distribution Taxes subject to such indemnification shall include any additional Taxes payable by Parent and its affiliates as a result of the relevant Section 336(e) Election.

 

Article IX
COOPERATION

 

Section 9.01.          General Cooperation .

 

(a)           The Parties shall each cooperate fully (and each shall cause its respective Subsidiaries to cooperate fully) with all reasonable requests in writing from the other Party hereto, or from an agent or Representative of such Party, in connection with the preparation and filing of Tax Returns (including the preparation of Tax Packages), claims for Refunds, Tax Proceedings, and calculations of amounts required to be paid pursuant to this Agreement, in each case, related or attributable to or arising in connection with Taxes of any of the Parties or their respective Subsidiaries covered by this Agreement and the establishment of any reserve required in connection with any financial reporting (a “ Tax Matter ”). Such cooperation shall include the provision of any information reasonably necessary or helpful in connection with a Tax Matter (“ Information ”) and shall include, without limitation, at each Party’s own cost:

 

(i)           the provision of any Tax Returns of the Parties and their respective Subsidiaries, books, records (including information regarding ownership, Tax basis of property, and earnings and profits), documentation and other information relating to such Tax Returns, including accompanying schedules, related work papers, and documents relating to rulings or other determinations by Taxing Authorities;

 

(ii)          the execution of any document (including any power of attorney) in connection with any Tax Proceedings of any of the Parties or their respective Subsidiaries, or the filing of a Tax Return or a Refund claim of the Parties or any of their respective Subsidiaries;

 

(iii)         the use of the Party’s reasonable best efforts to obtain any documentation in connection with a Tax Matter; and

 

(iv)         the use of the Party’s reasonable best efforts to obtain any Tax Returns (including accompanying schedules, related work papers, and documents), documents, books, records or other information in connection with the filing of any Tax Returns of any of the Parties or their Subsidiaries.

 

(b)           Each Party shall make its employees, advisors, and facilities available, without charge, on a reasonable and mutually convenient basis in connection with the foregoing matters.

 

Section 9.02.          Retention of Records . Parent and SpinCo shall retain or cause to be retained all Tax Returns, schedules and work papers, and all material records or other documents relating thereto in their possession, until sixty (60) days after the expiration of the applicable statute of limitations (including any waivers or extensions thereof) of the taxable periods to which such Tax Returns and other documents relate or until the expiration of any additional

 

  23    

 

 

period that any Party reasonably requests, in writing, with respect to specific material records or documents. A Party intending to destroy any material records or documents shall provide the other Party with reasonable advance notice and the opportunity to copy or take possession of such records and documents. The Parties hereto will notify each other in writing of any waivers or extensions of the applicable statute of limitations that may affect the period for which the foregoing records or other documents must be retained.

 

Article X
MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 10.01.          Dispute Resolution . In the event of any dispute between the Parties as to any matter covered by this Agreement, the Parties shall cooperate in good faith to resolve such dispute. If the Parties cannot resolve such dispute within thirty (30) days from the time such dispute arises, Parent shall, in its reasonable discretion, resolve such dispute, after considering in good faith any comments provided by SpinCo.

 

Section 10.02.          Tax Sharing Agreements . All Tax sharing, indemnification and similar agreements, written or unwritten, as between Parent or a Parent Entity, on the one hand, and SpinCo or a SpinCo Entity, on the other hand (other than this Agreement, the Separation and Distribution Agreement, any other Ancillary Agreement and any agreement entered into after the Distribution), shall be or shall have been terminated no later than the Effective Time and, after the Effective Time, none of Parent, any Parent Entity, SpinCo or any SpinCo Entity shall have any further rights or obligations under any such Tax sharing, indemnification or similar agreement.

 

Section 10.03.          Interest on Late Payments . With respect to any payment between the Parties pursuant to this Agreement not made by the due date set forth in this Agreement for such payment, the outstanding amount will accrue interest at a rate per annum equal to the rate in effect for underpayments under Section 6621 of the Code from such due date to and including the earlier of the ninetieth (90th) day or the payment date, and thereafter will accrue interest at a rate per annum equal to Prime Rate plus 2%.

 

Section 10.04.          Survival of Covenants . Except as otherwise contemplated by this Agreement, all covenants and agreements of the Parties contained in this Agreement shall survive the Effective Time and remain in full force and effect in accordance with their applicable terms; provided , however , that the representations and warranties and all indemnification for Taxes shall survive until sixty (60) days following the expiration of the applicable statute of limitations (taking into account all extensions thereof), if any, for assessment of the Tax that gave rise to the indemnification; provided , further , that, in the event that notice for indemnification has been given within the applicable survival period, such indemnification shall survive until such time as such claim is finally resolved.

 

Section 10.05.          Severability . If any term or other provision of this Agreement is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced under any Law or as a matter of public policy, all other conditions and provisions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect. Upon such determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced, the

 

  24    

 

 

Parties to this Agreement shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the Parties as closely as possible in a mutually acceptable manner.

 

Section 10.06.          Entire Agreement . Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement and subject to Section 10.12 hereof, this Agreement, the Employee Matters Agreement, and the Separation and Distribution Agreement constitute the entire agreement of the Parties hereto with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement and supersede all prior agreements and undertakings, both written and oral, between or on behalf of the Parties hereto with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement.

 

Section 10.07.          No Third-Party Beneficiaries . Except as provided in Article V with respect to indemnified Parties, this Agreement is for the sole benefit of the Parties to this Agreement and their respective Subsidiaries and their permitted successors and assigns and nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to or shall confer upon any other Person any legal or equitable right, benefit or remedy of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Agreement.

 

Section 10.08.          Specific Performance . In the event of any actual or threatened default in, or breach of, any of the terms, conditions and provisions of this Agreement, the Party who is or is to be thereby aggrieved shall have the right to specific performance and injunctive or other equitable relief of its rights under this Agreement, in addition to any and all other rights and remedies at law or in equity, and all such rights and remedies shall be cumulative. The Parties agree that the remedies at law for any breach or threatened breach, including monetary damages, may be inadequate compensation for any loss, and that any defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate is waived. Any requirements for the securing or posting of any bond with such remedy are waived by the Parties to this Agreement.

 

Section 10.09.          Amendment . No provision of this Agreement may be amended or modified except by a written instrument signed by the Parties to this Agreement. No waiver by any Party of any provision of this Agreement shall be effective unless explicitly set forth in writing and executed by the Party so waiving. The waiver by any Party of a breach of any provision of this Agreement shall not operate or be construed as a waiver of any other subsequent breach.

 

Section 10.10.          Rules of Construction . Interpretation of this Agreement shall be governed by the following rules of construction: (i) words in the singular shall be held to include the plural and vice versa and words of one gender shall be held to include the other gender as the context requires; (ii) references to the terms Article, Section, paragraph, clause, Exhibit and Schedule are references to the Articles, Sections, paragraphs, clauses, exhibits and schedules of this Agreement unless otherwise specified; (iii) the terms “hereof,” “herein,” “hereby,” “hereto,” and derivative or similar words refer to this entire Agreement, including the Schedules and Exhibits hereto; (iv) references to “ $ ” shall mean U.S. dollars; (v) the word “including” and words of similar import when used in this Agreement shall mean “including without limitation,” unless otherwise specified; (vi) the word “or” shall not be exclusive; (vii) references to “written” or “in writing” include in electronic form; (viii) provisions shall apply, when appropriate, to successive events and transactions; (ix) the table of contents and headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement; (x) Parent and SpinCo have each participated in the negotiation and drafting of this

 

  25    

 

 

Agreement and if an ambiguity or question of interpretation should arise, this Agreement shall be construed as if drafted jointly by the parties hereto and no presumption or burden of proof shall arise favoring or burdening either Party by virtue of the authorship of any of the provisions in this Agreement or any interim drafts of this Agreement; and (xi) a reference to any Person includes such Person’s successors and permitted assigns.

 

Section 10.11.          Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which when executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Agreement by facsimile or portable document format (PDF) shall be as effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of any such Agreement.

 

Section 10.12.          Coordination with Separation and Distribution Agreement . In the event of any inconsistency between this Agreement and the Separation and Distribution Agreement, the Employee Matters Agreement, or any other Ancillary Agreement with respect to matters addressed herein the provisions of this Agreement shall control.

 

Section 10.13.          Coordination with the Employee Matters Agreement . To the extent any covenants or agreements between the Parties with respect to employee withholding Taxes are expressly set forth in the Employee Matters Agreement, such Taxes shall be governed exclusively by the Employee Matters Agreement and not by this Agreement.

 

Section 10.14.          Governing Law . This Agreement (and any claims or disputes arising out of or related hereto or to the transactions contemplated hereby or to the inducement of any Party to enter herein, whether for breach of contract, tortious conduct or otherwise and whether predicated on common law, statute or otherwise) shall be governed by and construed and interpreted in accordance with the Laws of the State of Delaware, irrespective of the choice of Laws principles of the State of Delaware, including all matters of validity, construction, effect, enforceability, performance and remedies.

 

Section 10.15.          Assignability . This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns. Neither Party may assign its rights or delegate its obligations under this Agreement without the express prior written consent of the other Party hereto; provided , however , that each Party may assign all of its rights and obligations under this Agreement to any of its Subsidiaries; provided , further , that no such assignment shall release the assigning Party from any of its liabilities or obligations under this Agreement.

 

Section 10.16.          Notices . Any notice, demand, claim or other communication under this Agreement will be in writing and will be deemed to have been given (a) on delivery if delivered personally; (b) on the date on which delivery thereof is guaranteed by the carrier if delivered by a national courier guaranteeing delivery within a fixed number of days of sending; or (c) on the date of facsimile transmission thereof if delivery is confirmed, but, in each case, only if addressed to the Parties in the following manner at the following addresses or facsimile numbers (or at the other address or other number as a Party may specify by notice to the others):

 

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If to Parent, to:

 

WestRock Company
504 Thrasher Street
Norcross, GA 30071
Attention:    Chief Financial Officer
Facsimile:    [●]

 

with a copy (until the Effective Time) to:

Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
51 West 52nd Street
New York, New York 10019
Facsimile:    (212) 403-2000

 

If to SpinCo, to:

 

Ingevity Corporation
5255 Virginia Avenue

North Charleston, SC 29406
Attention:    [●]
Facsimile:    [●]

 

with a copy (until the Effective Time) to:

Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
51 West 52nd Street
New York, New York 10019

Facsimile:    (212) 403-2000

 

Section 10.17.          Effective Date . This Agreement shall become effective only upon the occurrence of the Distribution.

 

[ The remainder of this page is intentionally left blank. ]

 

  27    

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have caused this Agreement to be executed by their duly authorized representatives as of the day and year first above written.

 

  WESTROCK COMPANY
   
  By:  
  Name:  
  Title:  
   
  INGEVITY CORPORATION
   
  By:  
  Name:  
  Title:  

 

[Signature Page to Tax Matters Agreement]

 

     

 

 

SCHEDULE 1

 

The following Taxes shall not, for purposes of this Agreement, constitute Income Taxes:

 

· Sales Tax
· Use Tax
· Value Added Tax
· LLC Tax
· Real Property Tax
· Personal Property Tax
· Doing Business Tax
· Business License Tax
· Business Privilege Tax
· Occupational Tax

 

     

 

 

Exhibit 10.4

 

COVINGTON PLANT

 

SERVICES AGREEMENT

 

between

 

WESTROCK VIRGINIA, LLC

 

and

 

INGEVITY VIRGINIA CORPORATION

 

Dated as of February 1, 2016

 

 

 

 

Table of Contents

 

    Page
     
ARTICLE 1 DEFINITIONS 1
   
ARTICLE 2 USE OF CERTAIN JOINT ASSETS 8
     
Section 2.1 Use of Jointly Used Rail Facilities 8
Section 2.2 Use of Jointly Used Pipe Bridges 8
     
ARTICLE 3 SERVICES AND CHARGES 9
     
Section 3.1 Steam 9
Section 3.2 Water 10
Section 3.3 Electricity 10
Section 3.4 Compressed Air 12
Section 3.5 Fire and Emergency Services; Security Services 12
Section 3.6 Sawdust Procurement Services 13
Section 3.7 Medical Services 14
Section 3.8 Joint Storeroom and Motor Pool Services 14
Section 3.9 Use of Expansion Warehouse 16
Section 3.10 Other Services 16
Section 3.11 Interim Supply of Natural Gas 16
Section 3.12 Use of Pinehurst Lot Property 17
     
ARTICLE 4 WASTEWATER TREATMENT 17
     
Section 4.1 Treatment and Monitoring of the Wastewater Streams 17
     
ARTICLE 5 MAINTENANCE OF CONTINUOUS AND JOINTLY USED ASSETS 17
     
Section 5.1 Ownership of Continuous Assets 17
Section 5.2 Repair and Maintenance of the Continuous Assets 17
Section 5.3 Repair and Maintenance of Certain Jointly Used and Other Assets 18
Section 5.4 Repair and Maintenance of Roads and Parking Areas 19
     
ARTICLE 6 ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS WITH RESPECT TO CHARGES 19
     
Section 6.1 General 19
Section 6.2 Adjustments Based on Extraordinary Changes 19
Section 6.3 Service Level Failures 19
Section 6.4 Payment Terms 21
Section 6.5 Documentation; Books and Records 22
Section 6.6 Availability of Information for Calculations; Monthly Adjustments 22
Section 6.7 Delays or Failures 22
Section 6.8 Calculation of Operating Costs 22
     
ARTICLE 7 CAPITAL EXPENDITURES 23
     
Section 7.1 Capital Expenditures to Satisfy Regulatory Requirements and in Connection with Expansion 23
Section 7.2 Capital Improvements for Rail Infrastructure 23

 

  - i -  

 

  

Section 7.3 Capital Improvements to Maintain Assets Used to Provide the Services 23
Section 7.4 Other Mutual Capital Projects 24
Section 7.5 Capital Improvements with Respect to the Continuous Assets 24
Section 7.6 No Capital Improvement Obligation on the Part of the Mill Owner 24
     
ARTICLE 8 OPTIONS TO PURCHASE; USE OF CERTAIN ASSETS 24
     
Section 8.1 Mill Owner Option to Purchase 24
Section 8.2 Purchase Price of Mill Owner Option Assets 25
Section 8.3 Continued Operation of Assets Used to Provide Critical Services 26
     
ARTICLE 9 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES 26
     
Section 9.1 Power and Authority of Ingevity; Enforceability 26
Section 9.2 Power and Authority of the Mill Owner; Enforceability 26
Section 9.3 Limitation of Warranties 27
     
ARTICLE 10 ADDITIONAL COVENANTS 27
     
Section 10.1 Insurance 27
Section 10.2 Service Level Failures; Wastewater Remedy Payments; and Optimization of Operations 28
Section 10.3 Applicable Law 28
     
ARTICLE 11 NOTICES 29
     
Section 11.1 Required Notices 29
Section 11.2 How Notices are Given 30
     
ARTICLE 12 TERM AND TERMINATION 30
     
Section 12.1 Term 30
Section 12.2 Termination 31
     
ARTICLE 13 LIMITATION OF LIABILITY; INDEMNIFICATION 32
     
Section 13.1 Limitation of Liability and Waiver of Subrogation 32
Section 13.2 Indemnification by Ingevity 33
Section 13.3 Indemnification by the Mill Owner 34
Section 13.4 Notice of Claim 35
Section 13.5 Force Majeure 35
Section 13.6 Duty to Mitigate 35
Section 13.7 Other 35
Section 13.8 Limitation of Liability 35
     
ARTICLE 14 CONTRACT MANAGERS; GOVERNANCE; DISPUTE RESOLUTION 36
     
Section 14.1 Contract Managers and Operating Council 36
Section 14.2 Dispute Resolution 37
     
ARTICLE 15 MISCELLANEOUS 38
     
Section 15.1 Confidential Information 38

 

  - ii -  

 

  

Section 15.2 Independent Contractors 38
Section 15.3 Assignment by Ingevity 38
Section 15.4 Assignment by the Mill Owner 39
Section 15.5 Amendment; Waiver 39
Section 15.6 Entire Agreement 39
Section 15.7 Choice of Law and Venue 39
Section 15.8 Binding Agreement; Successors 39
Section 15.9 Headings and Other Interpretations 40
Section 15.10 Counterparts 40
Section 15.11 Schedules 40
Section 15.12 Severability, etc. 40
Section 15.13 No Presumption Against Drafter 40

 

  - iii -  

 

 

COVINGTON PLANT SERVICES AGREEMENT

 

THIS AGREEMENT (this “Agreement” ) is made as and effective as of 12:01 a.m. on February 1, 2016 (the “Effective Date” ) between WESTROCK VIRGINIA, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Mill Owner” ), and INGEVITY VIRGINIA CORPORATION, a Virginia corporation ( “Ingevity” ), under the following circumstances:

 

A.          Pursuant to a Distribution Agreement of even date herewith between the Mill Owner and Ingevity, certain of the assets and liabilities of the specialty chemicals business of WestRock Company, including the Carbon Plant (as hereinafter defined) operated in conjunction with and within the Mill Owner’s paperboard and pulp mill in Covington, Virginia, are being distributed from the Mill Owner to Ingevity. Following such distribution, Ingevity will operate the Carbon Plant.

 

B.          Concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, the Mill Owner is leasing the real property underlying the Carbon Plant to Ingevity pursuant to the Ground Lease (as hereinafter defined). Under the Ground Lease, each party also has certain specified ancillary rights to access and use the real property owned or leased by the other party. Under the Ground Lease, Ingevity also has an option to purchase the real property underlying the Carbon Plant and, if Ingevity purchases the real property underlying the Carbon Plant pursuant to this option, the ancillary rights provided by the Ground Lease will be converted into perpetual reciprocal easements for the benefit of Ingevity and the Mill Owner.

 

C.          The Carbon Plant is dependent upon the Mill Owner’s paperboard and pulp mill for certain essential services. The parties are entering into this Agreement to set forth their agreement with respect to the ongoing provision of services by the Mill Owner’s paperboard and pulp mill to Ingevity’s Carbon Plant.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants described in this Agreement and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are acknowledged, and intending to be legally bound hereby, Ingevity and the Mill Owner agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE 1

DEFINITIONS

 

When used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

 

“Affiliate” means, as to any Person, (a) any Subsidiary of such Person and (b) any other Person that, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such Person. For the purposes of this definition, control means the possession of the power to direct or cause the direction of management and policies of Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

 

“Agent” has the meaning given that term in Section 13.1(a) .

 

“Asset Owner” has the meaning given that term in Section 5.2 .

 

“Average Fuel Cost” means the average fuel cost incurred by the Mill during the month to generate one MMBTU of steam, which shall be determined by: (A) aggregating the cost to the Mill Owner of the Fuel Type used by the Mill to produce steam during the month, but with the cost of the liquor from the pulp-making process used as a fuel in the recovery boilers being valued at zero for this purpose, and (B) dividing the result by the sum of: (x) the aggregate fuel value of all of the Fuel Types used by the Mill during the month, which shall be determined by multiplying the number of units of each

 

 

 

  

Fuel Type used by the Mill during the month by the Fuel Value Per Unit for that Fuel Type and adding together the products so determined, plus (y) the aggregate Energy Value of the 600 pound steam and the 1,500 pound steam generated by recovery boiler #1 and recovery boiler #2, respectively, during the month.

 

“Carbon Plant” means the carbon manufacturing facility, the adjacent carbon warehouse, the carbon research facility and offices, the former chipper house and board mill, the Sawdust Pile and any ancillary facilities, all of which are located on the Carbon Plant Real Property.

 

“Carbon Plant Real Property” means the real property on which the Carbon Plant is located, as more particularly described in the Ground Lease. As of the Effective Date, the Carbon Plant Real Property is leased by Ingevity from the Mill Owner pursuant to the Ground Lease; however, during the Term, the Carbon Plant Real Property may be purchased by Ingevity pursuant to the purchase option set forth in the Ground Lease.

 

“Claims” means any claims, liabilities, obligations, damages, causes of action, penalties, fines, judgments, forfeitures, losses, expenses (including but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees, consultant’s fees, expert’s fees, and court costs) and costs.

 

“Clinic” has the meaning given that term in Section 3.7 .

 

“Closure” means a shutdown of the Mill in which none of the Major Equipment is being operated on a continuous basis during the applicable time period; provided, however, that a shutdown in connection with a Major Equipment Shutdown or a Cold Maintenance Shutdown shall not constitute a Closure.

 

“Co-located Continuous Assets” has the meaning given that term in Section 5.1 .

 

“Cold Maintenance Shutdown” means a planned shutdown of the Mill for maintenance and repairs (other than emergency maintenance or repairs resulting from a Force Majeure Event) in which steam is not being generated by the Mill.

 

“Conclusion of the Escalation Process” has the meaning given that term in Section 14.2(c) .

 

“Continuous Assets” means those assets, such as pipelines, pipe bridges, wires, cables, conveyors and other similar assets that are located partially on the Mill Property and partially on the Carbon Plant Real Property. Those Continuous Assets that are not Mill Owner Retained Assets are owned in part by the Mill Owner and in part by Ingevity, while those Continuous Assets that are Mill Owner Retained Assets are owned solely by the Mill Owner. In the case of Continuous Assets that are utilities serving the Carbon Plant and the Mill (such as the Filtered Water system, the Fire Water system, the wastewater system, the stormwater system and the Mill Electrical Distribution System, but excluding the natural gas line that will be constructed to directly connect the local natural gas utility to the Carbon Plant, which will be paid for and owned by Ingevity), the main distribution lines are owned by the Mill Owner and the dedicated lines connecting the main distribution line to the Carbon Plant, serving only the Carbon Plant, are owned by Ingevity. The Continuous Assets as of the Effective Date and the portions of each owned by each party are listed on Schedule 5.1 . Schedule 5.1 also indicates, as of the Effective Date, the Continuous Assets that are Mill Owner Retained Assets.

 

“Contract Manager” has the meaning given that term in Section 14.1(a) .

 

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“Critical Services Equipment” has the meaning given that term in Section 8.3 .

 

“Cutover Date” has the meaning given that term in Section 3.8(e) .

 

“Default Rate” means a fixed rate equal to: (i) the three month London interbank offered rate (LIBOR) as of the date of determination, as reported in the Wall Street Journal Money Rate column (or, in the event the Wall Street Journal no longer is published, or no longer publishes such rate, such other similarly determined rate as the Mill Owner and Ingevity mutually agree), plus (ii) 5% per annum.

 

“DEQ” means the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality or any successor thereto.

 

“Direct Electric Purchase Arrangement” has the meaning given that term in Section 3.3(c).

 

“Disputes” has the meaning given that term in Section 14.2 .

 

“Effective Date” has the meaning given that term in the preamble to this Agreement.

 

“Emergency Response Plan” has the meaning given that term in Section 3.5(a)(vi) .

 

“Energy Value” means: (i) for recovery boiler #1, the number of MMBTU’s per 1,000 pounds of 600 pound steam generated in the boiler, which is 1.203, and (ii) for recovery boiler #2, the number of MMBTU’s per 1,000 pounds of 1,500 pound steam generated in the boiler, which is 1.168.

 

“Environmental Laws” shall mean all Laws relating to public health and safety, and pollution or protection of the environment, or that classify, regulate, call for the remediation of, require reporting with respect to, or list or define air, water, groundwater, solid waste, hazardous or toxic substances, materials, wastes, pollutants or contaminants; which regulate the presence, use, manufacture, generation, handling, labeling, testing, transport, treatment, storage, processing, discharge, disposal, release, threatened release, control, or cleanup of Hazardous Substances or materials containing Hazardous Substances; or which are intended to assure the protection, safety and good health of the public. Environmental Laws include all applicable Environmental Permits.

 

“Environmental Permits” means any licenses, permits, quotas, authorizations, consents, orders, franchises, filings or registrations, variances, exceptions, security clearances and other approvals from any Governmental Authority under Environmental Laws including, without limitation, those that are required to generate, store, handle, transport, discharge, emit or dispose of Hazardous Substances used or generated by the party.

 

“Escalation Process” has the meaning given that term in Section 14.2(a) .

 

“Excess Cost” has the meaning given that term in Section 3.1(c)(iii)(A) .

 

“Executive Management” has the meaning given that term in Section 14.2(c) .

 

“Expansion Warehouse” means the building located at the corner of North Roanoke Street and North Allegheny Avenue adjacent to the Mill’s wood office, which is the third-party managed warehouse owned by the Mill Owner and located on the Mill Property that is used by both the Mill Owner and Ingevity for receiving and temporary storage of equipment.

 

“Failure Hours” has the meaning given that term in Section 6.3(a) .

 

“Filtered Water” means water pumped from local waterways and filtered by the Mill.

 

  - 3 -  

 

  

“Fire/Emergency Services” has the meaning given that term in Section 3.5(a) .

 

“Fire Water” is pressurized Filtered Water for use in fighting fires that is supplied through a fire water system that services the Mill and the Carbon Plant.

 

“Force Majeure Event” means any cause, condition or event beyond the parties’ reasonable control that delays or prevents either party’s performance of its obligations hereunder, including war, acts of government, acts of public enemy, riots, civil strife, lightning, fires, explosions, storms, floods, power failures (including brown-outs, surges or other situations where the utility generates less than full power), other acts of God or nature, labor strikes or lockouts by either party’s employees, and other similar events or circumstances; provided, however, that adverse financial or market conditions shall not constitute a Force Majeure Event.

 

“Fuel Type” means coal, natural gas, #6 fuel oil, #2 fuel oil, bark or purchased biofuel.

 

“Fuel Value Per Unit” means, for each of the following fuel sources, the number of MMBTU’s per unit indicated:

 

Fuel   Unit   Fuel Value Per Unit
Coal   MMBTU per ton   26.000
Natural gas   MMBTU per million cubic feet   1.070
#6 Fuel oil   MMBTU per gallon   0.151
#2 Fuel oil   MMBTU per gallon   0.138
Bark   MMBTU per 1,000 pounds   4.400
Purchased biofuel   MMBTU per 1,000 pounds   4.400

 

“Governmental Authority” means any government or governmental or regulatory body thereof, or political subdivision thereof, of any country or subdivision thereof, whether national, federal, state or local, or any agency or instrumentality thereof, or any court or arbitrator (public or private).

 

“Ground Lease” means the Ground Lease Agreement of even date herewith between the Mill Owner, as landlord, and Ingevity, as tenant, as the same may be amended from time to time in accordance with its terms, with respect to the lease of the ground underlying the Carbon Plant.

 

“Hazardous Substances” means any hazardous substance within the meaning of Section 101(14) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, 42 U.S.C. §9601(14) or any chemical, pollutant, contaminant, waste or otherwise toxic, hazardous, extremely hazardous or radioactive waste, including petroleum, petroleum derivatives, petroleum by-products or other hydrocarbons, asbestos containing materials and polychlorinated biphenyls that, in each case, is regulated under any applicable Environmental Law.

 

“Hazmat Team” has the meaning given that term in Section 3.5(a)(iii) .

 

“Hourly Charge” has the meaning given that term in Section 6.3(d) .

 

“Identified Courts” has the meaning given that term in Section 15.7 .

 

“Incipient Fire Brigade” has the meaning given that term in Section 3.5(a)(i) .

 

“Ingevity” has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement and includes any permitted successors as operator of the Carbon Plant.

 

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“Ingevity Employee Ratio” means, as of a specified date, the number of all employees of Ingevity and its Affiliates employed at the Carbon Plant as of the preceding September 30 divided by the aggregate number of all employees of Ingevity and its Affiliates and the Mill Owner and its Affiliates employed at the Carbon Plant and at the Mill, respectively, as of the preceding September 30.

 

“Ingevity Fire/Emergency Services” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.5(a) .

 

“Ingevity Indemnified Parties” has the meaning given that term in Section 13.3 .

 

“Ingevity Natural Gas Utility Facilities” means any natural gas pipelines and related equipment owned by Ingevity (whether existing on the Effective Date or thereafter constructed at the expense of Ingevity pursuant to the Lease) that are located on the Mill Property.

 

“Interim Operation” has the meaning given that term in Section 8.3 .

 

“Interim Natural Gas Period” has the meaning given that term in Section 3.11(a).

 

“Joint Motor Pool Services” has the meaning given that term in Section 3.8(c) .

 

“Joint Storeroom Services” has the meaning given that term in Section 3.8(a) .

 

“Jointly Used Pipe Bridges” has the meaning given that term in Section 2.2 .

 

“Jointly Used Rail Facilities” means the rail system located within the Mill complex that is owned by the Mill Owner and serves the Mill and the Carbon Plant, consisting of the track running from the Mill gate to the #13 spur at the edge of the Carbon Plant Real Property and the designated railcar repair and cleaning track. The Jointly Used Rail Facilities do not include the portion of the #13 spur located on the Carbon Plant Real Property. The Jointly Used Rail Facilities also do not include the Repair Track Access Track.

 

“Law” means any national, federal, state or local law (including common law), statute, constitutional provision, code, ordinance, rule, regulation, opinion, interpretive guidance, directive, concession, order or other official requirement or guideline of any country or subdivision, authority, department or agency thereof.

 

“Law Change” has the meaning given that term in Section 10.3(c) .

 

“Losses” means any and all damages, liabilities, obligations, losses, penalties, fines, costs, proceedings, deficiencies or damages (whether absolute, accrued, conditional or otherwise and whether or not resulting from third party claims), including out-of-pocket expenses and reasonable attorneys’ fees and accountants’ fees incurred in the investigation or defense of any of the same or in enforcing any rights under this Agreement.

 

“Maintenance Standards” means, with respect to equipment, machinery and other related components, the applicable maintenance and operating standards listed on Schedule 1.2 or, if there is no applicable maintenance or operating standard listed on Schedule 1.2 , the applicable maintenance and operating standards being applied by the Mill or Ingevity, as the case may be, as of the Effective Date.

 

“Major Equipment” means the Wastewater Treatment Plant, the Electrical Distribution System, the Mill’s steam generation and distribution system serving the Carbon Plant and the Mill’s Filtered Water and Fire Water distribution systems serving the Carbon Plant.

 

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“Major Equipment Shutdown” means a planned shutdown of any of the Major Equipment for maintenance and repairs (other than (i) emergency maintenance or repairs resulting from a Force Majeure Event, or (ii) as part of a Cold Mill Shutdown) or for economic reasons which, in either case, affects the Services provided to the Carbon Plant for more than 24 hours.

 

“Market Quality Sawdust” has the meaning given that term in Section 3.6(b) .

 

“Mill” means the Covington, Virginia paperboard mill and pulp owned as of the date of this Agreement by the Mill Owner. For clarity, the Mill does not include the Carbon Plant.

 

“Mill Electrical Distribution System” means the Mill’s electrical distribution system providing electric service to the Carbon Plant and the Mill. The Mill Electrical Distribution System does not include the dedicated line or lines serving only the Carbon Plant that connect the Mill Electrical Distribution System to the Carbon Plant, which are owned by Ingevity, as shown on Schedule 5.1 .

 

“Mill Indemnified Parties” has the meaning given that term in Section 13.2 .

 

“Mill Owner” has the meaning given that term in the preamble to this Agreement, and includes any permitted successors as operator of the Mill.

 

“Mill Owner Option Exercise Notice” has the meaning given that term in Section 8.1 .

 

“Mill Owner Option” has the meaning given that term in Section 8.1 .

 

“Mill Owner Option Assets” has the meaning given that term in Section 8.1 .

 

“Mill Owner Retained Assets” means: (i) any Continuous Assets that pass under, on or over the Carbon Plant Real Property and serve the Mill but do not also serve the Carbon Plant (which include, without limitation, certain pipe bridges, conveyors and pipelines), and (ii) the building used by the Mill Owner as a truck repair shop as of the Effective Date (sometimes referred to as the Auto Garage), subject to the right of Ingevity under the Ground Lease to expand the premises leased under the Ground Lease to include such building. The Mill Owner Retained Assets as of the Effective Date (other than the truck repair shop referred to in the preceding sentence) are listed on Schedule 5.1 .

 

“Mill Property” means the real property on which the Mill is located, excluding the Carbon Plant Real Property.

 

“MMBTU’s” means 1,000,000 British Thermal Units.

 

“Notice of Claim” has the meaning given that term in Section 13.4 .

 

“Operating Costs” has the meaning given that term in Section 6.8 .

 

“Operating Council” has the meaning given that term in Section 14.1(c) .

 

“Originating Party” has the meaning given that term in Section 6.7 .

 

“Party Wall” means the common, or party, structural wall between the former board mill building on the Carbon Plant Property and the hydropulper building on the Mill Property.

 

“Penalty Hours” has the meaning given that term in Section 6.3(b) .

 

“Permanent Closure of the Carbon Plant” means a shutdown of the Carbon Plant in which no products are being manufactured, processed or stored on a routine basis consistent with normal business practices for the Carbon Plant, if such shutdown has exceeded, or will exceed, one year in duration

 

  - 6 -  

 

  

“Permanent Closure of the Mill” means the Closure of the Mill, if such Closure has exceeded, or will exceed, one year in duration.

 

“Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, firm, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, representative office, branch, Governmental Authority or other similar entity, other than Mill Owner or Ingevity.

 

“Pinehurst Lot” has the meaning given that term in Section 3.12(a) .

 

“Plant Owner” has the meaning given that term in Section 5.2 .

 

“Proceeding” has the meaning given that term in Section 15.7 .

 

“Property” has the meaning given that term in Section 13.1(a) .

 

“Proportionate Share of Rail Usage” has the meaning given that term in Section 5.3(c) .

 

“Protected Information” has the meaning given that term in Section 15.1 .

 

“Recipient Party” has the meaning given that term in Section 6.7 .

 

“Repair Track Access Track” means the mainline track within the Mill Property between the #13 spur and the railcar repair and cleaning track (which Ingevity has the right to use for the movement of railcars to and from the railcar repair and cleaning track but is not part of the Jointly Used Rail Facilities).

 

“Rescue Squad” has the meaning given that term in Section 3.5(a)(v) .

 

“Review Process” has the meaning given that term in Section 14.1(d) .

 

“Sawdust Pile” means the sawdust stored at Ingevity’s sawdust storage and processing site on the Carbon Plant Real Property.

 

“Sawdust Procurement Services” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.6(a) .

 

“Security Services” has the meaning given that term in Section 3.5(b) .

 

“Service Level Failure” has the meaning given that term in Section 6.3(a) .

 

“Service Level Payments” has the meaning given that term in Section 6.3(c ).

 

“Services” means the services to be provided by the Mill Owner to Ingevity pursuant to Articles 3 , 4 and 5 and the services to be provided by Ingevity to the Mill Owner pursuant to Article 3 .

 

“Services Specifications” means, with respect to each Service, the technical standards and ranges of quantity, if any, applicable to such Service as set forth on Schedule 1.1 under the heading Services Specifications. The Services Specifications may be revised from time to time by the parties in writing pursuant to the Review Process so long as such revisions are not otherwise inconsistent with any provision of this Agreement, and Schedule 1.1 shall be updated by the parties to include any change to the Services Specifications agreed upon by the parties in writing pursuant to the Review Process. Schedule 1.1 as so updated from time to time shall be deemed to be a part of this Agreement.

 

“Steam Charge/MMBTU has the meaning given that term in Section 3.1(c) .

 

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“Stormwater” means rainwater and non-process water collected on site at the Mill and the Carbon Plant. The Stormwater ultimately mixes with process discharge water before entering the Wastewater Treatment Plant.

 

“Structural Fire Brigade” has the meaning given that term in Section 3.5(a)(ii) .

 

“Supporting Information” has the meaning given that term in Section 6.5 .

 

“Surplus Sawdust” has the meaning given that term in Section 3.6(b) .

 

“Term” has the meaning given that term in Section 12.1 .

 

“Vehicle” means any land vehicle that is subject to any Virginia statutory motor vehicle insurance Law.

 

“Waiver” has the meaning given that term in Section 3.11(a) .

 

“Wastewater Remedy Payment” means a payment Ingevity is required to make pursuant to Section 6.1.3, Section 6.1.4 or Section 6.1.5 of the Wastewater Treatment Terms.

 

“Wastewater Treatment Plant” means the wastewater treatment plant at the Mill and associated equipment and piping (including, without limitation, the phosphate pre-treatment equipment conveyed by Ingevity to the Mill Owner and operated by the Mill Owner) used for the treatment of wastewater produced by the Mill and the Carbon Plant.

 

“Wastewater Treatment Services” means the Services to be provided by the Mill Owner to Ingevity pursuant to Section 4.1 and the Wastewater Treatment Terms.

 

“Wastewater Treatment Terms” has the meaning given that term in Section 4.1 .

 

ARTICLE 2

USE OF CERTAIN JOINT ASSETS

 

Section 2.1           Use of Jointly Used Rail Facilities .  The parties shall cooperate with respect to their respective use of the Jointly Used Rail Facilities and the Repair Track Access Track. The Mill Owner shall provide Ingevity and its contractors with access to, and use of: (i) the Jointly Used Rail Facilities for purposes of switching, railcar storage and providing railcar deliveries and shipments to and from the Carbon Plant, and (ii) the Repair Track Access Track for purposes of delivery of railcars to and retrieval of railcars from the railcar repair and cleaning track, in each case consistent with the Ground Lease and the day-to-day manner in which the Jointly Used Rail Facilities and the Repair Track Access Track were being used prior to the Effective Date. Each party shall be responsible for entering into its own freight and related contracts with the railroads servicing the facility and third party contractors who repair and clean railcars.

 

Section 2.2           Use of Jointly Used Pipe Bridges .  The Mill Owner shall permit Ingevity to use the pipe bridges and similar structures within the Mill that carry utilities transmission lines and pipelines through the Mill to the Carbon Plant (collectively, the Jointly Used Pipe Bridges ), consistent with the Ground Lease. The obligations of the parties with respect to the maintenance and repair of such pipe bridges, which are Mill Owner Retained Assets, shall be as provided in Article 5 .

 

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ARTICLE 3

SERVICES AND CHARGES

 

Section 3.1           Steam .  (a) The Mill Owner shall supply all of Ingevity’s requirements of steam for the Carbon Plant in accordance with the Services Specifications; provided, that any increase in Ingevity’s requirements of steam for the Carbon Plant after the Effective Date does not: (i) exceed, on an annual basis, 100% of the metered usage of steam by the Carbon Plant during the first 12 full calendar months of the Term, (ii) require any capital expenditure by the Mill Owner, or (iii) require the Mill Owner to obtain any new Environmental Permit or any modification of an existing Environmental Permit. Except in the case of a Major Equipment Shutdown, a Cold Maintenance Shutdown or a Force Majeure Event, the Mill Owner shall not interrupt or reduce the steam service to the Carbon Plant. In the event of any interruption or reduction in steam service from the Mill for any purpose: (i) the Mill Owner shall not reduce the steam service to the Carbon Plant until after steam service to all users of steam at the Mill has been terminated, and (ii) the Mill Owner shall cooperate with Ingevity with respect to the substitution of steam from the Mill’s package steam plant or from a package steam plant to be obtained and operated by Ingevity. Following any interruption to its steam service to the Carbon Plant as a result of a Major Equipment Shutdown, a Cold Maintenance Shutdown or a Force Majeure Event, the Mill Owner shall have the right to restore service to the Mill before restoring service to the Carbon Plant, consistent with the practice prior to the Effective Date; however, the Mill Owner, in cooperation with Ingevity, shall restore service to the Carbon Plant as soon as is reasonbly practicable (and, in any event, within 24 hours) after restoration of such service to the Mill.

 

(b)          For steam supplied to the Carbon Plant by the Mill pursuant to Section 3.1(a) , Ingevity shall pay the Mill Owner on a monthly basis an amount determined by multiplying Ingevity’s actual metered usage of steam generated by the Mill during the month (expressed in MMBTU’s) multiplied by the Steam Charge/MMBTU for the month.

 

(c)          The “Steam Charge/MMBTU” for a month shall be the sum of the following amounts:

 

(i)          the Mill Owner’s aggregate Operating Costs for the month to generate steam (which, for purposes of clarity, shall not include all fuel costs), determined by adding the amounts accumulated for the month in the Mill Owner’s steam generation cost center accounts (Account No. 8010108350 (utility general), 8010108366 (power boiler #6), 8010108371 (power boiler #11), 8010108352 (scrubber system), 8010108321 (recovery boiler #1), 8010108322 (recovery boiler #2), 8010108353 (bark boiler handling), 8010108369 (power boiler #9), 8010108730 (power boiler #10) and 8010108361 (power boiler #1) or the future equivalent accounts) divided by 90% of the total number of MMBTU’s of steam generated by the Mill during the month (10% of such generated steam being the estimated distribution loss); plus

 

(ii)         the adjusted average fuel cost incurred by the Mill during the month to generate one MMBTU of steam, which shall be determined by: (A) aggregating the cost to the Mill Owner of the Fuel Types used by the Mill to produce steam during the month, but with the cost of the liquor from the pulp-making process used as a fuel in the recovery boilers being valued at zero for this purpose, and (B) dividing the result by 90% of the total number of MMBTU’s of steam generated by the Mill during the month (10% of such generated steam being the estimated distribution loss); plus

 

(iii)        a surcharge amount, if any, determined as follows: (A) calculate the amount, if any, by which the cost of natural gas to generate one MMBTU of steam for the month (determined by dividing the Mill Owner’s aggregate cost to purchase natural gas used to generate steam during the month by the aggregate fuel value of the natural gas, which is calculated by multiplying the Fuel Value Per Unit for natural gas multiplied by the number of million cubic feet

 

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of natural gas used by the Mill to generate steam during the month) exceeds the sum of: (x) the Average Fuel Cost for the month, plus (y) $3.00 (the amount of such excess cost, if any, being referred to as the “Excess Cost” ), (B) multiply the Excess Cost, if any, by the aggregate fuel value of all of the Fuel Types used by the Mill during the month, which shall be determined by multiplying the number of units of each Fuel Type used by the Mill during the month by the Fuel Value Per Unit for that Fuel Type (but with the cost of the liquor from the pulp-making process used as a fuel in the recovery boilers being valued at zero for this purpose) and adding together the products so determined, and (C) divide the result determined in (B) by 90% of the total number of MMBTU’s of steam generated by the Mill during the month (10% of such generated steam being the estimated distribution loss).

 

A hypothetical calculation of the Steam Charge/MMBTU for a month is included in the hypothetical monthly invoice for February, 2016 attached as Schedule 6.4 .

 

(d)          In the event that the Mill Owner, acting as permitted by Section 12.2(a)(iii) , notifies Ingevity that the Mill Owner is terminating its obligation to provide steam pursuant to this Section 3.1 , the Mill Owner thereafter shall reasonably cooperate with Ingevity in Ingevity’s efforts to obtain any necessary Environmental Permits for the operation of a replacement steam generation and supply system for the Carbon Plant (including, without limitation, by providing available relevant historical data (such as actual emissions measurements necessary to develop an emissions baseline), participating in any required national ambient air quality standards modeling and attending meetings with Ingevity with the DEQ).

 

Section 3.2           Water .  (a) The Mill Owner shall supply to the Carbon Plant, in accordance with the Services Specifications, all of Ingevity’s requirements of: (i) Filtered Water, (ii) Fire Water, and (iii) potable water from the City of Covington or other local water utility solely to the extent such potable water is being provided from a line running through a Mill meter as of the Effective Date and subject to no material increase in Ingevity’s usage after the Effective Date. Ingevity shall supply to the Mill all of the Mill’s requirements of potable water from the City of Covington or other local water utility solely to the extent such potable water is being provided from a line running through a Carbon Plant meter as of the Effective Date and subject to no material increase in the Mill Owner’s usage after the Effective Date.

 

(b)          For Ingevity’s usage of Filtered Water supplied by the Mill pursuant to Section 3.2(a) , Ingevity shall pay the Mill Owner on a monthly basis an amount determined by multiplying the Mill Owner’s aggregate Operating Costs for maintaining and repairing the Mill’s Filtered Water pumping station and for pumping and treating Filtered Water accumulated for the month in the Mill Owner’s water treatment cost center account (Account No. 8010108351 or the future equivalent account) by a fraction, the numerator of which is the Carbon Plant’s metered usage of Filtered Water for the month and the denominator of which is the total usage of Filtered Water by the Mill and the Carbon Plant for the month. Neither Ingevity nor the Mill Owner shall be required to pay the other for potable water provided by the other pursuant to Section 3.2(a) . Ingevity shall not be required to pay the Mill Owner for Fire Water supplied by the Mill Owner; however, for each maintenance or repair activity (specific work order) undertaken by the Mill Owner with respect to the Fire Water delivery system serving both the Mill and the Carbon Plant, Ingevity shall pay the Mill Owner an amount determined by multiplying the Mill Owner’s Operating Costs for such maintenance or repair activity by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of acres in the Carbon Plant Real Property and the denominator of which is the aggregate number of acres in the Carbon Plant Real Property and the portion of the Mill Property inside the security fence.

 

Section 3.3           Electricity .  (a) The Mill Owner, as landlord under the Ground Lease, shall supply all of the requirements of the Carbon Plant for 60 Hz electricity, in accordance with the Services Specifications and in a manner consistent with the manner in which the Mill Owner provided electricity to the Carbon Plant prior to the Effective Date. Such 60 Hz electricity shall be supplied from electricity

 

  - 10 -  

 

 

purchased by the Mill from the local electric utility. The Mill Owner shall maintain appropriate meters in accordance with applicable Law to measure the electricity provided to Ingevity pursuant to this Agreement. The electricity provided to Ingevity by the Mill Owner pursuant to this Agreement shall be used by Ingevity only for the operation of the Carbon Plant and related facilities and cannot be resold (other than to an Affiliate of Ingevity, but only if such sale to an Affiliate does not violate applicable Law). The Mill Owner’s obligation to supply electricity to the Carbon Plant pursuant to this Section 3.3(a) shall cease in the event: (i)  the Mill Owner no longer is leasing the Carbon Plant Real Property to Ingevity, (ii) Ingevity breaches its obligation set forth in the preceding sentence to use electricity supplied by the Mill only for the operation of the Carbon Plant and related facilities, (ii) Ingevity sells any of the electricity provided by the Mill Owner (other than to an Affiliate of Ingevity, but only if such sale to an Affiliate does not violate applicable Law), or (iii) Ingevity obtains its requirements for electricity from a source other than the Mill.

 

(b)          For electricity supplied by the Mill Owner to the Carbon Plant pursuant to Section 3.3(a) , Ingevity shall pay the Mill Owner on a monthly basis an aggregate amount determined by multiplying the Carbon Plant’s actual metered usage of electricity supplied by the Mill during the month by a rate that is determined by dividing the Mill Owner’s total purchased electricity cost for the billing month by the amount of electricity (in kilowatt hours) purchased by the Mill Owner during the billing month.

 

(c)          If after the Effective Date the local electric utility serving the Mill and the Carbon Plant approves an arrangement under which each of the Mill Owner and Ingevity may purchase its own electricity directly, using a jointly owned electric distribution system to supply the electricity from the lines of the utility to the Carbon Plant without subjecting the Mill Owner to any additional regulation under federal or state law (a “Direct Electric Purchase Arrangement” ), Ingevity may elect to convert the Services described under Section 3.3(a) to a Direct Electric Purchase Arrangement by giving at least six months prior written notice of such election to the Mill Owner. If Ingevity elects to convert such Services to a Direct Electric Purchase Arrangement, Ingevity shall provide to the Mill Owner prior to conversion to the Direct Electric Purchase Arrangement assurances reasonably acceptable to the Mill Owner that the Mill Owner will not become subject to any additional regulation under federal or state Law by reason of converting such Services to a Direct Electric Purchase Arrangement. If Ingevity has satisfied the requirement set forth in the preceding sentence and if Ingevity is not then in default under any of its obligations under this Agreement or the Ground Lease, then effective on the date that is six months after Ingevity gave notice of the election to convert to a Direct Electric Purchase Arrangement (or on such other date as Ingevity and the Mill Owner may agree): (i) the Mill Owner shall expand the property leased to Ingevity pursuant to the Ground Lease to include or, if Ingevity has purchased the Carbon Plant Property, shall convey to Ingevity, an undivided fractional interest in the Mill Electrical Distribution System (with such fraction determined by dividing the Carbon Plant’s aggregate usage of electricity over the last 12 full months ending prior to the conversion by the aggregate usage of electricity by the Carbon Plant and the Mill of electricity supplied through the Mill Electrical Distribution System during the same 12 month period), (ii) the obligation of the Mill Owner to supply electricity to Ingevity (but not the obligation to maintain appropriate meters) pursuant to Section 3.3(a) shall cease, (iii) Ingevity shall have the right to use the jointly owned Mill Electrical Distribution System to transport electricity purchased by Ingevity from the local utility to the Carbon Plant consistent with its ownership interest in such system, and (iv) the obligation of the Mill Owner to maintain and repair the Mill Electrical Distribution System as provided in Section 5.3(a) shall continue notwithstanding the joint ownership of such system; however, Ingevity shall pay to the Mill Owner on a monthly basis an amount determined by multiplying the Mill Owner’s Operating Costs for each maintenance or repair activity (specific work order) undertaken by the Mill Owner during the month with respect to the Mill Electrical Distribution System by a percentage equal to Ingevity’s undivided fractional interest in the Mill Electrical Distribution System.

 

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Section 3.4           Compressed Air .  (a) The Mill Owner shall supply all of Ingevity’s requirements of compressed air for the Carbon Plant in accordance with the Services Specifications, as available from the Mill and consistent with the practice prior to the Effective Date.

 

(b)          For compressed air supplied by the Mill pursuant to Section 3.4(a) , Ingevity shall pay to the Mill Owner on a monthly basis an amount determined by multiplying Ingevity’s metered usage of compressed air supplied by the Mill Owner by an industry average cost per 1,000 cubic feet of compressed air, as determined annually by the Operating Council. As of the Effective Date, the agreed upon industry average cost of compressed air is $0.25/1,000 cubic feet. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if in the future the Mill Owner separately tracks its Operating Costs to generate compressed air for the Mill and the Carbon Plant, the monthly amount payable by Ingevity for compressed air supplied by the Mill Owner pursuant to Section 3.4(a) shall be calculated by multiplying such Operating Costs for the month by a fraction, the numerator of which is the metered number of cubic feet of compressed air used by the Carbon Plant during the month and the denominator of which is the total number of cubic feet of compressed air used by the Carbon Plant and the Mill during the month.

 

Section 3.5           Fire and Emergency Services; Security Services .  (a) The parties shall cooperate in the provision of fire, hazmat and other emergency services in the following manner (the Services to be provided to Ingevity by the Mill Owner pursuant to this Section 3.5(a) are referred to as the “Fire/Emergency Services , and the assistance to be provided by Ingevity to the Mill Owner in providing the Fire/Emergency Services pursuant to this Section 3.5(a) are referred to as the “Ingevity Fire/Emergency Services” ):

 

(i)          The Mill Owner and Ingevity shall jointly maintain an incipient fire brigade (the “Incipient Fire Brigade” ) reasonably sufficient to fight fires in the Mill and the Carbon Plant in street clothing using fire extinguishers or 1 1/2 inch fire hoses to control or extinguish the fire when heavy smoke is not threatening employees of the Mill or the Carbon Plant. The Incipient Fire Brigade shall include all 24-hour shift (tour) maintenance employees of the Mill and all 24-hour shift (tour) maintenance employees of the Carbon Plant and may include volunteers from among the other employees of the Mill and the Carbon Plant.

 

(ii)         The Mill Owner shall maintain a structural fire brigade reasonably sufficient to fight interior and exterior structural fires at the Mill and the Carbon Plant (the “Structural Fire Brigade” ), which shall consist of employees who can meet prescribed physical demand assessments (with an annual physical), wear structural firefighting clothing (bunker gear) and self-contained breathing apparatus and are trained to fight such fires. Ingevity may, but shall not be required to, provide qualified employees to serve on the Structural Fire Brigade.

 

(iii)        The Mill Owner shall maintain a hazardous materials response team (the “Hazmat Team” ), reasonably sufficient to respond to releases of toxic and hazardous materials at the Mill and the Carbon Plant. The Hazmat Team shall consist of employees who can meet prescribed physical demand assessments (with an annual physical), wear structural firefighting clothing (bunker gear), Level B flash suits and Level A fully encapsulating suits and are trained in hazardous materials awareness, hazardous materials operations and other appropriate skills. Ingevity shall provide at least one qualified employee to serve on the Hazmat Team.

 

(iv)        Except as otherwise provided in Section 3.2 with respect to maintenance of the Fire Water system and in Section 3.5(b) with respect to the fire detection monitoring and alarm system, each party shall be responsible for maintaining the fire and emergency equipment located on its property (including, without limitation, hoses, hydrants, valves, sprinklers and fire detection devices). The Mill Owner shall be responsible for purchasing and maintaining all mobile fire and emergency equipment. The Mill Owner’s security personnel shall monthly

 

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inspect all fire and emergency equipment located at the Carbon Plant and, in the case of all such equipment which Ingevity is responsible for maintaining as provided in the first sentence of this Section 3.5(a)(iv) , issue to Ingevity a list of items that Ingevity shall be required to repair or replace, at Ingevity’s expense.

 

(v)         As of the Effective Date, the volunteer rescue squad operating in the Mill and the Carbon Plant (the “Rescue Squad” ) is independent of the Mill Owner and Ingevity and operates both in and outside of the Mill and the Carbon Plant but is funded by the Mill Owner. At the election of the Mill Owner, the Mill Owner may contract with another provider for Rescue Squad services for the Mill and the Carbon Plant.

 

(vi)        Following the Effective Date, the Mill Owner and Ingevity shall continue to administer the agreed upon joint emergency response plan (the “Emergency Response Plan” ), which shall supplement the provisions of this Section 3.5(a) with respect to the Fire/Emergency Services and the other matters set forth in this Section 3.5(a) and each party’s disaster recovery plan. The Emergency Response Plan shall be subject to revision through the Review Process. The Mill Owner and Ingevity shall act in accordance with the Emergency Response Plan.

 

(b)          The Mill Owner shall provide to Ingevity physical security services, including operation and maintenance of the combined gate and badge security, perimeter fencing, fire detection monitoring and emergency evacuation systems covering both the Mill and the Carbon Plant (which may include imposing reasonable and appropriate restrictions on the Carbon Plant’s personnel and contractors, to the extent required to meet security obligations imposed on the Mill by the Department of Homeland Security or other requirements of Law) (collectively, the “Security Services” ) in a manner consistent with the manner in which the Security Services were being provided prior to the Effective Date.

 

(c)          Except as provided in this Section 3.5(c) , Ingevity shall not be obligated to pay or reimburse the Mill Owner for providing the Fire/Emergency Services, and the Mill Owner shall not be obligated to pay or reimburse Ingevity for providing the Ingevity Fire/Emergency Services. For the services of the Rescue Squad pursuant to Section 3.5(a)(v) , Ingevity shall reimburse the Mill Owner on a monthly basis for a portion of the cost to support the independent Rescue Squad (or any replacement) determined by multiplying the aggregate Operating Costs paid by the Mill Owner to support the Rescue Squad (or any replacement) as accumulated for the month in the Mill Owner’s rescue squad cost center account (Account No. 8010109112 or the future equivalent account) by the Ingevity Employee Ratio.

 

(d)          For the Security Services provided by the Mill Owner pursuant to Section 3.5(b) , Ingevity shall pay the Mill Owner on a monthly basis an amount determined by multiplying the Mill Owner’s aggregate Operating Costs to provide the Security Services accumulated for the month in the Mill Owner’s security and fire protection cost center account (Account No. 8010109111 or the equivalent future account) by the Ingevity Employee Ratio.

 

(e)          Neither Ingevity nor the Mill Owner shall be obligated to pay the other any employee costs with respect to employees of the other responding to any incident at the Carbon Plant or the Mill, respectively, as part of or in connection with the Incipient Fire Brigade, the Structural Fire Brigade or the Hazmat Team.

 

Section 3.6           Sawdust Procurement Services .  (a) The Mill Owner shall act as Ingevity’s agent to purchase and pay for sawdust that meets the specifications identified from time to time by Ingevity and to arrange for delivery of the purchased sawdust to the Mill (in accordance with a delivery planning schedule approved by Ingevity) (collectively, the “Sawdust Procurement Services” ).

 

(b)          The Mill Owner shall not remove sawdust from the Sawdust Pile without Ingevity’s prior written consent; however, the Mill Owner may remove excess (as determined by Ingevity) sawdust or

 

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sawdust that does not comply with Ingevity’s specifications in reasonable quantities for use as fuel ( “Surplus Sawdust” ). The Mill Owner shall pay for any sawdust removed from the Sawdust Pile with Ingevity’s consent that is not Surplus Sawdust ( “Market Quality Sawdust” ) and any Surplus Sawdust removed from the Sawdust Pile in accordance with Section 6.4(b) .

 

(c)          For the Sawdust Procurement Services provided by the Mill Owner pursuant to Section 3.6(a) , Ingevity shall pay the Mill Owner on a monthly basis the sum of: (i) one-twelfth of the budgeted cost for the year (as set forth in the annual budget produced by the Mill Owner for its wood procurement group) for the salary, benefits for a full-time equivalent employee in the wood procurement group multiplied by the number of full-time equivalent employee(s) of the Mill Owner engaged in providing the Sawdust Procurement Services during the year, as determined annually by the Operating Council (as of the Effective Date, the agreed upon number of full-time equivalent employees of the Mill Owner engaged in providing the Sawdust Procurement Services in 2015 was 1.625, which was calculated as set forth in Schedule 3.6 ), (ii) the budgeted cost for the year (as set forth in the annual budget produced by the Mill Owner for its wood procurement group) for direct travel and entertainment expenses to be incurred by the Mill Owner’s employee(s) in providing the Sawdust Procurement Services, divided by twelve, and (iii) the amount paid by the Mill Owner during the month to third party vendors for the purchase and delivery of sawdust for Ingevity.

 

(d)          The Mill Owner shall pay Ingevity for sawdust removed from Ingevity’s Sawdust Pile as follows: (i) for Market Quality Sawdust, the Mill Owner shall pay the current average price per ton paid by the Mill Owner during the month to purchase sawdust and have it delivered to the Sawdust Pile (including the cost of the Sawdust Procurement Services paid or to be paid by Ingevity), and (ii) for Surplus Sawdust, the Mill Owner shall pay the price agreed upon in writing by the Mill Owner and Ingevity from time to time as the then cost of the Mill’s own made bark (which is $5.04 per ton as of the Effective Date).

 

Section 3.7           Medical Services .  (a) The Mill Owner shall provide access to and use of the Mill’s medical clinic (the “Clinic” ) for the provision of medical services to the employees of Ingevity by a medical service provider selected by the Mill Owner to operate the clinic, but separately engaged by Ingevity. Such access and use shall be consistent with the access and use of the Clinic by Ingevity’s employees prior to the Effective Date; provided, however, that the Mill Owner may require Ingevity’s employees to use the main gate of the Mill to access the Clinic absent a medical emergency.

 

(b)          For access to and use of the Clinic building pursuant to Section 3.7(a) , Ingevity shall pay the Mill Owner on a monthly basis an amount determined by multiplying the Mill Owner’s aggregate Operating Costs to operate the Clinic accumulated for the month in the Mill Owner’s medical cost center account (Account No. 8010109110 or the future equivalent account), less any such Operating Costs included in such cost center with respect to any payment to the third party provider of medical services at the Clinic to the Mill Owner’s employees, by the Ingevity Employee Ratio.

 

Section 3.8           Joint Storeroom and Motor Pool Services .  (a) The Mill Owner shall continue after the Effective Date to operate the joint storeroom located at the Mill (including providing pump shop services) and to provide access to authorized employees of the Carbon Plant in a manner consistent with the manner in which the joint storeroom was operated prior to the Effective Date (the “Joint Storeroom Services” ). In providing the Joint Storeroom Services, the Mill Owner’s storeroom personnel shall order (through Ingevity’s enterprise software system, with payment to be made by Ingevity), receive and store Ingevity’s stores, keep records of the receipt and disbursement of Ingevity’s stores and provide security for the joint storeroom.

 

(b)          For the Joint Storeroom Services provided by the Mill Owner pursuant to Section 3.8(a) , Ingevity shall pay the Mill Owner on a monthly basis an amount determined by multiplying the Mill

 

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Owner’s aggregate Operating Costs accumulated for the month in the Mill Owner’s storeroom cost center account (Account No. 8010109641 or the future equivalent account) by a fraction, the numerator of which is the average number of square feet of the joint storeroom used to warehouse Ingevity’s stores and the denominator of which is the aggregate number of square feet of the joint storeroom used to warehouse stores for Ingevity and the Mill Owner, collectively. If the Mill Owner elects to contract with a third party to provide the Joint Storeroom Services as provided in Section 3.8(c) and Ingevity elects to participate, instead of a payment calculated as provided in the preceding sentence, Ingevity shall pay the Mill Owner on a monthly basis an amount determined by multiplying one-twelfth of the annual aggregate invoice amount (excluding any stores purchased) paid by the Mill Owner to the third party contractor for providing the Joint Storeroom Services by a fraction, the numerator of which is the average number of square feet of the third party joint storeroom space used to warehouse Ingevity’s stores and the denominator of which is the aggregate number of square feet of the third party joint storeroom space used to warehouse stores for Ingevity and the Mill Owner, collectively. In each case, each party shall pay for its own stores and other materials stored in the joint storeroom.

 

(c)          The Mill Owner shall continue after the Effective Date to operate the joint electric motor pool located at the Mill and to provide access to authorized employees of the Carbon Plant in a manner consistent with the manner in which the joint electric motor pool was operated prior to the Effective Date, including providing access to authorized Ingevity employees after hours through the Mill Owner’s security staff (the “Joint Motor Pool Services” ). In providing the Joint Motor Pool Services, the Mill Owner shall maintain, repair and inventory electric motors consistent with current practice as of the Effective Date. The Mill Owner shall check out motors (electrically) and make them available to Ingevity as requested.

 

(d)          For the Joint Motor Pool Services provided by the Mill Owner pursuant to Section 3.8(c) , Ingevity shall pay the Mill Owner on a monthly basis an amount equal to: (i) one-twelfth of the budgeted cost for the year (as set forth in the annual budget provided by the Mill Owner) for the salary and benefits for one full-time equivalent employee of the Mill Owner engaged in providing the Joint Motor Pool Services multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of Ingevity’s motors in the joint motor pool and the denominator of which is the total number of all motors in the joint motor pool, all as determined annually by the Operating Council (as of the Effective Date, the agreed upon amount is $500 per month), plus (ii) for joint use electric motors withdrawn by Ingevity from the joint motor pool, Mill Owner’s average cost to repair or, in the sole discretion of the Mill Owner, replace joint use electric motors which shall be invoiced by the Mill Owner on a line item basis in the Mill Owner’s monthly invoice delivered pursuant to Section 6.4 for the month in which the joint use motors are withdrawn by Ingevity. Repairs to and replacements of motors used exclusively by Ingevity shall be charged directly to Ingevity by the third party repair service repairing and/or replacing such motors. If the Mill Owner elects to contract with a third party to provide the Joint Motor Pool Services as provided in Section 3.8(c) and Ingevity elects to participate, instead of a payment calculated as provided in the preceding sentence, Ingevity shall pay the Mill Owner on a monthly basis an amount determined by multiplying one-twelfth of the annual aggregate invoice amount paid by the Mill Owner to the third party contractor for providing the Joint Motor Pool Services (excluding any motors purchased) by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of Ingevity’s motors in the Joint Motor Pool and the denominator of which is the total number of all motors in the Joint Motor Pool, as determined annually by the Operating Council.

 

(e)          Upon not less than six months prior written notice by the Mill Owner to Ingevity, the Mill Owner may elect to contract with one or more third parties to provide the Joint Storeroom Services and/or the Joint Motor Pool Services (the date specified in such notice by the Mill Owner as the date on which such a third party contract or contracts will become effective is referred to as the “Cutover Date” ). Ingevity shall have the option, which must be exercised by giving written notice to the Mill Owner given not less than two months prior to the Cutover Date, of electing not to participate jointly with the Mill Owner in such contracted Joint Storeroom Services and/or Joint Motor Pool Services. Unless Ingevity so elects not to participate, the Mill Owner shall cause its third party contractor to provide the Joint Storeroom Services and/or Joint Motor Pool Services jointly on an equal basis to the Mill Owner and Ingevity, in a manner consistent with Section 3.8(a) and Section 3.8(c) , respectively, and effective as of

 

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the Cutover Date. If Ingevity elects not to participate jointly with the Mill Owner in such contracted services, the Mill Owner’s obligation to provide the Joint Storeroom Services and/or the Joint Motor Pool Services, as the case may be, under Section 3.8(a) and/or Section 3.8(c) , respectively, shall terminate effective as of the Cutover Date.

 

Section 3.9            Use of Expansion Warehouse .  (a) Ingevity shall have access to and the right to use the Expansion Warehouse (which as of the Effective Date is operated by a third party under contract with the Mill Owner) on an approximately equal basis with the Mill Owner. Ingevity and the Mill Owner shall reasonably cooperate with each other and the operator of the Expansion Warehouse in the scheduling and use of the Expansion Warehouse. The Mill Owner shall have the sole right to select the operator of the Expansion Warehouse and to negotiate from time to time the form of agreement with the third party operator of the Expansion Warehouse; provided, however, that: (i) Ingevity shall have the right to approve any material change in the scope of any such agreement, and (ii) the Mill Owner and Ingevity each shall enter into an agreement in such form directly with the third party operator.

 

(b)          For use of the Expansion Warehouse, as provided in Section 3.9(a) , Ingevity and the Mill Owner each shall directly pay the third party operator of the Expansion Warehouse 50% of the aggregate annual invoice amounts payable to the third party operator of the Expansion Warehouse. In addition, Ingevity shall reimburse the Mill Owner for 50% of the Mill Owner’s Operating Costs for each maintenance or repair activity (specific work order) undertaken by the Mill Owner with respect to the Expansion Warehouse.

 

Section 3.10         Other Services . (a) The Mill Owner shall provide to Ingevity, without charge, the following additional Services in a manner consistent with the manner in which such Services were being provided prior to the Effective Date:

 

(i)          access to and use of the training room in the Mill’s fire house;

 

(ii)         access to and use of the Mill’s truck scales (including the weighing of purchased sawdust); and

 

(iii)        use of voice and data network transmission lines within the Mill.

 

(b)          Ingevity shall provide to the Mill Owner, without charge, use of voice and data network transmission lines within the Carbon Plant in a manner consistent with the manner in which such use was being provided prior to the Effective Date.

 

Section 3.11         Interim Supply of Natural Gas .  (a) During the period from the Effective Date until completion of the construction, at Ingevity’s expense, of a direct pipeline connecting the Carbon Plant to the pipeline of the local natural gas utility (the “Interim Natural Gas Period” ), the Mill Owner shall supply the Carbon Plant with natural gas for the operation of the Carbon Plant, in accordance with any limitations or requirements imposed by Virginia Law or as a condition to the waiver from regulation as a public utility granted by the Commonwealth of Virginia State Corporation Commission (the “Waiver” ) prior to the Effective Date.

 

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(b)          During the Interim Natural Gas Period, natural gas purchased by the Mill Owner for Ingevity and pipeline capacity for the transportation of that natural gas to the Mill for delivery to the Carbon Plant shall be allotted to, and paid for by, Ingevity in accordance with provisions of Schedule 3.11 .

 

(c)          Following the end of the Interim Period, the provisions of Schedule 3.11 shall govern the rights and obligations of Ingevity with respect to its access to certain natural gas transportation capacity held by the Mill Owner or an Affiliate.

 

Section 3.12         Use of Pinehurst Lot .  (a) As of the Effective Date, the Mill Owner was leasing from Pounding Mill Inc. two parcels of real property in Covington, Virginia known as the Pinehurst Lot (the “Pinehurst Lot” ) for use for storage and as a shuttle yard for trucks serving the Mill and the Carbon Plant. Following the Effective Date, the Mill Owner shall continue to provide Ingevity and its contractors with access to and the right to use a portion of the Pinehurst Lot (space for 20 trucks) as a shuttle yard for trucks serving the Carbon Plant consistent with the portion of the property that was being used, and consistent with the manner in which it was being used, by the Carbon Plant as of the Effective Date. Ingevity shall contract for shuttle services using the Pinehurst Lot with the same firm used by the Mill Owner for such services. The Mill Owner shall notify Ingevity in advance if the Mill Owner’s lease of the Pinehurst Lot will be terminating, and Ingevity’s right to use any portion of the Pinehurst Lot shall terminate upon the termination of the Mill Owner’s lease of the Pinehurst Lot.

 

(b)          For use of the Pinehurst Lot, as provided in Section 3.12(a) , Ingevity shall pay the Mill Owner, on a monthly basis, an amount equal to the monthly rent paid by the Mill Owner under the Mill Owner’s lease of the Pinehurst Lot multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the amount of space on the Pinehurst Lot used by Ingevity and the denominator of which is the total amount of space on the Pinehurst Lot (as of the date of this Agreement, the fraction is 1/10).

 

ARTICLE 4

WASTEWATER TREATMENT

 

Section 4.1           Treatment and Monitoring of the Wastewater Streams .  The Mill Owner shall treat the wastewater and Stormwater produced by the Carbon Plant at the Wastewater Treatment Plant (including phosphate pre-treatment) as provided in, and subject to the obligations, requirements and restrictions of Ingevity set forth in, Schedule 4.1 (the “Wastewater Treatment Terms” ), which are incorporated into and made a part of this Agreement.

 

ARTICLE 5

MAINTENANCE OF CONTINUOUS AND JOINTLY USED ASSETS

 

Section 5.1           Ownership of Continuous Assets .  As of the Effective Date, ownership of the Continuous Assets (other than the Mill Owner Retained Assets, which are owned solely by the Mill Owner) was divided between the Mill Owner and Ingevity at the points indicated on Schedule 5.1 , with the result that one party may own a portion of Continuous Assets physically located on real property owned or leased by the other party (the “Co-located Continuous Assets” ). The Ground Lease governs certain rights of the parties with respect to the location, use and maintenance of, access to and responsibility for the Co-located Continuous Assets.

 

Section 5.2           Repair and Maintenance of the Continuous Assets .  Unless the parties otherwise agree in writing, a party that owns Co-located Continuous Assets (the “Asset Owner” ) shall maintain and repair such Co-located Continuous Assets in accordance with the Maintenance Standards regardless of whether such Co-located Continuous Assets are located on real property owned or leased by the Asset Owner or on real property owned or leased by the other party (the “Plant Owner” ). The Asset Owner shall have the right to access, inspect and maintain its Co-located Continuous Assets located on the Plant

 

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Owner’s property pursuant to the Ground Lease. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 5.2 shall not apply to the jointly owned Mill Electric Distribution System if the Direct Electric Purchase Arrangement becomes effective.

 

Section 5.3           Repair and Maintenance of Certain Jointly Used and Other Assets .  (a) Notwithstanding Section 5.2 , the Mill Owner shall maintain and repair the Jointly Used Rail Facilities, the Mill Electrical Distribution System (whether or not the Direct Purchase Arrangement becomes effective), the Mill Owner Retained Assets (including, without limitation, the Jointly Used Pipe Bridges), the Repair Track Access Track, the training room in the Mill’s fire house, the Mill’s truck scales, the Ingevity Natural Gas Utility Facilities, the gas lines used to supply natural gas to the Carbon Plant on an interim basis pursuant to Section 3.11 , the Party Wall and the phosphate pre-treatment equipment that is part of the Wastewater Treatment Plant, in each such case in all material respects in accordance with the Maintenance Standards.

 

(b)          For the repair and maintenance of the Jointly Used Rail Facilities pursuant to Section 5.3(a) , Ingevity shall pay to the Mill Owner on a monthly basis: (i) an amount determined by multiplying the Mill Owner’s monthly Operating Costs for each track inspection activity (specific work order) undertaken by the Mill Owner with respect to the Jointly Used Rail Facilities during the month by Ingevity’s Proportionate Share of Rail Usage, plus (ii) for each maintenance or repair activity with respect to the Jointly Used Rail Facilities (specific work order) undertaken by the Mill Owner during such month an additional amount determined by multiplying the Mill Owner’s Operating Costs for such maintenance or repair by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of inbound rail cars moved over the Jointly Used Rail Facilities to the Carbon Plant during the month and the denominator of which is the total number of inbound rail cars moved over the Jointly Owned Rail Facilities (including those moved to the Carbon Plant) during the month. There shall be no charge to Ingevity for use of the Repair Track Access Track.

 

(c)          Ingevity’s “Proportionate Share of Rail Usage” shall be a percentage determined by dividing the number of feet of track in the Jointly Used Rail Facilities by the aggregate number of feet of railroad track on the Mill Property (for clarity, including the Jointly Used Rail Facilities but excluding the track on the Carbon Plant Property) and multiplying the result by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of inbound rail cars moved over the Joint Owned Rail Facilities to the Carbon Plant during the month and the denominator of which is the total number of inbound rail cars moved over the Jointly Owned Rail Facilities (including those moved to the Carbon Plant) during the month.

 

(d)          For Ingevity’s use of the Jointly Used Pipe Bridges to carry pipes and conduit owned by Ingevity (individually or in common with the Mill Owner), Ingevity shall pay to the Mill Owner on a monthly basis an amount determined by multiplying the Mill Owner’s Operating Costs for each maintenance or repair activity (specific work order) undertaken by the Mill Owner with respect to the Jointly Used Pipe Bridges by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of square inches of Ingevity’s pipes and conduits carried by the Jointly Used Pipe Bridges during the month, if any, and the denominator of which is the total number of square inches of pipes and conduits carried by the Jointly Used Pipe Bridges.

 

(e)          For the repair and maintenance pursuant to Section 5.3(a) of the Mill Owner’s natural gas lines used to supply natural gas to the Carbon Plant on an interim basis pursuant to Section 3.11 , Ingevity shall pay the Mill Owner on a monthly basis an aggregate amount determined by multiplying the Mill Owner’s Operating Costs for each maintenance or repair activity (specific work order) with respect to such natural gas lines, if any, during the month by a fraction, the numerator of which is the quantity of all natural gas used by Ingevity during the most recent month for which a bill is available and the denominator of which is the aggregate quantity of natural gas used by the Mill Owner and Ingevity during the most recent month for which a bill is available. For the repair and maintenance pursuant to

 

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Section 5.3(a) of the Ingevity Natural Gas Utility Facilities (including any gas lines constructed at the expense of Ingevity after the Effective Date on the Mill Property pursuant to the Lease), Ingevity shall pay the Mill Owner on a monthly basis an aggregate amount equal to the Mill Owner’s Operating Costs for each maintenance or repair activity (specific work order) with respect to the Ingevity Natural Gas Utility Facilities.

 

(f)           For the repair and maintenance of the Party Wall, Ingevity shall pay to the Mill Owner on a monthly basis an amount equal to 50% of the Mill Owner’s Operating Costs for each maintenance or repair activity (specific work order) undertaken by the Mill Owner during the month with respect to the Party Wall.

 

(g)          Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, there shall be no other charge to Ingevity for the other maintenance and repair services provided by the Mill Owner pursuant to Section 5.3 .

 

Section 5.4           Repair and Maintenance of Roads and Parking Areas .  (a) Each Plant Owner shall maintain in good order and repair as necessary those roadways (including bridges) located on the real property owned or leased by the Plant Owner which the other party has the right to use under the Ground Lease and this Agreement, at the Plant Owner’s expense. The Mill Owner shall: (i) maintain in good order and repair as necessary all parking lots on the Carbon Plant Real Property and, to the extent Ingevity is entitled to use them under the Ground Lease, parking lots on the Mill Property, and (ii) provide snow plowing and snow removal for: (x) the parking lots on the Mill Property which Ingevity is entitled to use under the Ground Lease, (y) the roadways on the Mill Property which Ingevity is entitled to use under the Ground Lease, and (z) the parking lots and roadways on the Carbon Plant Real Property.

 

(b)          For the parking lot maintenance and repair work and snow removal conducted by the Mill Owner pursuant to Section 5.4(a) , Ingevity shall pay to the Mill Owner on a monthly basis an amount determined by multiplying the Mill Owner’s Operating Costs for each parking lot maintenance, repair or snow removal activity (specific work order) undertaken by the Mill Owner pursuant to Section 5.4(a) during the month, if any, by the Ingevity Employee Ratio.

 

ARTICLE 6

ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS WITH RESPECT TO CHARGES

 

Section 6.1           General .  Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, the provisions of this Article 6 shall apply to all charges payable under this Agreement pursuant to Article 3 , Article 5 and the Wastewater Treatment Terms.

 

Section 6.2           Adjustments Based on Extraordinary Changes .  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article 6, if in any calendar year the Mill Owner or Ingevity can demonstrate that the Mill Owner’s actual Operating Costs during the calendar year in providing any Service to Ingevity varied (up or down) from the portion of the Mill Owner’s Operating Costs associated with such Service that are paid by Ingevity as provided in Article 3 , Article 5 or the Wastewater Treatment Terms for the calendar year by more than 5% as a result of a change in usage by Ingevity or for another reason related to Ingevity, Ingevity shall reimburse the Mill Owner for the amount by which such actual Operating Costs attributable to Ingevity exceeded the aggregate monthly fee for the calendar year determined as provided in such Article, or the Mill Owner shall reimburse Ingevity for the amount by which such actual Operating Costs attributable to Ingevity were less than the aggregate monthly fee for the calendar year determined as provided in such Article.

 

Section 6.3           Service Level Failures .  (a)  Failure Hours shall be the number of hours (rounded, for each incident, up or down to the nearest whole hour) in a calendar month during which Ingevity’s carbon manufacturing operations at the Carbon Plant are not operating due to the failure of the

 

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Mill Owner to provide Services, in each case in accordance with the applicable Service Specifications, but excluding: (i) any hours during which all of the Mill’s paper machines also are shut down at the same time primarily as a result of the lack of the same Service or Services, (ii) any hours during which the only Services not being provided are Wastewater Treatment Services for which the Mill Owner has exercised a right under the Wastewater Treatment Terms to require Ingevity to shut down the Carbon Plant, and (iii) any hours after the occurrence of a Permanent Closure of the Mill. In calculating the Failure Hours for a calendar month, there shall be included any hours which otherwise would have been a Failure Hour but for Ingevity maintaining the operation of the Carbon Plant through mitigation. Each occurrence of a Failure Hour is referred to as a Service Level Failure .

 

(b)          Ingevity shall monitor and record (and provide information to the Mill Owner with respect to) the number of Failure Hours for each calendar month determined as provided in Section 6.3(a) , noting the cause and duration of each such Failure Hour. The aggregate Failure Hours, so determined for a calendar month then shall be reduced as follows (the number of Failure Hours, if any, remaining after reduction in accordance with this Section 6.3(b) are referred to as Penalty Hours ):

 

(i)          the aggregate number of Failure Hours during the calendar month shall be reduced by 10 hours;

 

(ii)         the number of Failure Hours during such calendar month shall be reduced by the number of such Failure Hours that resulted from a Major Equipment Shutdown, a Cold Maintenance Shutdown, an emergency maintenance shutdown of Critical Services Equipment or a Closure of the Mill;

 

(iii)        the number of Failure Hours during such calendar month shall be reduced by the number of such Failure Hours that resulted from a Force Majeure Event (based on documentation such as maintenance records, operator logs and the like, which the Mill Owner shall be required to maintain and provide to Ingevity);

 

(iv)        the number of Failure Hours during such calendar month shall be reduced by the number of such Failure Hours during which the Carbon Plant was not being operated by Ingevity for reasons unrelated to the Service Level Failure (based on documentation such as maintenance records, operator logs and the like, which Ingevity shall be required to maintain and provide to the Mill Owner);

 

(v)         the number of Failure Hours during such calendar month shall be reduced by the number of such Failure Hours as to which the Mill Owner’s performance was excused under Section 6.7 ; and

 

(vi)        in each three year period during the Term (beginning with the three year period following the Effective Date, and continuing during each consecutive three year period following such period), the number of Failure Hours shall be reduced by up to an aggregate of 75 hours (without a right to carry-forward into a subsequent three year period, any of such 75 hours that are not used during the then-current three year period) in connection with one incidence of equipment or machinery failures at the Mill (for the avoidance of doubt, one incidence may include the failure of several pieces of equipment or machinery in the same timeframe that are caused directly or indirectly by the failure of one piece of equipment or machinery, but only if during such hours the Mill Owner is using commercially reasonable efforts to effectuate a cure of such failure as soon as reasonably practicable).

 

(c)          The Mill Owner shall pay to Ingevity Service Level Payments, if any, for each month calculated based on the respective number of Penalty Hours: either: (x) if Ingevity was unable to mitigate the effect of the Service Level Failure during such Penalty Hour, the Hourly Charge, or (y) if

 

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Ingevity was able to mitigate the effect of the Service Level Failure during such Penalty Hour, the lesser of: (1) the aggregate actual, documented costs and expenses reasonably incurred and/or accrued by Ingevity to mitigate the effect of the Service Level Failure during such Penalty Hour, and (2) the Hourly Charge. Notwithstanding the foregoing, however, in no event shall the Service Level Payments, together with any Losses for which the Mill Owner is responsible as described in Section 6.3(g) with respect to the Service Level Failure(s) that gave rise to such Service Level Payments: (A) for any one incidence or related incidences of Service Level Failure exceed $100,000 in the aggregate, and (B) for any period of 12 consecutive calendar months exceed $400,000 in the aggregate. The amounts calculated as provided in this Section 6.3(c) are referred to as Service Level Payments .

 

(d)          The Hourly Charge shall be $4,500 per hour.

 

(e)          The Service Level Payments payable under this Section 6.3 have been agreed upon as liquidated damages because actual damages from Service Level Failures may be difficult to determine and are Ingevity’s exclusive remedy for the failure by the Mill Owner to provide Services, absent the Mill Owner’s willful misconduct or gross negligence. The limitations set forth in this Section 6.3(e) do not apply to, and are not intended to preclude: (i) any claim by either party with respect to personal injury or tangible personal property damage resulting from any action or inaction of the other party constituting a Service Level Failure, or (ii) any claim by either party based on a breach by the other party of any obligation under this Agreement not constituting a Service Level Failure.

 

(f)           Ingevity expressly acknowledges and agrees that interruptions in Mill Owner’s ability to provide Services will occur from time to time due to shutdowns, upsets and other causes, both foreseen and unforeseen, and that such interruptions shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement. Except as expressly provided in this Section 6.3 with respect to Service Level Payments and subject to the exceptions set forth in the second sentence of Section 6.3(e) , the Mill Owner shall have no liability to Ingevity or any of its officers, directors, shareholders, employees, parents, affiliates or assigns for any Losses incurred by Ingevity as the result of any such interruption in the Services.

 

(g)          The Mill Owner’s liability for the failure to give Ingevity notice of a maintenance shutdown or Closure of the Mill pursuant to Section 11.1(a)(i) shall be limited to the actual Losses, if any, incurred by Ingevity as a result of such failure, and such Losses shall be subject to the limitations set forth in the next to last sentence of Section 6.3(c) .

 

Section 6.4           Payment Terms .  (a) As promptly as practical after the end of each calendar month during the Term, the Mill Owner shall prepare and deliver to Ingevity an invoice showing in reasonable detail each amount payable to the Mill Owner under this Agreement for Services, calculated as provided in this Agreement and an invoice for any Wastewater Remedy Payments, in each case with reasonably detailed supporting documentation. A hypothetical form of invoice for the month of February, 2016, prepared as if this Agreement had been in effect at such time, is attached as Schedule 6.4 . Ingevity shall pay in full the aggregate amount shown on each invoice within 19 days after receipt of such invoice, subject to Ingevity’s right to dispute any amount shown on such invoice in accordance with Article 14 and to withhold payment of any such amount as Ingevity believes, in good faith, to be overstated by more than $5,000.

 

(b)          Unless the party entitled to receive a payment determines, based on the credit risk posed by the other party, that amounts owed by it to the other party may be offset against amounts that the first party is entitled to receive, or unless the parties otherwise agree in writing, amounts payable by one party with respect to a month shall not be netted against amounts payable by the other party with respect to such month.

 

(c)          During the 30 days following receipt of an invoice, the parties shall work together to reconcile any volumes and prices on such invoice that are in dispute or otherwise have not been

 

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determined finally as of the time the invoice is prepared and to make any adjustment required as a result of such reconciliation (which shall be reflected on the next subsequent invoice after such reconciliation is completed).

 

(d)          Any amount payable under this Section 6.4 which is not paid when due (including any amount withheld by a party pursuant to Section 6.4(a) which subsequently is determined by agreement of the parties or pursuant to Article 14 to be owed by such party) shall bear interest on the unpaid amount from the date originally due until the date payment is received at the lesser of the highest amount allowed by applicable Law or the Default Rate.

 

(e)          No party shall include in an invoice given to the other party any charge or other amount that arose more than one year prior to the date of the invoice unless such charge or other amount was subject to a dispute submitted for resolution through the Escalation Process within one year after it arose.

 

Section 6.5           Documentation; Books and Records .  Each party shall use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain all meters and measuring devices used to measure Services provided under this Agreement or to monitor compliance with the criteria specified in the Wastewater Treatment Terms that are owned or controlled by that party in good working order and in compliance with the Maintenance Standards. Each party shall maintain for a period of three years all records of readings and all other information and records calculations it uses to determine the amount of any payment a party is required to make under this Agreement or to monitor compliance with the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, the Wastewater Treatment Terms) or the Lease (collectively, the “ Supporting Information ”). A party with Supporting Information shall furnish such Supporting Information to the other party upon request at any time. All books and records of a party with respect to the Services (including books and records with respect to Failure Hours and Penalty Hours), the Wastewater Treatment Terms, compliance with this Agreement or the Lease (including, without limitation, compliance by the party with all insurance requirements of this Agreement and the Lease and compliance by the party with Law as required by this Agreement and the Lease) and all Supporting Information shall be kept open to examination and audit by the other party and/or its representatives during normal business hours at a location mutually agreeable to both parties upon reasonable advance notice. If either party is requested by the other party to provide Supporting Information pursuant to Section 2.2 of the Wastewater Treatment Terms, the party holding such Supporting Information shall provide such Supporting Information to the other party promptly following such request.

 

Section 6.6           Availability of Information for Calculations; Monthly Adjustments .  To the extent that any measurements or other information required under this Agreement for calculating amounts payable by the parties for a month under this Agreement are not reasonably available for the calculation of the amount payable for that month, the calculation for that month shall be made using measurements or other information available through the third last day of the month or using those measurements from the prior month, and an adjustment shall be made in the amount payable for the following month, based on the actual measurements.

 

Section 6.7           Delays or Failures .  If either party’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement (the “Originating Party” ) directly causes the other party’s ( “Recipient Party” ) failure to perform or delay in performing any Service, then the Recipient Party shall be deemed not to be in breach of this Agreement, nor shall such Recipient Party be obligated to make a payment for such failure or delay, but only if the Recipient Party promptly notifies the Contract Manager of the Originating Party (with written notice delivered within three business days after oral notice) of the Originating Party’s act or omission and of the Recipient Party’s failure or delay in performing under the circumstances.

 

Section 6.8           Calculation of Operating Costs .  If a provision of this Agreement requires that a payment be made based on specified Operating Costs of the Mill Owner ( “Operating Costs” ), such

 

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Operating Costs shall be calculated to include the Mill Owner’s actual, documented costs in each of the categories listed on Schedule 6.8 , to the extent applicable to the matter for which the Operating Costs are being calculated. To the extent either party’s Operating Costs include depreciation, such depreciation shall be determined based on such party’s depreciated actual cost without write-up for external events such as a sale of the business, merger or the like and shall be subject to change to reflect capital improvements to that party’s assets that are properly chargeable to the other party pursuant to Article 7 (to the extent that the other party has not contributed to the cost of such capital improvement as provided in Article 7 ).

 

ARTICLE 7

CAPITAL EXPENDITURES

 

Section 7.1           Capital Expenditures to Satisfy Regulatory Requirements and in Connection with Expansion .  Except as otherwise provided in Section 10.3(c) , in the event that a capital improvement is necessary to comply with regulatory or other requirements of Law applicable to both the Mill and the Carbon Plant, the Mill Owner and Ingevity each shall cooperate with respect to identifying and installing the capital improvement, and each of them shall contribute towards the cost of such capital improvement (and any increased operating costs associated with such improvement) based on that party’s relative responsibility for the conditions or circumstances that gave rise to the need for such capital improvement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, however: (i) in the event a capital improvement is required to comply with a requirement administered by the United States Department of Homeland Security (or its successor) applicable to a party and such capital improvement will benefit or be used by both parties for the benefit of both parties (such as, for example only, protection for the combined facilities, but not including any capital improvement that is specific to the protection of one party’s facility), the parties shall work together to identify a cost effective solution and each party shall share the cost of such capital improvement in the same proportion as the costs of Security Services are shared pursuant to Section 3.5(d) (and any increased operating costs associated with such improvement shall be allocated as agreed upon by the Operating Council), and (ii) if, subsequent to any such capital improvement for which the parties share the cost equally, the other party would be required (but for the earlier capital improvement for which the parties shared the cost equally) to comply with a requirement administered by such Department (or its successor) requiring a similar capital improvement, the parties shall re-allocate the cost of the earlier capital improvement between them to reflect their respective use of, or benefit from, the earlier capital improvement. The Mill Owner and Ingevity shall cooperate to identify and select the most cost effective manner of complying with such regulatory requirements, which may include determining that the capital improvement be undertaken by the party with the lesser responsibility (with the costs of such improvement and any increased operating costs associated with such improvement being allocated and paid for by the parties as provided in the preceding sentence). In the event of an expansion of capacity or output or change in product produced or method of production by a party that results in the need to make any such capital improvement to comply with applicable Law, the party making such expansion or change shall bear all of the cost thereof.

 

Section 7.2           Capital Improvements for Rail Infrastructure .  In the event that the Mill Owner and Ingevity determine that a capital improvement with respect to the railroad infrastructure located within the Mill and jointly used by the parties is required or desirable, both parties shall contribute towards the cost of such capital improvement based on that party’s proportionate use of the jointly used railroad infrastructure within the Mill, which shall be determined based on the proportion of the total railcar moves on such jointly used railroad infrastructure that were for the benefit of such party during the prior 12-month period.

 

Section 7.3           Capital Improvements to Maintain Assets Used to Provide the Services .  The Mill Owner shall have the right, in its sole discretion, to determine if capital improvements are necessary and/or appropriate for maintenance of assets owned by the Mill Owner and used to deliver the Services

 

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under this Agreement. Except to the extent otherwise expressly provided in Article 6 , to the extent that Ingevity directly benefits from such capital improvement; such capital improvement is not made for the purpose of accommodating an expansion of the Mill; and Ingevity was being charged for the asset with respect to which such capital improvement was made prior to the Effective Date, Ingevity shall be allocated a portion of the cost of the capital improvement based on Ingevity’s proportionate direct benefit from such capital improvement or the applicable Service received by Ingevity, and Ingevity shall pay for such allocated portion either by paying such allocated portion to the Mill Owner or, if Ingevity so determines, by an increase in the depreciation component of the Operating Costs paid by Ingevity pursuant to Article 6 , as provided in Section 6.8 .

 

Section 7.4           Other Mutual Capital Projects .  The Mill Owner and Ingevity from time to time jointly may identify, in their respective sole discretion, other capital improvements that will benefit one or both of the parties, with each party contributing towards the cost in such manner as they may agree.

 

Section 7.5           Capital Improvements with Respect to the Continuous Assets .  The Asset Owner of a Co-located Continuous Asset located on the other party’s Property may carry out capital improvements with respect to such Co-located Continuous Asset in accordance with the provisions of the Ground Lease.

 

Section 7.6           No Capital Improvement Obligation on the Part of the Mill Owner .  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, the Mill Owner shall have no obligation to install or make (at its own expense or at the expense of Ingevity), or contribute to the cost of, any capital improvement to the Carbon Plant, the Carbon Plant Real Property, the Mill or the Mill Real Property. Any such capital improvement shall be installed or made, and any such contribution shall be made, in the Mill Owner’s sole discretion. For clarity, the capital costs associated with any capital improvement or other capital project which the Mill Owner agrees to install or make pursuant to this Article 7 shall include all applicable overhead costs of WestRock personnel (including, without limitation, management personnel) associated with the design and installation or construction of such capital improvement or project and all associated design, engineering and consulting fees, and all such overhead costs shall be shared by the parties in the same manner as other capital costs for such capital improvement or capital project as provided in this Article 7.

 

ARTICLE 8

OPTIONS TO PURCHASE; USE OF CERTAIN ASSETS

 

Section 8.1           Mill Owner Option to Purchase .  If the Mill Owner receives notice of, or otherwise becomes aware of, a Permanent Closure of the Carbon Plant and if Ingevity then owns the Carbon Plant Real Property, the Mill Owner shall have the exclusive option and right, exercisable in the Mill Owner’s sole discretion (the “Mill Owner Option” ), to purchase the buildings and fixtures comprising the Carbon Plant and the Carbon Plant Real Property (collectively, the “Mill Owner Option Assets” ). The Mill Owner may exercise the Mill Owner Option with respect to any or all of the Mill Owner Option Assets by giving written notice of such exercise to Ingevity at any time during the period commencing on the date the Mill Owner first received notice of, or otherwise became aware of, the Permanent Closure of the Carbon Plant (but not prior to the date the Carbon Plant is first closed), and ending six months after the later of: (i) the date the Carbon Plant is closed, or (ii ) the date the Mill Owner first received notice of, or otherwise became aware of, the Permanent Closure of the of the Carbon Plant (and “Mill Owner Option Exercise Notice” ). Notwithstanding the foregoing, however, the Mill Owner may, in its sole discretion, rescind exercise of the Mill Owner Option in whole or part by giving written notice of such rescission to Ingevity within 30 days after the purchase price of the Mill Owners Option Assets is finally determined as provided in Section 8.2 . If the Mill Owner rescinds its exercise of the Mill Owner Option, the Mill Owner: (i) thereafter, shall have no further right to exercise the Mill Owner Option, and (ii) shall pay the expenses of the appraiser(s) appointed as provided in Section 8.2 . If

 

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the Mill Owner receives notice of, or otherwise becomes aware of, a Permanent Closure of the Carbon Plant and if Ingevity does not then own the Carbon Plant and the Lease is in effect, the rights of the Mill Owner with respect to the buildings, fixtures and real property comprising the Carbon Plant and the Carbon Plant Real Property shall be governed by the Lease and not this Section 8.1 .

 

Section 8.2           Purchase Price of Mill Owner Option Assets .  (a) The purchase price payable by the Mill Owner for the Mill Owner Option Assets shall be determined by written agreement of Ingevity and the Mill Owner or, if no such agreement is reached within 30 days after the Mill Owner gives the Mill Owner Option Exercise Notice, the purchase price shall be the fair market value of the Mill Owner Option Assets (excluding any jointly owned assets included in the Mill Owner Option Assets and excluding any value associated with this Agreement) in an arms-length sale to a third party as of the date the Mill Owner gave the Mill Owner Option Exercise Notice (excluding any special value of the Mill Owner Option Assets to the Mill Owner that would not generally be available to another potential purchaser), determined as follows:

 

(i)          If Ingevity and the Mill Owner agree to appoint a single independent appraiser, the determination of the fair market value of the Mill Owner Option Assets by such appraiser shall be the purchase price; or

 

(ii)         If Ingevity and the Mill Owner fail to appoint a single independent appraiser within 45 days after the Mill Owner gives the Mill Owner Option Exercise Notice, then within 20 days thereafter each of Ingevity and the Mill Owner shall appoint one independent appraiser knowledgeable in the valuation of industrial assets similar to the Mill Owner Option Assets. The two appraisers so appointed shall within 10 days after their appointment appoint a third independent appraiser knowledgeable in the valuation of industrial assets similar to the Mill Owner Option Assets. Each appraiser so appointed shall determine such fair market value. If neither the lowest appraised value nor the highest appraised value differs from the middle appraised value by more than 5% of such middle appraised value, than the average of the three appraisals shall be the purchase price. If either the lowest appraised value or the highest appraised value, differs from the middle appraised value by more than 5%, the average of the middle appraised value and the other appraised value that is closest to the middle appraised value shall be the purchase price. If the lowest and highest appraised values each differ from the middle appraised value by more than five percent (5%), the middle appraised value shall be the purchase price.

 

Except as otherwise provided in Section 8.2 , Ingevity and the Mill Owner shall share equally the costs of the appraisal(s).

 

(b)          Ingevity shall provide the appraisers appointed as provided in Section 8.2(a) with full access to its facilities (including, without limitation, the Mill Owner Option Assets), personnel, books, records and shall reasonably cooperate with all such appraisers on an equal basis, subject to such appraisers executing a commercially reasonable confidentiality agreement with Ingevity. Unless the Mill Owner elects to rescind its exercise of the Mill Owner Option as provided in Section 8.1 , the closing of the sale of the Mill Owner Option Assets shall occur on a date agreed upon by the parties, but not later than 90 days after the purchase price is finally determined (subject to necessary governmental approvals and the like). At such closing, the Mill Owner shall pay to the Ingevity the purchase price in cash, and Ingevity shall convey to the Mill Owner all of its right, title and interest in the Mill Owner Option Assets being so purchased in an AS-IS, WHERE-IS condition and otherwise with all faults and defects as of the date of such closing, free and clear of all mortgages, security interest, liens, pledges, deeds of trust, charges, options, rights of first refusal, easement, covenants, restrictions and other encumbrances.

 

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Section 8.3           Continued Operation of Assets Used to Provide Critical Services .  (a) Upon any Closure of the Mill, Major Equipment Shutdown or other occurrence the result of which would be the Mill Owner’s discontinuance of the maintenance and operation of the Wastewater Treatment Plant, the Jointly Used Rail Facilities, the Repair Track Access Track, the Mill’s steam generation facilities and/or any other utility system then serving the Carbon Plant (collectively, the “Critical Services Equipment” ), at Ingevity’s request, Ingevity shall have the right to assume from the Mill Owner the operation and mainenance of all or any part of such Critical Services Equipment for the purpose of providing continued Services to the Carbon Plant (the “Interim Operation” ), and the Mill Owner shall reasonably cooperate with Ingevity in the Interim Operation of such Critical Services Equipment, including providing Ingevity’s Agents with all necessary access to the Critical Services Equipment for such purpose and entering into reasonable arrangements with Ingevity to faciliate the Interim Operation of the Critical Services Equipment. Ingevity shall be responsible for and pay all costs and expenses associated with the Interim Operation of such Critical Services Equipment (including, without limitation, all property Taxes and license fees associated therewith) and shall comply with all applicable Laws (including, without limitation, Environmental Laws) in connection with the Interim Operation of the Critical Services Equipment.

 

(b)          Ingevity’s rights with respect to the Interim Operation of Critical Services Equipment under Section 8.3(a) shall continue until the earlier of: (i) the date the Mill Owner resumes operation and maintenance of such Critical Services Equipment and resumes providing the Services dependent on such Critical Services Equipment, (ii) the date of termination specified in a written notice given by Ingevity to the Mill Owner to be effective when Ingevity is able to obtain the Services dependent on such Critical Services Equipment from its own equipment and systems or another source, (iii) the date of termination specified in a written notice given by the Mill Owner to Ingevity reasonably in advance of such date if the Mill Owner reasonably demonstrates that the continued Interim Operation of such Critical Services Equipment by Ingevity will unreasonably interfere with the Mill Owner’s ability to sell the Mill or the Mill Property, or (iv) the date of termination specified in a written notice given by the Mill Owner to Ingevity at least five years prior to the effective date of such termination.

 

ARTICLE 9

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

Section 9.1           Power and Authority of Ingevity; Enforceability .  Ingevity represents and warrants to the Mill Owner that: (i) Ingevity is a corporation duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, with the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder, and (ii) this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by Ingevity and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of Ingevity, enforceable against Ingevity in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium, receivership or other similar laws affecting or relating to the enforcement of creditors’ rights or remedies generally and general principles of equity (whether considered at law or in equity).

 

Section 9.2           Power and Authority of the Mill Owner; Enforceability .  The Mill Owner represents and warrants to Ingevity that: (i) the Mill Owner is a limited liability company duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the state of Delaware, with the requisite power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder, and is duly qualified or registered to transact business in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and (ii) this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Mill Owner and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Mill Owner, enforceable against the Mill Owner in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium, receivership or other similar laws affecting or relating to the enforcement of creditors’ rights or remedies generally and general principles of equity (whether considered at law or in equity).

 

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Section 9.3           Limitation of Warranties .  EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY OTHERWISE PROVIDED IN THIS AGREEMENT, THE SERVICES ARE BEING PROVIDED, AS IS AND WITH ALL FAULTS, AND NEITHER PARTY IS MAKING ANY WARRANTIES, WRITTEN OR ORAL, STATUTORY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, IN PARTICULAR, ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE (AS DEFINED IN THE VIRGINIA UNIFORM COMMERCIAL CODE), ALL OF WHICH ARE HEREBY EXPRESSLY EXCLUDED AND DISCLAIMED.

 

ARTICLE 10

ADDITIONAL COVENANTS

 

Section 10.1         Insurance .  (a) The Mill Owner and Ingevity each shall maintain, during the Term (but subject to revision at the end of the policy term of the applicable policy through the Review Process), at such party’s sole expense, insurance of the following types in at least the amounts specified:

 

(i)          Commercial General Liability Occurrence insurance coverage with limits of liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 general aggregate. Such insurance shall include the other party, its Affiliates and their respective directors, officers and employees as additional insureds and shall include a waiver of any rights of subrogation against the other party and its directors, officers and employees.

 

(ii)         Commercial Automobile Liability insurance coverage for any automobile used in the performance of such party’s obligations under this Agreement with limits of liability of $1,000,000 combined single limit. Such insurance shall include the other party, its Affiliates and their respective directors, officers and employees as additional insureds and shall include a waiver of any right of subrogation against the other party and its directors, officers and employees.

 

(iii)        Workers’ Compensation insurance coverage covering all persons providing services to the other party under this Agreement. Such insurance (which may consist of a state-approved program of self-insurance) shall satisfy all applicable statutory requirements and be in accordance with the laws of the state or states in which the party is operating under this Agreement, shall include an Alternate Employer Endorsement naming the other party as the alternate employer and shall include a waiver of any right of subrogation against the other party and its directors, officers and employees.

 

(iv)        Employer’s Liability insurance coverage with limits of: (x) bodily injury by accident — $1,000,000 each accident, (y) bodily injury by disease — $1,000,000 each employee, and (z) bodily injury by disease — $1,000,000 policy limit.

 

(v)         Excess Umbrella Liability insurance coverage with limits of liability of $10,000,000 per occurrence, with excess limits provided for the Commercial General Liability Occurrence, Automobile Liability and Employer’s Liability insurance coverages required under this Section 10.1 . Such insurance shall include the other party, its Affiliates and their respective directors, officers and employees as additional insureds and shall include a waiver of any right of subrogation against the other party and its directors, officers and employees.

 

(b)          All insurance companies providing insurance required by this Section 10.1 must be authorized to do business in each state in which the operations of the insured party under this Agreement are conducted and must be rated A- or better with a financial rating of VII or better in the most recent edition of the A.M. Best Rating Guide (or, in the event such rating guide is no longer published, or such ratings no longer are published in such rating guide, such other published rating of insurance companies as the parties mutually determine). If a captive entity is used to satisfy these insurance requirements, the captive entity shall provide a letter of good standing.

 

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(c)          Each party shall use commercially reasonable efforts to require that all policies of insurance which such party is required to maintain under this Section 10.1 shall provide for 30 days prior written notice of cancellation or non-renewal to the other party under this Agreement. Prior to the Effective Date, each party shall provide to the other certificates evidencing all insurance coverages it is required to maintain under this Agreement, and shall deliver renewal certificates within 10 days of renewal of any required insurance throughout the Term of the Agreement; provided, however, that either the Mill Owner or Ingevity may, with notice to the other, satisfy such obligation by making such certificates available on the website of the party providing the certificate or an Affiliate. Any and all collateral required by an insurance carrier or a state agency and all deductibles or self-insured retentions on referenced insurance coverages must be borne by the first named insured party. The insurance required herein will not be limited by any limitations expressed in the indemnification language in this Agreement or any limitation placed on the indemnity therein given as a matter of Law.

 

(d)          Failure of either party to maintain insurance as required by this Agreement, to provide evidence of such insurance or to notify the other party of any breach by such other party of the provisions of this Section 10.1 shall not constitute a waiver of any such requirements to maintain insurance.

 

(e)          Each party shall be responsible for risk of loss of, and damage to, raw material, equipment or Co-located Continuous Asset of the other party in such party’s possession, custody or under its control, except to the extent that such loss or damage was caused by the acts or omissions of the other party or its agents.

 

Section 10.2         Service Level Failures; Wastewater Remedy Payments; and Optimization of Operations .  The Mill Owner and Ingevity shall: (i) work together to determine the factors contributing to Service Level Failures, and failures or other matters giving rise to Wastewater Remedy Payments and shall use commercially reasonable efforts to reduce the number and duration of such Service Level Failures and such other failures or other matters giving rise to Wastewater Remedy Payments, and (ii) work together in a commercially reasonable manner, including by giving the notices required with respect to expansions, to optimize their respective processes that affect the operations of the other.

 

Section 10.3         Applicable Law .  (a) In performing their respective obligations under this Agreement, each party shall comply, in all material respects, with all applicable Laws and all permits held by it.

 

(b)          Each party shall provide the other party, at the other party’s written request, with such information, data and reports that have been prepared by the party receiving the request in the ordinary course as may be reasonably necessary for the requesting party to comply with Law applicable to the requesting party in connection with its obligations under this Agreement.

 

(c)          Each party shall use commercially reasonable efforts to inform the other party of any change in applicable Law that any representative of such party on the Operating Council becomes aware of that is reasonably likely to have a material effect on either party’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. If the parties become aware of: (x) any change in applicable Law that is likely to require changes in the Services or the manner in which the Services are delivered, or (y) any order or other requirement by a Governmental Authority to conduct ambient air modelling at either the Mill or the Carbon Plant (any of the foregoing, a “Law Change” ), the parties shall use commercially reasonable efforts: (i) if the Law Change is a proposed regulation or order, to work together, if the parties so agree, to modify such proposed regulation or order, with each party contributing towards the cost of such efforts based upon the relative effect of the Law Change on the parties, respectively, and/or (ii) to address the problem created by the Law Change through technical, administrative or legal means. Any associated costs therefor shall be borne by the party whose ability to conduct its business is affected by the Law Change or jointly if the ability of both parties to conduct their respective businesses are affected. In the

 

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event a solution is not possible or commercially reasonable through technical, administrative or legal means, then the Mill Owner and Ingevity shall work cooperatively to effect a resolution that would allow both the Mill Owner and Ingevity to be in compliance with the Law Change.

 

(d)          If the parties disagree in good faith about the interpretation or the effects of a Law Change, and either party reasonably believes that acting in accordance with the other’s interpretation: (i) will create risk to such party of a violation of such Law Change, or (ii) will materially limit or prohibit such party from performing its material obligations hereunder, then such disagreement about the interpretation or the effects of a Law Change shall be submitted for resolution in accordance with the Escalation Process; provided, however, that if the subject matter of such disagreement is an interpretation of the Law Change and cannot be resolved by the Escalation Process pursuant to Section 14.2 , then either party may seek resolution of such disagreement in any court of competent jurisdiction (which may include, without limitation, seeking an injunction to prevent irreparable harm).

 

ARTICLE 11

NOTICES

 

Section 11.1         Required Notices .  (a) The Mill Owner shall give Ingevity not less than the specified written notice for each of the following:

 

(i)          for any Major Equipment Shutdown, Cold Maintenance Shutdown or Closure of the Mill, promptly following a determination by the Mill Owner to effectuate such Major Equipment Shutdown, Cold Maintenance or Closure in accordance with the Mill Owner’s operating procedures; and

 

(ii)         180 days prior written notice of: (x) any expansion or alteration of the Mill that is reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on Ingevity, and (y) any action by the Mill Owner that is reasonably likely to require ambient air modelling with respect to the Mill or the Carbon Plant.

 

Each notice given pursuant to this Section 11.1(a) shall specify the anticipated duration of the event giving rise to the requirement to give the notice. Each month during the Term, the Mill Owner shall provide to Ingevity the Mill’s then-current twelve month rolling maintenance schedule for informational purposes. Disclosure of a matter in the current twelve month rolling maintenance schedule shall constitute adequate notice under Sections 11.1(a)(i) of such matter. The Mill Owner shall provide Ingevity with a copy of the relevant notice provisions of the Mill Owner’s operating procedures referred to in Section 11.1(a)(i) and shall promptly notify Ingevity of any material changes to such notice provisions. All other notices pursuant to this Section 11.1(a) shall be given in accordance with Section 11.2 . In the event that the commencement and/or duration of a Major Equipment Shutdown, a Cold Maintenance Shutdown or a Closure must be changed, the Mill Owner shall so notify Ingevity as soon as the Mill Owner becomes aware of the need for the change and shall reasonably work with Ingevity to minimize the impact on Ingevity of any such change.

 

(b)          Ingevity shall give the Mill Owner not less than the specified written notice for each of the following:

 

(i)          120 days prior written notice of any closure of the Carbon Plant that will continue for more than 30 days (including, without limitation, any Permanent Closure of the Carbon Plant); and

 

(ii)         180 days prior written notice of: (i) any expansion or alteration of the Carbon Plant that is reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the Mill, and (y) any action by

 

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Ingevity that is reasonably likely to require ambient air modelling with respect to the Mill or the Carbon Plant.

 

Section 11.2         How Notices are Given .  All notices and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed given when delivered personally or by overnight mail or, to the extent receipt is confirmed, by facsimile, or five calendar days after being mailed by registered mail, return receipt requested, to a party at the following address (or to such other address as such party may have specified by notice given to the other party pursuant to this Section 11.2) :

 

If to Mill Owner:               WestRock Virginia, LLC

504 Thrasher Street

Norcross, GA 30071

Attention: Chief Financial Officer

Facsimile: 770-263-3582

 

With a copy to:                  WestRock Company

504 Thrasher Street

Norcross, GA 30071

Attention: General Counsel

Facsimile: 770-263-3582

 

And to:                               WestRock Virginia, LLC

104 West Riverside Street

Covington, VA 24426

Attention: Production Manager

Facsimile: 540-969-5707

 

If to Ingevity:                     Ingevity Virginia Corporation

958 E. Riverside Street

Covington, Virginia 24426

Attention: Plant Manager

Facsimile: 540-969-3504

 

With a copy to:                  Ingevity Corporation

5255 Virginia Avenue

North Charleston, South Carolina 29406

Attention: Law Department

Facsimile: 843-746-8278

 

ARTICLE 12

TERM AND TERMINATION

 

Section 12.1         Term .  The term of this Agreement (the “Term” ) shall commence on the Effective Date and, unless earlier terminated in whole or part pursuant to this Section 12.1 , shall continue until the 50th anniversary of the Effective Date; provided, that if Ingevity is not then in material default in the performance of any of its obligations under this Agreement, Ingevity may extend the Term of this Agreement with respect to all (but not less than all) of such provisions for additional renewal terms of five years each, effective as of the end of the initial 50 year period, or as of the end of any such five year renewal term, by giving the Mill Owner written notice of such extension at least five years prior the end of such initial 50 year period or such five year renewal term as of the end of which the extension is to be effective; provided, however, that the Mill Owner may reject any such extension by so notifying Ingevity in writing within six months after receipt of Ingevity’s notice of extension, and the Term shall then

 

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terminate as of the end of the initial 50 year period (if the notice of extension was given during such period) or at the end of the then current renewal term.

 

Section 12.2         Termination .  (a) This Agreement may be terminated prior to the end of the Term in the following manner:

 

(i)          at any time by the mutual written agreement of the parties;

 

(ii)         as to any individual Service only (other than the provision of steam pursuant to Section 3.1 , the provision by either party of potable water pursuant to Section 3.2 , the provision of electricity pursuant to Section 3.3 , the provision of Security Services pursuant to Section 3.5(b) , access to and use of the truck scales pursuant to Section 3.10(a)(ii) , the use of voice and data network transmission lines by either party pursuant to Section 3.10(a) or Section 3.10(b) , the use of the Expansion Warehouse pursuant to Section 3.9, the provision of natural gas pursuant to Section 3.11 or the provision of the Wastewater Treatment Services), by either party giving written notice of such termination to the other party at least two years prior to the date as of which such termination is to be effective;

 

(iii)        with respect to the provision by the Mill Owner of steam pursuant to Section 3.1 only, by either party giving written notice of such termination to the other party at least three years prior to the date as of which such termination is to be effective; provided, however, that any such termination by the Mill Owner shall not become effective unless and until either: (A) Ingevity, using commercially reasonable efforts, is able to obtain and have currently available for use sufficient firm gas transportation on commercially reasonable terms (which may include the requirement to pay “aid in construction” payments) to allow the operation of a gas-fired package boiler to supply Ingevity’s then current steam requirements, or (B) the Mill Owner releases to Ingevity firm gas transportation capacity at the receipt and delivery locations listed in Section II.2 of Schedule 3.11 that is owned by the Mill Owner and/or re-releases to Ingevity firm gas transportation capacity that is owned by Columbia Gas of Virginia, or a combination of both (A) and (B), to allow the operation of a gas-fired package boiler until such time as Ingevity obtains its own contracts for such capacity in accordance with the preceding clause (A); provided, however, Mill Owner shall post the capacity as non-biddable to the extent allowed by TCO’s FERC approved tariffs; however, Ingevity acknowledges that: (x) if the capacity becomes biddable under TCO’s tariff then there is a possibility that Ingevity may have to match an above-maximum rate offer for releases that are shorter than one year in order to obtain the capacity, (y) releases that are longer than one year may be bid up in length of term and Ingevity would be required to match the term that was offered in order to obtain the capacity and (z) once the Mill Owner posts the capacity as provided herein, the Mill Owner shall have no further obligation to provide or release firm gas transportation to Ingevity in accordance with this Subsection (B) (the amount of natural gas capacity released by the Mill Owner to supply Ingevity’s gas-fired package boiler will be based on the sum of the average monthly steam takes of 150 pound steam and 30 pound steam by Ingevity, as measured in MMBTU's per month over the 12 months prior to the notice of termination pursuant to this Section 12.2(a)(iii), adjusted for a 83% efficiency for a new 150 pound low-NOx boiler, but not to exceed 2,970 MMBTU’s per day); and further provided, however, that if the Mill Owner terminates this Agreement pursuant to this Section 12.2(a)(iii) , Ingevity may delay the effective date of such termination by up to 12 months if Ingevity reasonably demonstrates that such additional period is reasonably necessary to enable Ingevity to obtain any necessary Environmental Permits for the operation of a replacement steam generation and supply system;

 

(iv)        with respect to the provision by the Mill Owner of natural gas pursuant to Section 3.11 only, by either party giving written notice of such termination to the other party at least two years prior to the date as of which such termination is to be effective; provided, however, that Ingevity may delay the effective date of such termination by up to 12 months if Ingevity reasonably demonstrates that such additional period is reasonably necessary to complete the installation of the direct pipeline connecting the Carbon Plant to the pipeline of the local natural gas utility;

 

(v)         with respect to the provision by the Mill Owner of Wastewater Treatment Services pursuant to the Wastewater Treatment Terms only, by either party giving written notice of such termination to the other party at least five years prior to the date as of which such termination is to be effective (which effective date shall not be prior to the 10th anniversary of the Effective Date); provided, however, that the Mill Owner may not exercise the right to terminate the Wastewater Treatment Services pursuant to this Section 12.2(v) unless the Mill Owner has reasonably demonstrated to Ingevity that Ingevity can reasonably design, permit and construct prior to the date of termination of the Wastewater Treatment Services and reasonably operate, in compliance with all applicable Laws, using reasonably available commercialized technology, in space then reasonably available to Ingevity, a facility for treating all discharges originating from the Carbon Plant that must be treated under applicable Law;

 

(vi)        by either party giving written notice to the other party following a material breach by the other party (other than a Payment Breach) of any of its obligations under this Agreement, if the other party has failed to fully cure such breach within 60 days after written notice of such breach; provided however, that if there is a bona fide dispute between the parties as to whether a material breach has occurred, termination of this Agreement shall not occur until the date on which it is determined, through the Escalation Process or otherwise, that a material breach

 

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has occurred and, if the breach is capable of being cured, an additional period of 60 days has passed following such determination during which the breach has not been cured;

 

(vii)       by either party giving written notice to the other party, if the other party fails to pay any amount when due under this Agreement and such failure is not cured within 30 days following receipt of written notice by the non-breaching party; provided that if there is a bona fide dispute between the parties as to whether a payment was due, the party responsible for payment shall not be deemed to have failed to make such payment (so long as such party is in compliance with Section 14.2 ) until it is determined, through the Escalation Process or otherwise, that the payment is due and owing and an additional 30 days have passed following such determination;

 

(viii)      by the Mill Owner giving written notice to Ingevity, if Ingevity defaults in the performance of a material obligation under the Lease and such default continues beyond any cure period provided in the Lease and is not waived by the Mill Owner, thereby giving the Mill Owner the right to terminate the Lease;

 

(ix)         by Ingevity giving written notice to the Mill Owner, if the Mill Owner defaults in the performance of a material obligation under the Lease and such default continues beyond any cure period provided in the Lease and is not waived by Ingevity, thereby giving Ingevity the right to terminate the Lease;

 

(x)          by either party giving written notice to the other party: (1) if the terminating party receives notice of, or otherwise becomes aware of, a Permanent Closure of the Mill or a Permanent Closure of the Carbon Plant (provided that such termination shall not become effective prior to the date the Mill or the Carbon Plant, as the case may be, is closed), or (2) upon a termination of the Ground Lease, if the Carbon Plant Real Property is not being conveyed upon such termination to Ingevity or its designee; or

 

(xi)         upon the termination, pursuant to one or more other provisions of this Section 12.2(a) , of all of the Services.

 

(b)          Expiration or termination of this Agreement for any reason shall not relieve a party from the obligation to pay any amounts accruing under this Agreement prior to the effective date of such termination. Termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 12.2(a)(vi) or (vii) shall not relieve the breaching party of any liability to the non-defaulting party for breach of its obligations under this Agreement. The provisions of Sections 15.1 , 6.4 , 6.5 , 9.3 , 11.2 , 15.7 and Article 13 shall survive expiration or any termination of this Agreement.

 

ARTICLE 13

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY; INDEMNIFICATION

 

Section 13.1         Limitation of Liability and Waiver of Subrogation .  (a) Except as otherwise expressly provided in Section 13.3(ii) , Section 13.3(iii) , Section 13.3(iv) and Section 13.4 , the Mill Owner shall not be liable to Ingevity for:

 

(i)          Losses to any buildings, improvements, fixtures, furnishings, equipment or other personal property ( “Property” ) located or found on the Carbon Plant Real Property (except for Losses to Property owned by third parties, which shall be subject to Section 13.3(v) ), notwithstanding that such Losses are caused by, result from or are attributable to any act or omission of the Mill Owner or any servant, agent, employee, director, officer, subcontractor or supplier ( “Agent” ) of the Mill Owner (including, without limitation, in connection with the provision by the Mill Owner of the Fire/Emergency Services);

 

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(ii)         any Losses arising from bodily injury or death to any employee of Ingevity occurring on the Mill Property (including in connection with the provision by Ingevity of the Ingevity Fire/Emergency Services), notwithstanding that such Losses are caused by, result from or are attributable to any action or omission of the Mill Owner or any Agent of the Mill Owner;

 

(iii)        any Loss caused by Ingevity to Property owned by third parties; and

 

(iv)        any Losses arising from bodily injury or death to any employee of Mill Owner in connection with the provision by Mill Owner of the Fire/Emergency Services, notwithstanding that such Losses are caused by, result from or are attributable to any action or omission of the Mill Owner or any Agent, and except to the extent such Losses are covered by workers compensation insurance.

 

Ingevity hereby waives all rights of subrogation against the Mill Owner with respect to the matters described in this Section 13.1(a) .

 

(b)          Except as otherwise expressly provided in Section 13.2(ii) , Section 13.2(iv) , Section 13.2(v) and Section 13.4 , Ingevity shall not be liable to the Mill Owner for:

 

(i)          any Losses to any Property located or found on the Mill Property (except for Losses to Property owned by third parties, which shall be subject to Section 13.2(vi) ), notwithstanding that such Losses are caused by, result from or are attributable to any act or omission of Ingevity or any Agent of Ingevity (including, without limitation, in connection with the provision by Ingevity of the Ingevity Fire/Emergency Services);

 

(ii)         any Losses arising from bodily injury or death to any employee of Mill Owner occurring on the Carbon Plant Real Property, notwithstanding that such Losses are caused by, result from or are attributable to any action or omission of Ingevity or any Agent of Ingevity; and

 

(iii)        any Loss caused by the Mill Owner to Property owned by third parties.

 

The Mill Owner hereby waives all rights of subrogation against Ingevity with respect to the matters described in this Section 13.1(b) .

 

Section 13.2         Indemnification by Ingevity .  Ingevity shall indemnify, defend and hold the Mill Owner and its Affiliates, and each of its and their respective officers, directors, employees, successors and assigns (collectively, the “Mill Indemnified Parties” ) harmless, from and against all Losses (including, without limitation, any claim, demand, cause of action, or lawsuit in connection therewith) resulting from, in connection with or arising out of:

 

(i)          with respect to third party claims (other than third party claims of a type covered by another provision of this Article 13 ), the performance of this Agreement by Ingevity, but only to the extent that the Mill Owner was not responsible for the subject matter of such Losses;

 

(ii)         except with respect to bodily injury or death to any employee of Mill Owner in connection with the Fire/Emergency Services (which shall be subject to subsection (vii) of this Section 13.2 ), or bodily injury or death to any employee of Mill Owner caused by a Vehicle owned by Ingevity or a Vehicle driven by a Ingevity employee (which shall be subject to subsection (v) of this Section 13.2 ), any bodily injury or death to any employee of the Mill Owner occurring on the Carbon Plant Real Property and resulting from or arising out of the gross negligence or intentional misconduct of Ingevity;

 

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(iii)        any bodily injury or death to any employee of Ingevity resulting from or arising out of the provision of Ingevity Fire/Emergency Services;

 

(iv)        any damage to any Property located or found on the Carbon Plant Real Property caused by a Vehicle owned by Ingevity or a Vehicle driven by an employee of Ingevity;

 

(v)         bodily injury or death to any employee of Mill Owner or to a third party (who is not an employee of Ingevity or Mill Owner) caused by a Vehicle owned by Ingevity or a Vehicle driven by a Ingevity employee;

 

(vi)        any damage to any Property of a third party caused by Ingevity;

 

(vii)       any bodily injury or death to any employee of the Mill Owner resulting from or arising out of the provision of Fire/Emergency Services except to the extent covered by the Mill Owner’s workers compensation insurance coverage; and

 

(viii)      Claims which may be brought by any Person, including, without limitation, Claims brought by Governmental Authorities, for death, bodily or personal injuries to any Person; damage to any property, including loss of use thereof and business interruption damages; contamination of or adverse effects on natural resources or the environment, including without limitation, the costs for investigation and remediation of such contamination under Environmental Laws and other Laws; natural resource damages; or any violation of Laws, to the extent resulting from or arising out of: (A) Ingevity’s breach of the Wastewater Treatment Terms, (B) Ingevity’s discharge of wastewater to the Mill or the Wastewater Treatment Plant, including, without limitation, any Non-Conforming Discharge (as defined in the Wastewater Treatment Terms); (C) any activities of Ingevity and/or its Agents relating to or impacting the Wastewater Treatment Terms; (D) any violation by Ingevity and/or its Agents of any applicable Laws, or (E) pollution or contamination of, or petroleum or hazardous substances releases to, the Mill or the Wastewater Treatment Plant by Ingevity or any of its employees, consultants, contractors, subcontractors, representatives and/or agents,

 

except, with respect to clauses (iv), (v), and (vii), to the extent that any such Loss is finally determined (in accordance with the Escalation Process or otherwise) to have arisen out of or resulted from the gross negligence or intentional misconduct of the Mill Owner or any such Affiliate, Agent, successor or assign and except with respect to clauses (iii) and (vii), to the extent that any such Loss is finally determined (in accordance with the Escalation Process or otherwise) to have arisen out of or resulted from the intentional misconduct of any employee, officer or agent of the Mill Owner having managerial authority with respect to the subject matter of the misconduct. For purposes of this Section 13.2 and Section 13.3 : (x) intentional misconduct means the intentional doing of something with knowledge that it is likely to result in serious injury or property damage or with reckless disregard of its probable consequences, and (y) gross negligence means the failure to use such care as a reasonably prudent and careful Person would use under similar circumstances when such Person has knowledge of the results of such Person’s acts or omissions and is recklessly or wantonly indifferent to the results. Nothing in clause (viii) of this Section 13.2 shall limit the Mill Owner’s rights of action and defenses, if any, which may exist under applicable Law relating to the subject matter of this Agreement, including the Wastewater Treatment Terms.

 

Section 13.3         Indemnification by the Mill Owner .  The Mill Owner shall indemnify, defend and hold Ingevity and its Affiliates, and each of their respective officers, directors, employees, successors and assigns (collectively, the “Ingevity Indemnified Parties” ), harmless from and against all Losses (including, without limitation, any claim, demand, cause of action, or lawsuit in connection therewith) arising out of or resulting from:

 

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(i)          with respect to third party claims (other than third party claims of a type covered by another provision of this Article 13 ), the performance of this Agreement by the Mill Owner, but only to the extent that Ingevity was not responsible for the subject matter of such Losses;

 

(ii)         except with respect to bodily injury or death to any employee of Ingevity caused by a Vehicle owned by Mill Owner or a Vehicle driven by a Mill Owner employee (which shall be subject to subsection (iv) of this Section 13.3 ), any bodily injury or death to any employee of Ingevity occurring on the Mill Property and resulting from or arising out of the gross negligence or intentional misconduct of the Mill Owner or any Agent of the Mill Owner;

 

(iii)        any damage to any Property located or found on the Carbon Plant Real Property caused by a Vehicle owned by the Mill Owner or a Vehicle driven by an employee of the Mill Owner;

 

(iv)        bodily injury or death to any employee of Ingevity or to a third party (who is not an employee of Ingevity or the Mill Owner) caused by a Vehicle owned by the Mill Owner or a Vehicle driven by any employee of the Mill Owner; and

 

(v)         any damage to any Property of a third party caused by the Mill Owner,

 

except, with respect to clauses (iii), (iv) and (v), to the extent that any such Loss is finally determined (in accordance with the Escalation Process or otherwise) to have arisen out of or resulted from the gross negligence or intentional misconduct of Ingevity or any such Affiliate, Agent, successor or assign.

 

Section 13.4         Notice of Claim .  Each party promptly shall notify the other party in writing of any Losses covered by the indemnification obligations of the other party under Section 13.1 or Section 13.2 (a “Notice of Claim” ). Without limiting any other obligation of the party receiving a Notice of Claim hereunder, such party shall promptly respond to the Notice of Claim and shall indemnify, defend and hold the party giving such Notice of Claim harmless from and against any cost, expense or other damage arising from or relating to the occurrence or damage that is the subject of the Notice of Claim in accordance with Section 13.1 or Section 13.2 , as the case may be.

 

Section 13.5         Force Majeure .  Neither party shall be liable to the other party under this Agreement for any delay in or failure of performance by the party of its obligations hereunder resulting from a Force Majeure Event if the party has used commercially reasonable efforts to perform notwithstanding the occurrence of the Force Majeure Event. If either party should become aware of a Force Majeure Event, it shall give the other party’s Contract Manager prompt notice. Each party shall use commercially reasonable efforts to mitigate or remedy the effects of a Force Majeure Event, and if the cause of the Force Majeure Event can be minimized or remedied, the parties shall use their respective commercially reasonable efforts to do so promptly.

 

Section 13.6         Duty to Mitigate .  Each party shall use commercially reasonable efforts to mitigate damages for which the other party would be liable under this Agreement.

 

Section 13.7         Other .  Each party shall use commercially reasonable efforts to require all contractors and third party invitees to the Mill Property and/or the Carbon Plant Real Property to execute releases of liability for the benefit of both the Mill Owner and Ingevity prior to entering such property.

 

Section 13.8         Limitation of Liability .  EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY PROVIDED IN THIS AGREEMENT WITH RESPECT TO THE SERVICE LEVEL PAYMENTS (ALL OF WHICH ARE INTENDED TO BE LIQUIDATED DAMAGES BECAUSE ACTUAL DAMAGES MAY BE DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE), AND EXCEPT FOR THE INDEMNIFICATION OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES UNDER THIS ARTICLE 13 (OTHER THAN SECTION 13.2(viii)), IN NO EVENT

 

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SHALL EITHER PARTY BE LIABLE TO THE OTHER PARTY UNDER THIS AGREEMENT FOR ANY INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, LIQUIDATED, PUNITIVE OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES.

 

ARTICLE 14

CONTRACT MANAGERS; GOVERNANCE; DISPUTE RESOLUTION

 

Section 14.1         Contract Managers and Operating Council .  (a) Each of the parties from time to time shall designate an individual who shall be responsible for managing such party’s relationship with the other party and will serve as such party’s primary representative with respect to operational matters under this Agreement (a “Contract Manager” ). The initial Contract Manager shall be the Production Manager of the Mill for the Mill Owner and the Plant Manager of the Carbon Plant for Ingevity. Each Contract Manager shall be authorized to act for and on behalf of the party such Contract Manager is representing with respect to all day to day matters relating to this Agreement. A party shall provide as much notice as is practicable to the other party of any change in the individual who is designated by the party as its Contract Manager. Each party may rely on direction from and decisions regarding day-to-day administration of this Agreement by the Contract Manager of the other party as being the directions and decisions of the party represented by such Contract Manager, subject to any direction from a party or that party’s representatives on the Operating Council to the contrary.

 

(b)          The Contract Managers shall meet at least quarterly during the initial year of the Term and shall meet as frequently as they or the Operating Council determine necessary thereafter to review the performance by the parties under this Agreement and to consider other matters with respect to the administration of this Agreement.

 

(c)          An operating council (the “Operating Council” ) consisting of the Contract Manager and two other representatives designated by each party shall have overall responsibility for assisting the parties to this Agreement in the administration of this Agreement. The initial members of the Operating Council shall be the Production Manager of the Mill, the Mill Manager and the Mill Owner’s Vice President of Operations for the Mill Owner and the Plant Manager of the Carbon Plant, the Services and Support Manager of the Carbon Plant and Ingevity’s Vice President of Operations for Ingevity, or in each case a reasonably equivalent position designated by the Mill Owner or Ingevity, as the case may be. In addition, each party from time to time may designate alternate representatives, who shall be authorized to participate on the Operating Council on behalf of such party in the absence of one or more of its primary representatives. Each party shall provide as much notice as is practicable to the other party of any change in its designees on the Operating Council. The Operating Council shall meet on such a schedule, and for such purposes (within the authority of the Operating Council established by this Agreement), as the Operating Council shall approve. The presence of at least two representatives and/or alternates of each party at a meeting of the Operating Council shall be required for a quorum. The Operating Council shall act only at a meeting at which a quorum is present. Each party’s representatives on the Operating Council shall have, collectively, one vote, and any action shall be taken only with the affirmative vote of both parties’ representatives.

 

(d)          The Operating Council shall meet at least once each calendar year: (i) to review and discuss the processes, measurement methodologies and methods for calculating the amounts payable by the parties under Article 6 and other matters which this Agreement provides are subject to the Review Process and/or are to be reviewed by the Operating Council, to consider whether any adjustment to the manner in which measurements are made or the amounts payable under Article 6 are calculated should be made for the following year or whether any changes to other matters are to be made. In addition, at such other time or times as they may determine, the Mill Owner and Ingevity may agree to modify any such processes, measurement methodologies and methods for calculating the amounts payable under Article 6 or any other matters which this Agreement provides are subject to the Review Process and/or are to be

 

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reviewed by the Operating Council. Any such adjustments pursuant to this Section 14.1(d) shall be made only by written agreement of the parties (without the need for a formal amendment to the Agreement as provided in Section 15.5 ). The process set forth in this Section 14.1(d) is referred to as the “Review Process .

 

(e)          Except as expressly provided in Section 14.1(d) , nothing in this Agreement shall be construed as permitting any amendment to, or waiver of, any provision of this Agreement (including, without limitation, any notice requirements) except in the manner expressly provided in Section 15.5 .

 

Section 14.2         Dispute Resolution .  (a)   Consideration by Contract Managers . All disputes, issues, controversies or claims between the parties hereunder ( “Disputes” ) shall first be referred to the Contract Managers for resolution. If the Contract Managers are unable to resolve, or do not anticipate resolving, a Dispute within 10 business days (or such other period as reasonably may be approved by them) after referral of the matter to them, then the parties shall submit the Dispute to the Operating Council for resolution. The Dispute escalation process described in this Section 14.2 is referred to as the “Escalation Process .

 

(b)           Escalation to Operating Council . If a Dispute has been submitted to the Operating Council for resolution, the Operating Council shall negotiate in good faith to resolve such Dispute within 10 business days (or such other period of time as may be approved by the Operating Council).

 

(c)           Escalation to Executive Management . If the Operating Council does not resolve a Dispute within 10 business days (or such other period of time as may be approved by the Operating Council) after referral of the matter to it, then either party may notify the other in writing that it desires to elevate such Dispute to the respective executive management of the Mill Owner, who shall be the President, Paper Solutions of the Mill Owner’s ultimate parent (as of the Effective Date, WestRock Company), or reasonably equivalent officer designated by the Mill Owner, and of Ingevity, who shall be Ingevity’s Chief Executive Officer (as of the Effective Date, D. Michael Wilson) (collectively, the “Executive Management” ) for resolution. Upon receipt by the other party of such written notice, the Dispute shall be so elevated and the Executive Management shall negotiate in good faith to resolve such Dispute within 10 business days (or such other period as may be approved by the Executive Management) after referral of the matter to the Executive Management (the last day of such period is referred to as the “Conclusion of the Escalation Process” ).

 

(d)           Negotiation of Disputes . During the Escalation Process, each party’s representatives shall negotiate in good faith. The location, format, frequency, duration and conclusion of the discussions between the Contract Managers, the Operating Council and the Executive Management, respectively, shall be left to the discretion of the representatives involved. Discussions and correspondence among such representatives for purposes of these negotiations shall be treated as Confidential Information and information developed for purposes of settlement, exempt from discovery and production, which shall not be admissible in subsequent proceedings between the parties. Documents identified in or provided with such communications, which are not prepared for purposes of the negotiations, are not so exempted and may, if otherwise admissible, be admitted in evidence in such subsequent proceeding.

 

(e)           Participation in Escalation Process . Notwithstanding anything else in this Agreement to the contrary, and except as provided below in this Section 14.2(e) , the parties shall participate in the Escalation Process to until the Conclusion of the Escalation Process, and shall not terminate negotiations concerning resolution of the matters in Dispute until the earlier of the Conclusion of the Escalation Process or expiration or termination of this Agreement (so long as termination of this Agreement is not the subject of the Dispute). No party shall commence a lawsuit or seek other remedies with respect to the Dispute (including termination of this Agreement) prior to the Conclusion of the Escalation Process, provided that either party is authorized to institute formal legal proceedings at any time: (i) to avoid the

 

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expiration of any applicable statute of limitations period, (ii) to preserve a superior position with respect to other creditors, or (iii) to seek an injunction to prevent irreparable harm, including in situations where the party reasonably believes that the matter involved in the Dispute may result in such party’s operations being significantly curtailed or shut down.

 

ARTICLE 15

MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 15.1         Confidential Information .  Each party recognizes that the other party’s business interests require the fullest reasonably practical protection and confidential treatment of all information related to the other party’s business and this Agreement that is not generally known by the public, including, without limitation, documents, writings, memoranda, business plans, illustrations, designs, plans, know-how, technology, financial information, personnel data, processes, formulas, programs, inventions, reports, sources of supply, customer lists, supplier lists, pricing policies, operational methods, marketing plans or strategies, product development techniques, business acquisition plans, methods of manufacture, trade secrets and all other valuable or unique information and techniques acquired, developed or used by the other party that the party provided, or to which the party otherwise gains access, through the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (hereinafter collectively termed “Protected Information” ). Protected Information shall not include: (i) information which is or becomes part of the public domain through no breach of this Agreement by any party, or (ii) information that becomes available to a party or any of its Affiliates on a non-confidential basis from a source other than the other party. Each party shall, and shall cause Affiliates controlled by it to, hold all such Protected Information in confidence and not, directly or indirectly, to appropriate, divulge, disclose or otherwise disseminate to any other Person nor use in any manner any Protected Information. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Section 15.1 shall prohibit any party or any of its Affiliates from disclosing any Protected Information to comply with any Law or any subpoena or other legal process (provided that the party shall provide the other party with notice as far in advance of any such disclosure as is practicable in order for the other party to seek a protective order or other assurance of the protection of any Protected Information the party or any such Affiliate is required to disclose).

 

Section 15.2         Independent Contractors .  No relationship of employer and employee, or master and servant, is intended to exist, nor shall any be construed to exist, between the Mill Owner and Ingevity, or between either party and any servant, agent, employee, subcontractor or supplier of or to the other party. Each party shall select and pay its own servants, agents, employees, subcontractors and suppliers, and neither party nor any of its servants, agents, employees, subcontractors and suppliers shall be subject to any orders, supervision or control of the other party. The parties acknowledge that this Agreement does not create a partnership, joint venture or any relationship other than a contract between independent parties.

 

Section 15.3         Assignment by Ingevity .  Except as otherwise provided in this Section 15.3 , this Agreement may not be assigned by Ingevity in whole or in part. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Ingevity may assign this Agreement, with prior written notice to the Mill Owner, to: (i) any Affiliate of Ingevity who is and at all times during the Term remains controlled by Ingevity (provided, however, that no such assignment shall relieve Ingevity of any obligations under this Agreement), or (ii) any Person who acquires all or substantially all of the assets of the Carbon Plant and who assumes all of the liabilities and obligations of Ingevity under this Agreement, or any party into which Ingevity is merged, subject to such Person reasonably demonstrating to the Mill Owner that such Person’s creditworthiness is equal to or better than the creditworthiness of Ingevity at the time of such assumption or merger. In the event of any permitted assignment of this Agreement by either party, the assignor shall be released from its obligations hereunder and the designated assignee shall assume, in writing, all of the rights and obligations of the assigning party under this Agreement. Any purported assignment or transfer of this Agreement in

 

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violation of this Section 15.3 shall be void and of no force or effect. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns.

 

Section 15.4         Assignment by the Mill Owner .  Except as otherwise provided in this Section 15.4 , this Agreement may not be assigned by the Mill Owner in whole or in part. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Mill Owner may assign this Agreement, with prior written notice to Ingevity, to: (i) any Affiliate of the Mill Owner who is and at all times during the Term remains controlled by the Mill Owner (provided, however, that no such assignment shall relieve the Mill Owner of any obligations under this Agreement), or (ii) any Person who acquires all or substantially all of the assets of the Mill and, who assumes all of the liabilities and obligations of the Mill Owner under this Agreement, or any party into which Mill Owner is merged. In the event of any permitted assignment of this Agreement by either party, the assignor shall be released from its obligations hereunder and the designated assignee shall assume, in writing, all of the rights and obligations of the assigning party under this Agreement. Any purported assignment or transfer of this Agreement in violation of this Section 15.4 shall be void and of no force or effect. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns.

 

Section 15.5         Amendment; Waiver .  No amendment, modification or discharge of this Agreement, and no waiver under this Agreement, shall be valid or binding unless set forth in writing and duly executed by the party against whom enforcement of the amendment, modification, discharge or waiver is sought. Any such waiver shall constitute a waiver only with respect to the specific matter described in such writing and shall in no way impair the rights of the party granting such waiver in any other respect or at any other time. The failure of either party to insist in any one or more instances upon strict performance of any of the provisions of this Agreement or take advantage of any of its rights hereunder shall not be construed as a waiver of any such provisions or the relinquishment of any such rights, but the same shall continue and remain in full force and effect.

 

Section 15.6         Entire Agreement .  This instrument constitutes the entire agreement between the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and there are no agreements, understandings, conditions, representations, or warranties not expressly set forth herein.

 

Section 15.7         Choice of Law and Venue .  The rights and obligations of the parties under the Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia and of the United States, without giving effect to the principles of Virginia law relating to the conflict or choice of laws. Any legal action, suit or proceeding brought by a party that in any way arises out of this Agreement ( “Proceeding” ) must be litigated exclusively in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia (Richmond Division) or the Circuit Court of the County of Henrico, Virginia (the “Identified Courts” ). Each party hereby irrevocably and unconditionally: (i) submits to the jurisdiction of the Identified Courts for any Proceeding; (ii) shall not commence any Proceeding, except in the Identified Courts; (iii) waives, and shall not plead or make, any objection to the venue of any Proceeding in the Identified Courts; (iv) waives, and shall not plead or make, any claim that any Proceeding brought in the Identified Courts has been brought in an improper or otherwise inconvenient forum; and (v) waives, and shall not plead or make, any claim that the Identified Courts lack personal jurisdiction over it.

 

Section 15.8         Binding Agreement; Successors .  This Agreement shall bind the parties to this Agreement and their respective successors (including, without limitation, any successor to the Mill Owner as owner of the Mill and any successor to Ingevity as owner of the Carbon Plant) and shall bind, and inure to the benefit of, their permitted assigns under Sections 15.3 and 15.4 . Nothing in this Agreement is intended to confer upon any other Person any rights or remedies of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Agreement as a third party beneficiary; provided that this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of each Person entitled to indemnification under Article 13 .

 

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Section 15.9         Headings and Other Interpretations .  The section and other headings in this Agreement are inserted solely as a matter of convenience and for reference, are not a part of this Agreement, and shall not be deemed to affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement. As used in this Agreement, unless otherwise provided to the contrary, (a) all references to days will be deemed references to calendar days unless expressly stated otherwise and (b) any reference to a Section or Schedule shall be deemed to refer to a section or schedule of this Agreement. The Recitals and Exhibits to the Agreement are part of the Agreement and are hereby incorporated herein by reference. Unless the context otherwise requires, as used in this Agreement, all terms used in the singular will be deemed to refer to the plural as well, and vice versa. The words hereof, herein and hereunder and words of similar import referring to this Agreement refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement. Whenever the words include, includes or including are used in this Agreement, they will be deemed to be followed by the words without limitation. References in this Agreement to $ will be deemed a reference to United States dollars.

 

Section 15.10       Counterparts .  This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

Section 15.11       Schedules .  All schedules to this Agreement referenced herein are incorporated herein by reference.

 

Section 15.12       Severability, etc . Any term or provision of this Agreement that is invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to that jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity or unenforceability, without rendering invalid or unenforceable the remaining terms and provisions of this Agreement or affecting the validity or unenforceability of any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement in any other jurisdiction. If any term or provision of this Agreement is so broad as to be invalid or unenforceable, the provision shall be interpreted to be only so broad as is valid or enforceable. Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section 15.12 , if any term or provision of this Agreement is invalid or unenforceable for any reason, such circumstances shall not have the effect of rendering such term or provision invalid or unenforceable in any other case or circumstance.

 

Section 15.13       No Presumption Against Drafter .  Each of the parties hereto has jointly participated in the negotiation and drafting of this Agreement. In the event of any ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation, this Agreement shall be construed as if drafted jointly by each of the parties hereto and no presumptions or burdens of proof shall arise favoring any party by virtue of the authorship of any of the provisions of this Agreement.

 

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank.] 

 

  - 40 -  

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first written above.

 

  Mill Owner
   
  WESTROCK VIRGINIA, LLC
     
  By:  
    Name:
    Title:
     
  Ingevity
   
  INGEVITY VIRGINIA CORPORATION
     
  By:  
    Name:
    Title:

 

[Signature page to Covington Plant Services Agreement]

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 10.5

 

COVINGTON PLANT

 

GROUND LEASE AGREEMENT

 

between

 

WESTROCK VIRGINIA, LLC

 

and

 

INGEVITY VIRGINIA CORPORATION

 

Dated as of February 1, 2016

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

    Page
     
Article 1 DEFINITIONS 1
     
Article 2 THE LEASE 8
     
Section 2.1 Leased Premises 8
Section 2.2 Carbon Plant and Mill Owner Retained Assets Excluded 8
Section 2.3 Permitted Encumbrances 9
Section 2.4 Condition of the Leased Premises 9
     
Article 3 EASEMENT RIGHTS 9
     
Section 3.1 Easement Rights Generally 9
Section 3.2 Ingevity Access Rights 9
Section 3.3 Mill Owner Access Rights 9
Section 3.4 Parking Rights 10
Section 3.5 Rail Facilities 10
Section 3.6 Continuous Assets and Party Wall 10
Section 3.7 Storm Drainage 11
Section 3.8 Wastewater Lines 11
Section 3.9 Potable Water 11
Section 3.10 Natural Gas Utility Facilities 12
Section 3.11 Unknown Other Assets 12
Section 3.12 Future Utility Facilities 12
Section 3.13 No Rights to Obstruct; Use of Property Subject to Easement Rights 13
Section 3.14 Compliance 13
Section 3.15 Exercise of Maintenance Obligations and Rights 13
Section 3.16 Mechanics’ Liens 14
Section 3.17 Right to Cure Defaults Under Article 3 14
Section 3.18 Limitations Upon Easement Rights; Reservations by the Plant Owner (including Relocations) 15
Section 3.19 Termination of Easement Rights 16
Section 3.20 Article 3 Remedies 16
Section 3.21 Actions in Connection with a Work Stoppages 16
     
Article 4 TERM; HOLDING OVER 17
     
Section 4.1 Term 17
Section 4.2 Termination 17
Section 4.3 Payment of Fair Market Value 18
     
Article 5 RENT 19
     
Section 5.1 Rent 19
     
Article 6 CARBON PLANT SERVICES 19
     
Section 6.1 Services Agreement 19

 

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Section 6.2 Maintenance Obligations 19
     
Article 7 TAXES 19
     
Section 7.1 Ingevity to Pay Taxes 19
Section 7.2 Taxes Defined 20
Section 7.3 Payment of Taxes 20
Section 7.4 Tax Notices 20
     
Article 8 USE; COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS; MECHANIC’S LIENS 20
     
Section 8.1 Permitted Uses 20
Section 8.2 Compliance with Laws 20
Section 8.3 Permitted Contests 21
Section 8.4 Mechanic’s Liens on Leased Premises 21
     
Article 9 ALTERATIONS AND ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS; REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE 21
     
Section 9.1 Additional Improvements 21
Section 9.2 Alterations 21
Section 9.3 Repair and Maintenance 22
     
Article 10 INSURANCE 22
     
Section 10.1 Insurance 22
     
Article 11 WAIVER OF SUBROGATION; INDEMNIFICATION 24
     
Section 11.1 Limitation of Liability and Waiver of Subrogation 23
Section 11.2 Indemnification by Ingevity 24
Section 11.3 Indemnification by the Mill Owner 25
Section 11.4 Environmental Indemnities 25
Section 11.5 Remedial Action 27
Section 11.6 Future Operational Compliance 28
Section 11.7 Remedial Action Standards 28
Section 11.8 Access to Areas Outside the Affected Access Area 28
     
Article 12 CASUALTY AND CONDEMNATION 29
     
Section 12.1 Casualty 29
Section 12.2 Condemnation 29
     
Article 13 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES 29
     
Section 13.1 Power and Authority of Ingevity; Enforceability 29
Section 13.2 Power and Authority of the Mill Owner; Enforceability 29
     
Article 14 SURRENDER 30
     
Section 14.1 Surrender 30
     

 

ii

 

 

Article 15 ASSIGNMENT AND SUBLETTING 31
     
Section 15.1 Assignment or Sublease by Ingevity 31
Section 15.2 Assignment by the Mill Owner 31
Section 15.3 Release of Liability 31
     
Article 16 FINANCING 31
     
Section 16.1 Ingevity’s Financing 31
Section 16.2 The Mill Owner’s Financing 31
     
Article 17 RIGHTS OF MORTGAGEE 32
     
Section 17.1 Performance by Mortgagee 32
Section 17.2 Rights of Mortgagee 32
Section 17.3 Notices from Mortgagee 32
Section 17.4 Notice to Mortgagee 33
Section 17.5 Nonliability for Covenants 33
     
Article 18 RIGHT TO CURE DEFAULTS 33
     
Article 19 QUIET ENJOYMENT 33
     
Article 20 NOTICES 33
     
Section 20.1 Procedures for Notice 33
Section 20.2 Change of Address 34
     
Article 21 EXPANSION OPTIONS 34
     
Section 21.1 Option to Expand the Leased Premises with the Sawdust Area 34
Section 21.2 Sawdust Area Expansion Property 35
Section 21.3 Condition of the Sawdust Area Expansion Property 35
Section 21.4 Option to Expand the Leased Premises with the Truck Shop Property  
Section 21.5 Truck Shop Property  
Section 21.6 Condition of the Truck Shop Property  
     
Article 22 INGEVITY OPTION TO PURCHASE 35
     
Section 22.1 Option to Purchase 35
Section 22.2 Purchase Price 36
Section 22.3 Easement Rights to be Converted to Reciprocal Easements 36
Section 22.4

Subdivision of Truck Shop Property

36
Section 22.5 Services Agreement  
Section 22.6 Termination of Lease 36
     
Article 23 MISCELLANEOUS 36
     
Section 23.1 Dispute Resolution 36
Section 23.2 Force Majeure 38
Section 23.3 Amendment; Waiver 38
Section 23.4 Entire Agreement 38
Section 23.5 Memorandum of Lease 38
Section 23.6 Estoppel Certificate 39
Section 23.7 Governing Law 39

 

iii

 

 

Section 23.8 Binding Agreement; Successors 39
Section 23.9 Headings 39
Section 23.10 Counterparts 39
Section 23.11 Exhibits 39
Section 23.12 Severability, etc. 39
Section 23.13 Negation of Partnership 39
Section 23.14 Third-Party Rights 39
Section 23.15 Further Assurances 39
Section 23.16 Merger of Estates 40
Section 23.17 No Presumption Against Drafter 40
Section 23.18 Conflict Between Agreements 40
     
JOINDER OF MILL REAL PROPERTY RECORD OWNER 44  

 

iv

 

 

GROUND LEASE AGREEMENT

 

THIS AGREEMENT (this “Lease” ) is made as and effective as of 12:01 a.m. on February 1, 2016 (the “Effective Date” ) between WESTROCK VIRGINIA, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as landlord (the “Mill Owner” ), and INGEVITY VIRGINIA CORPORATION, a Virginia corporation, as tenant ( “Ingevity” ), under the following circumstances:

 

A.           Pursuant to the Distribution Agreement of even date herewith between the Mill Owner and Ingevity, certain of the assets and liabilities of the specialty chemicals business of WestRock Company, including the Carbon Plant (as hereinafter defined) operated in conjunction with and within the Mill Owner’s paperboard and pulp mill in Covington, Virginia, are being distributed from the Mill Owner to Ingevity. Following such distribution, Ingevity will operate the Carbon Plant.

 

B.           The parties are entering into this Lease to set forth their agreement with respect to Ingevity’s lease of the real property within the Mill Owner’s mill complex upon which Ingevity’s Carbon Plant is located. This Lease is intended to be a transfer of all of the economic benefits and burdens of owning the real property on which the Carbon Plant is located from the Mill Owner to Ingevity and thereafter is intended to be a retention by Ingevity of such real property for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants described in this Lease and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are acknowledged, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the Mill Owner and Ingevity agree as follows:

 

Article 1

 

DEFINITIONS

 

When used in this Lease, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

 

“Abandoned” means, with respect to any Easement Right established under this Lease, the relinquishment of such Easement Right by written notice of such relinquishment given by the Easement Right Holder to the Plant Owner whose property was subject to such Easement Right.

 

“Access” means ingress and egress for pedestrian and vehicular traffic, including cars, trucks and other vehicles, by the Easement Right Holder and its Personnel, including the nonexclusive right to use all roads, sidewalks, pathways, corridors, gates, bridges and other access ways.

 

“Access Area” means: (i) in the case of the Mill Real Property, the portion of the Mill Real Property as to which Ingevity has an Access Right under this Lease, and (ii) in the case of the Carbon Plant Real Property, the portion of the Carbon Plant Real Property as to which the Mill Owner has an Access Right under this Lease.

 

“Access Rights” means the Easement Rights described in Sections 3.2 and 3.3.

 

“Affiliate” means, as to any Person: (a) any subsidiary of such Person and (b) any other Person that, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” means the possession of the power to direct or cause the direction of management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

 

  1

 

 

“Agent” has the meaning given that term in Section 11.1(a)(i).

 

“Annual Fair Market Rental Value” means the amount of annual rent which the Sawdust Area Expansion Property would bring if exposed upon the open market for a reasonable length of time, the lessor being willing but under no compulsion to lease and the lessee being willing but under no compulsion to lease, pursuant to the terms set forth in this Lease (including, without limitation, the Purchase Option and the deemed exercise of the Purchase Option at the end of the Term as provided in Section 22.1(b) for the remainder of the Term, and both parties having full knowledge as to the rights and limitations set forth in this Lease.

 

“Cap-Off” means to take all action necessary to shut off completely, seal and secure any Utility Facilities at the point at which such Utility Facilities intersect the common boundary line of the Mill Real Property and the Carbon Plant Real Property or, if impractical at such point, then at such other point as the parties may reasonably agree.

 

“Carbon Plant” means the buildings, improvements, fixtures, equipment and other assets directly or beneficially owned by Ingevity and located on the Carbon Plant Real Property, but does not include the Mill Owner Retained Assets, the Co-located Continuous Assets owned by the Mill Owner and the Mill Owner Natural Gas Utility Facilities.

 

“Carbon Plant Real Property” means the real property owned as of the Effective Date by the Mill Owner and/or one or more of its Affiliates and located within the Mill complex in Covington, Virginia containing approximately 20 acres and being more particularly described in Exhibit A-1 attached hereto and made a part hereof (but excluding the Truck Shop Property) which is being leased by the Mill Owner to Ingevity pursuant to this Lease as part of the Leased Premises. If Ingevity exercises the Sawdust Area Expansion Option, the Carbon Plant Real Property shall include the Sawdust Area Expansion Property from the effective date of such expansion, and if Ingevity exercises the Truck Shop Expansion Option, the Carbon Plant Real Property shall include the Truck Shop Property from the effective date of such expansion. For purpose of the Easement Rights, the Carbon Plant Real Property includes the Carbon Plant located on the Carbon Plant Real Property.

 

“Carbon Plant Services” means the services to be provided by the Mill Owner to the Carbon Plant pursuant to the Services Agreement.

 

“Co-located Continuous Assets” has the meaning given that term in Section 3.6(a).

 

“Conclusion of the Escalation Process” has the meaning given that term in Section 23.1(e).

 

“Condemning Authority” has the meaning given that term in Section 12.2.

 

“Consultant” has the meaning given that term in Section 11.7.

 

“Construction Standards” has the meaning given that term in Section 9.1.

 

“Continuous Assets” means those assets, such as pipelines, pipe bridges, wires, cables, conveyors and other similar assets, that are located partially on the Mill Real Property and partially on the Carbon Plant Real Property. Those Continuous Assets that are not Mill Owner Retained Assets are owned in part by the Mill Owner and in part by Ingevity, while those Continuous Assets that are Mill Owner Retained Assets are owned solely by the Mill Owner. In the case of Continuous Assets that are Utility Facilities serving the Carbon Plant and the Mill, the main distribution lines (including, without limitation, the Mill Owner Natural Gas Utility Facilities) are owned by the Mill Owner and the dedicated lines connecting the main distribution lines to the Carbon Plant which serve only the Carbon Plant (including, without limitation, the Ingevity Natural Gas Utility Facilities), are owned by Ingevity. The

 

  2

 

 

Continuous Assets as of the Effective Date and the portions of each owned by each party are listed on Exhibit C . Exhibit C also indicates, as of the Effective Date, the Continuous Assets that are Mill Owner Retained Assets.

 

“Contract Manager” has the meaning given that term in Section 23.1(a).

 

“Default Rate” means a fixed rate equal to: (i) the three month London interbank offered rate (LIBOR) as of the date of determination, as reported in the Wall Street Journal Money Rate column (or, in the event the Wall Street Journal no longer is published, or no longer publishes such rate, such other similarly determined rate as the Mill Owner and Ingevity mutually agree), plus (ii) 5% per annum.

 

“Dispute” has the meaning given that term in Section 23.1(c).

 

“Easement Rights” means the Mill Owner Easement Rights and/or the Ingevity Easement Rights.

 

“Easement Right Holder” means: (i) with respect to a Mill Owner Easement Right, the Mill Owner, and (ii) with respect to an Ingevity Easement Right, Ingevity.

 

“Effective Date” has the meaning given that term in the preamble to this Lease.

 

“Emergency” means an event or occurrence that requires immediate action by either party to this Lease: (a) for the protection of persons or property; or (b) to comply with any applicable Laws to the extent that noncompliance therewith may imminently, adversely affect any of the operations, property or financial condition of either party hereto or would result, or may be asserted or alleged to result, in any criminal liability of such party.

 

“Environmental Claim” refers to any complaint, summons, citation, notice, directive, order, claim, litigation, investigation, notice of violation, judicial or administrative proceeding, judgment, letter or other communication from any Governmental Authority, department, bureau, office or other authority, or any third party involving violations of Environmental Laws, Handling of Hazardous Substances or Releases of Hazardous Substances.

 

“Environmental Condition” means any condition, known or unknown, foreseen or unforeseen, arising out of: (1) the handling, Releases, threat of Release or exposure of Persons to Hazardous Substances; (2) any violation of Environmental Laws; (3) the Handling of Hazardous Substances; and (4) any Environmental Claim.

 

“Environmental Indemnity Claim” has the meaning given that term in Section 11.4(c).

 

“Environmental Laws” means all Laws relating to public health and safety, and pollution or protection of the environment, or that classify, regulate, call for the remediation of, require reporting with respect to, or list or define air, water, groundwater, solid waste, hazardous or toxic substances, materials, wastes, pollutants or contaminants; which regulate the presence, use, manufacture, generation, handling, labeling, testing, transport, treatment, storage, processing, discharge, disposal, release, threatened release, control, or cleanup of Hazardous Substances or materials containing Hazardous Substances; or which are intended to assure the protection, safety and good health of the public. “Environmental Laws” include applicable Environmental Permits.

 

“Environmental Liabilities” means any Losses, including without limitation, capital costs and costs of investigation, Remedial Action or other response actions, known or unknown, foreseen or

 

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unforeseen, arising out of: (i) Environmental Conditions, (ii) any violation of any Environmental Law, (iii) the handling of Hazardous Substances, or (iv) any Environmental Claim; provided, however, that, for the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing shall not include any Losses after the Effective Date from increases in operating expenses of either the Mill Owner’s Business or Ingevity’s Business, including, without limitation, depreciation, wages, administration of environmental programs, chemicals, sewer fees and permit fees (it being acknowledged and agreed, however, that any fines and penalties incurred in connection with any failure to have or comply with an Environmental Permit shall constitute Environmental Liabilities hereunder).

 

“Environmental Permits” means any licenses, permits, quotas, authorizations, consents, orders, franchises, filings or registrations, variances, exceptions, security clearances and other approvals from any Governmental Authority under Environmental Laws including, without limitation, those that are required to generate, store, handle, transport, discharge, emit or dispose of Hazardous Substances used or generated by the party.

 

“Escalation Process” has the meaning given that term in Section 23.1(c).

 

“Excluded Removal Property” has the meaning given that term in Section 14.1.

 

“Executive Management” has the meaning given that term in Section 23.1(e).

 

“Fair Market Value of the Leased Premises” means the price at which the Leased Premises would be sold if exposed upon the open market for a reasonable length of time, the buyer being willing but under no compulsion to buy and the seller being willing but under no compulsion to sell.

 

“Fee Mortgage” has the meaning given that term in Section 16.2.

 

“Force Majeure Event” means any cause, condition or event beyond a party’s reasonable control that delays or prevents other party’s performance of its obligations hereunder, including war, acts of government, acts of public enemy, riots, civil strife, lightning, fires, explosions, storms, floods, power failures (including brown-outs, surges or other situations where the utility generates less than full power), other acts of God or nature, labor strikes or lockouts by the party employees and other similar events or circumstances; provided, however, that adverse financial or market conditions shall not constitute a Force Majeure Event.

 

“Governmental Authority” means any government or governmental or regulatory body thereof, or political subdivision thereof, of any country or subdivision thereof, whether national, federal, state or local, or any agency or instrumentality thereof, or any court or arbitrator (public or private).

 

“Handling” means any manner of generating, accumulating, storing, treating, disposing of, or transporting, as any such terms may be defined in any Environmental Law, of Hazardous Substances.

 

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“Hazardous Substances” means any hazardous substance within the meaning of Section 101(14) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, 42 U.S.C. § 9601(14) ( “CERCLA” ) or any chemical, pollutant, contaminant, waste or otherwise toxic, hazardous, extremely hazardous or radioactive waste, including petroleum, petroleum derivatives, petroleum by-products or other hydrocarbons, asbestos containing materials and polychlorinated biphenyls that, in each case, is regulated under any applicable Environmental Law.

 

“Indemnified Party” has the meaning given that term in Section 11.4(c).

 

“Indemnifying Party” has the meaning given that term in Section 11.4(c).

 

“Ingevity” has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Lease, and includes any permitted successors as owner and operator of the Carbon Plant.

 

“Ingevity Easement Rights” means those certain rights with respect to the Mill Real Property granted to Ingevity pursuant to Article 3 of this Lease.

 

“Ingevity Indemnified Parties” has the meaning given that term in Section 11.3.

 

“Ingevity Natural Gas Utility Facilities” has the meaning given that term in Section 3.10(a).

 

“Ingevity’s Business” means the operation of the Carbon Plant as it was being operated on the Effective Date and any expansion of such business permitted under Section 8.1.

 

“Law” means any national, federal, state or local law (including common law), statute, constitutional provision, code, ordinance, rule, regulation, directive, concession, order or other requirement or guideline of any country or subdivision thereof.

 

“Leased Premises” has the meaning given that term in Section 2.1.

 

“Losses” means all demands, claims, causes of action, administrative orders and notices, losses, costs, fines, liabilities, penalties, damages (direct or indirect) and expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable legal, paralegal, accounting and consultant fees, amounts paid in settlement, judgments and other expenses incurred in the investigation and defense of claims and actions).

 

“Maintain” means to maintain, inspect, preserve, protect, repair and replace, and “Maintenance” means the maintenance (both preventive and predictive), inspection (including testing), preservation, repair and replacement.

 

“Mill” means the Mill Owner’s Covington, Virginia paperboard and pulp mill. The Mill does not include the Carbon Plant.

 

“Mill Indemnified Parties” has the meaning given that term in Section 11.2.

 

“Mill Owner” has the meaning given that term in the preamble to this Lease, and includes any permitted successors as owner of the Mill Real Property and the fee interest in the Carbon Plant Real Property (other than Ingevity).

 

“Mill Owner Easement Rights” means those certain rights with respect to the Carbon Plant Real Property retained by the Mill Owner pursuant to Article 3 of this Lease.

 

“Mill Owner Natural Gas Utility Facilities” has the meaning given that term in Section 3.10(a).

 

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“Mill Owner Retained Assets” means: (i) any Continuous Assets that pass under, on or over the Carbon Plant Real Property and serve the Mill but do not also serve the Carbon Plant (which include, without limitation, certain pipe bridges and conveyors), and (ii) the Truck Shop Property (which, for clarity, is excluded from the Carbon Plant Real Property). The Mill Owner Retained Assets as of the Effective Date (other than the Truck Shop Property) are listed on Exhibit C .

 

“Mill Owner’s Business” means the operation of the Mill by the Mill Owner, including the manufacture and distribution by the Mill Owner of solid bleached sulfite board and related products and related activities at the Mill.

 

“Mill Real Property” means the real property on which the Mill is located. For clarity, the Mill Real Property does not include the Carbon Plant Real Property, but does include the Truck Shop Property.

 

“Mortgage” has the meaning given that term in Section 16.1.

 

“Mortgagee” has the meaning given that term in Section 16.1.

 

“Non-Controlling Party” has the meaning given that term in Section 11.5.

 

“Non-Curable Default” has the meaning given that term in Section 17.2(c).

 

“Operating Council” has the meaning given that term in Section 23.1(b).

 

“Party Wall” means the common, or party, structural wall between the former board mill building on the Carbon Plant Real Property and the hydropulper building on the Mill Real Property.

 

“Permanent Closure of the Carbon Plant” means a shutdown of the Carbon Plant in which no products are being manufactured, processed or stored on a routine basis consistent with normal business practices for the Carbon Plant if such closure has exceeded, or will exceed, one year.

 

“Permitted Encumbrances” has the meaning given that term in Section 2.3.

 

“Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, firm, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, representative office, branch, Governmental Authority or other similar entity, other than the Mill Owner or Ingevity.

 

“Personnel” means the Affiliates, officers, directors, employees, agents, contractors, consultants, vendors, invitees and representatives of a party to the Agreement and of the party’s Affiliates.

 

“Plant Owner” means, with respect to the Carbon Plant and Ingevity’s rights in the Carbon Plant Real Property, Ingevity; and with respect to the Mill and the Mill Real Property, the Mill Owner.

 

“Plant Owner’s Rules and Regulations” means all reasonable rules, regulations and procedures established from time to time by a Plant Owner with respect to the exercise by the other party to this Lease and its Personnel of such other party’s Easement Rights on the Plant Owner’s property and which govern and direct safety, environmental, security and emergency matters or the conduct of any Personnel of the other party while on such property, but only if such other party has reasonable prior written notice of such rules, regulations and procedures.

 

“Potable Water Utility Facilities” has the meaning given that term in Section 3.9(a).

 

“Property” has the meaning given that term in Section 11.1(a).

 

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“Purchase Option” has the meaning given that term in Section 22.1.

 

“Purchase Option Closing” has the meaning given that term in Section 22.2(b).

 

“Purchase Option Exercise Notice” has the meaning given that term in Section 22.1.

 

“Rail Facilities” has the meaning given that term in Section 3.5.

 

“Release” means any spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting, discharging, injecting, dumping or disposing of Hazardous Substances into the environment, including the abandonment or discarding of barrels, containers, and other closed receptacles containing any Hazardous Substance or pollutant or contaminant.

 

“Relocate” means to move or otherwise change or alter the location of any Utility Facilities, other Continuous Assets or Access Area, including changing the height at or above grade or depth below grade of any such Utility Facilities or other Continuous Assets.

 

“Relocated Facility” has the meaning given that term in Section 3.18(b).

 

“Rent” has the meaning given that term in Section 5.1.

 

“Remedial Action” means any action to investigate, evaluate, assess, including without limitation, conducting a risk assessment of, test, monitor, remove, respond to, treat, abate, remedy, correct, clean-up or otherwise remediate, the Release or presence of any Hazardous Substance, including the imposition of engineering or institutional controls, any closure activities, post-closure or monitoring and any operation and maintenance relating to any such remedial activities or Environmental Condition.

 

“Remove” means to remove all or any portion of any Utility Facilities or any other personal property or improvements to real property owned by a party and located within the other party’s property as directed and approved by the Plant Owner (or, in the case of Section 14.1, the Mill Owner) in a safe and secure, workmanlike manner so that such removal will proceed diligently and continuously, without material interruption of or interference with the operations of the Plant Owner, all to the reasonable satisfaction of the Plant Owner (or, in the case of Section 14.1, the Mill Owner) and subject to all applicable Laws.

 

“Responsible Party” has the meaning given that term in Section 11.5.

 

“Restore” means to return real property and all improvements located thereon substantially to the state and condition of such real property and improvements as of the Effective Date.

 

“Sawdust Area Expansion Effective Date ” has the meaning given that term in Section 21.2(a).

“Sawdust Area Expansion Exercise Notice” has the meaning given that term in Section 21.1.

“Sawdust Area Expansion Option” has the meaning given that term in Section 21.1.

 

“Sawdust Area Expansion Property” has the meaning given that term in Section 21.1.

 

“Separation Agreement” means the Separation and Distribution Agreement to be entered into after the Effective Date by and between WestRock Company and Ingevity Corporation.

 

“Services Agreement” means the Covington Plant Services Agreement between the Mill Owner and Ingevity of even date herewith, as the same may be amended from time to time.

 

“Storm Drainage Facilities” has the meaning given that term in Section 3.7(a).

 

“Taxes” has the meaning given that term in Section 7.2.

 

“Temporary Construction Activities” has the meaning given that term in Section 3.15(b).

 

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“Temporary Construction Right” has the meaning given that term in Section 3.15(b).

 

“Term” has the meaning given that term in Section 4.1.

 

“Termination Date” means the date on which this Lease terminates as provided in Section 4.1.

 

“Third Party Claim” has the meaning given that term in Section 11.4(c)

 

“Truck Shop Property” means the building used by the Mill Owner as a truck repair shop as of the Effective Date (sometimes referred to as the Auto Garage), which is more particularly described on Exhibit A-1A.

“Truck Shop Expansion Effective Date” has the meaning given that term in Section 21.5

“Truck Shop Expansion Exercise Notice” has the meaning given that term in Section 21.4

“Truck Shop Expansion Option” has the meaning given that term in Section 21.4

“Truck Shop Report” means the confidential WestRock, Covington, VA Auto Garage FEP3 Report dated September 25, 2015 prepared by Jacobs Engineering, Greenville, South Carolina.

 

“Utility Facilities” means any pipeline, utility line, electrical line, cable, sanitary or storm sewer, sump, pipe, conduit, duct or other line or wire that transmits or transports any Utility Product, together with: (i) all mechanical and other equipment that treats, stores, converts, adapts, pumps or vents any Utility Product and all utility poles, pipe racks, fittings, furnishings and other incidental property (whether deemed to be real property or personal property) which comprise an integral part thereof and are designed and used in connection with the transmission or transportation of such Utility Product, and (ii) any equipment or other item referred to herein as a Utility Facility or as Utility Facilities.

 

“Utility Product” means any gas, liquid, chemical, compound, current or impulse (whether electrical or otherwise) or other substance that it supplied or transmitted through any Utility Facilities.

 

“Vehicle” has the meaning given that term in Section 11.2(ii).

 

“Wastewater Utility Facilities” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.8(a).

 

Article 2

 

THE LEASE

 

Section 2.1            Leased Premises . The Mill Owner hereby leases the Carbon Plant Real Property to Ingevity and grants to Ingevity the Ingevity Easement Rights (the Carbon Plant Real Property and the Ingevity Easement Rights hereinafter collectively are referred to as the “Leased Premises” ).

 

Section 2.2            Carbon Plant and Mill Owner Retained Assets Excluded . The Leased Premises do not include the Carbon Plant located on the Carbon Plant Real Property, which is owned by Ingevity. The Leased Premises also do not include: (i) the Mill Owner Retained Assets, which are located on the Carbon Plant Real Property but are owned and used exclusively by the Mill Owner, (ii) the Co-Located Continuous Assets owned by the Mill Owner and located on the Carbon Plant Real Property, or (iii) the Mill Owner Natural Gas Utility Facilities. The Carbon Plant and any other improvements now or hereafter located on the Carbon Plant Real Property (other than the Mill Owner Retained Assets and the Co-Located Continuous Assets owned by the Mill Owner and located on the Carbon Plant Real Property) are and shall remain the property of Ingevity, subject to the provisions of Article 14. Ingevity shall have the absolute and unrestricted right to remove all or any portion or portions of the Carbon Plant and any such other improvements (other than the Mill Owner Retained Assets, the Co-Located Continuous Assets owned by the Mill Owner and located on the Carbon Plant Real Property and the Mill Owner Natural Gas Utility Facilities located on the Carbon Plant Real Property) at any time during the Term; provided, however, that if Ingevity so removes any portion of the Carbon Plant prior to the end of the Term, Ingevity shall, to the extent required by Law or the Mill Owner, comply with the requirements of Section 14.1 with respect to the portion of the Carbon Plant Real Property on which such removed portion or portions of the Carbon Plant were located as if such portion of the Carbon Plant Real Property were then being surrendered to the Mill Owner pursuant to Section 14.1.

 

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Section 2.3            Permitted Encumbrances . The Leased Premises are leased to Ingevity by the Mill Owner subject to the following (collectively, the “Permitted Encumbrances” ): (a) the Mill Owner Easement Rights, which are retained by the Mill Owner, (b) all legal highways, (c) all easements, covenants, instruments, agreements and restrictions of record on the Effective Date (other than liens securing indebtedness of the Mill Owner, judgment liens against the Mill Owner and mechanics liens created as a result of the activities of the Mill Owner for which Ingevity and its Affiliates are not responsible pursuant to the Separation Agreement), (d) all Taxes not yet due and payable, (e) any state of facts that would be disclosed by a current survey or physical inspection of the Carbon Plant and the Leased Premises, (f) all Laws with respect to the use, occupancy, subdivision or improvement of the Leased Premises, and (g) the lien of any Fee Mortgage subject to the provisions of Section 16.2.

 

Section 2.4            Condition of the Leased Premises . Ingevity is leasing the Leased Premises from the Mill Owner in their present condition, “AS IS,” on the Effective Date. Ingevity acknowledges that it has previously possessed the Leased Premises and is familiar with the Leased Premises and inspected the Leased Premises prior to taking possession under this Lease. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Lease or the Services Agreement, the Mill Owner shall have no obligation to construct or install any improvements on the Leased Premises or to renovate, recondition, alter or improve the Leased Premises in any manner in connection with this Lease, and Ingevity hereby accepts the Leased Premises “as-is” on the Effective Date. There are and shall be no implied warranties of merchantability, habitability, fitness for a particular purpose or of any other kind arising out of this Lease, and there are no warranties (express or implied) given by the Mill Owner concerning the Leased Premises.

 

Article 3

 

EASEMENT RIGHTS

 

Section 3.1            Easement Rights Generally . During the Term, Ingevity shall have the Ingevity Easement Rights and the Mill Owner shall have the Mill Owner Easement Rights, in each case as described in this Article 3 and subject to the limitations and restrictions set forth in this Lease.

 

Section 3.2            Ingevity Access Rights . The Ingevity Easement Rights include a non-exclusive right of Access over the Mill Real Property, but only to the extent necessary, and only over such portions of the Mill Real Property as are reasonably necessary, to provide Access: (a) to the Carbon Plant, (b) to permit Ingevity to provide services, perform duties, obligations and responsibilities, and exercise rights under this Lease and the Services Agreement, including, without limitation, to inspect, Maintain, use and operate those Co-Located Continuous Assets for which Ingevity has rights or responsibilities under this Lease or under the Services Agreement and the Ingevity Natural Gas Utility Facilities, and (c) to inspect, Maintain, use and operate the Carbon Plant on the Carbon Plant Real Property and otherwise to conduct Ingevity’s Business on the Carbon Plant Real Property. The rights of Access described in this Section 3.2 shall be for the benefit of Ingevity and its Personnel. The rights of Access described in this Section 3.2 that relate solely to rights, duties, obligations or responsibilities of Ingevity under the Services Agreement shall terminate on such date as Ingevity no longer has the related rights, duties, obligations or responsibilities under the Services Agreement. The locations of the Ingevity Access Rights as of the Effective Date are set forth on Exhibit A-3 .

 

Section 3.3            Mill Owner Access Rights . The Mill Owner Easement Rights shall include a non-exclusive right of Access over the Carbon Plant Real Property, but only to the extent necessary, and only over such portions of the Carbon Plant Real Property as are reasonably necessary, to provide Access: (a) to permit the Mill Owner to provide services, perform duties, obligations and responsibilities, and exercise rights under this Lease and the Services Agreement, including, without limitation, to Maintain, use and operate the Mill Owner Retained Assets, the Mill Owner Natural Gas Utility Facilities and the

 

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Co-Located Continuous Assets and for which the Mill Owner has rights or responsibilities under this Lease or under the Services Agreement, (b) to inspect, Maintain, use and operate the Mill on the Mill Real Property and otherwise to conduct the Mill Owner's Business on the Mill Real Property, and (c) to place temporary cranes for performing maintenance and construction work on structures located on the Mill Real Property at the locations indicated on Exhibit F . The rights of Access described in this Section 3.3 shall be for the benefit of the Mill Owner and its Personnel. The rights of Access described in this Section 3.3 that relate solely to rights, duties, obligations or responsibilities of the Mill Owner under the Services Agreement shall terminate on such date as the Mill Owner no longer has the related rights, duties, obligations or responsibilities under the Services Agreement. The locations of the Mill Owner Access Rights as of the Effective Date are set forth on Exhibit A-2 .

 

Section 3.4            Parking Rights . Subject to Section 3.21, the Ingevity Easement Rights shall include a non-exclusive right to use the parking areas on the Mill Real Property adjacent to the Carbon Plant Real Property for purposes of parking cars, trucks and other vehicles by Ingevity and its Personnel in connection with the conduct of Ingevity’s Business. Subject to Section 3.21, the Mill Owner Easement Rights shall include a non-exclusive right to use the parking areas on the Carbon Plant Real Property for purposes of parking cars, trucks and other vehicles by the Mill Owner and its Personnel in connection with the conduct of the Mill Owner’s Business.

 

Section 3.5            Rail Facilities . The Carbon Plant is served by existing rail facilities located on the Mill Real Property as identified on Exhibit B (such existing rail facilities as shown on Exhibit B (including, without limitation, the railcar repair and cleaning track) and any additional or replacement rail facilities in the future located on the Mill Real Property are referred to collectively as the “Rail Facilities” ). The Ingevity Easement Rights shall include a non-exclusive right to use the Rail Facilities in connection with Ingevity’s Business for the purposes of switching, railcar storage, repair and cleaning and providing railcar deliveries and shipments to and from the Carbon Plant consistent with the day-to-day manner in which the Rail Facilities in existence as of the Effective Date were being used prior to the Effective Date.

 

Section 3.6            Continuous Assets and Party Wall . (a) Exhibit C sets forth the ownership of the Continuous Assets (including the Mill Owner Retained Assets) as of the Effective Date and, as described on Exhibit C , each party may own all or a portion of the Continuous Assets physically located on real property owned (or, in the case of the Carbon Plant Real Property, leased) by the other party (the “Co-located Continuous Assets” ).

 

(b)          The Ingevity Easement Rights shall include the non-exclusive right: (i) for the Co-located Continuous Assets owned by Ingevity to remain on the Mill Owner Real Property at their current location or at such other location as the parties may agree, for use by Ingevity, (ii) to inspect the Co-located Continuous Assets owned by Ingevity and located on the Mill Owner Real Property, and (iii) to Maintain the Co-located Continuous Assets owned by Ingevity and located on the Mill Owner Real Property, except to the extent otherwise provided in the Services Agreement or in any subsequent written agreement between the Mill Owner and Ingevity.

 

(c)          The Mill Owner Easement Rights shall include the non-exclusive right: (i) for the Mill Owner Retained Assets and the Co-located Continuous Assets owned by the Mill Owner to remain on the Carbon Plant Real Property at their current location or at such other location as the parties may agree, for use by the Mill Owner, (ii) to inspect the Mill Owner Retained Assets and the Co-located Continuous Assets owned by the Mill Owner and located on the Carbon Plant Real Property, and (iii) to Maintain the Mill Owner Retained Assets and the Co-located Continuous Assets owned by the Mill Owner and located on the Carbon Plant Real Property.

 

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(d)          In the event either Ingevity or the Mill Owner fails to Maintain Co-located Continuous Assets located on the other party’s property, the other party on whose property such Co-located Continuous Assets are located shall have the right to inspect, Maintain, use and operate such Co-located Continuous Assets.

 

(e)          The Mill Owner and Ingevity each owns separately so much of the Party Wall as stands upon the Plant Owner’s property, subject to the provisions of this Lease. The Mill Owner Easement Rights and the Ingevity Easement Rights each shall include the right to use so much of the Party Wall as is owned by the other party for any purpose not inconsistent with the joint use of the Party Wall and the other provisions of this Lease and, subject to the provisions of the Services Agreement, the right to inspect and Maintain the portion of the Party Wall on the property of the other party. In the event of any damage to or destruction of the Party Wall, the expense of any repair, reconstruction or restoration shall be borne equally by the Mill Owner and Ingevity; however, this sharing shall not be construed to release either party from any liability for damages to or destruction of the Party Wall caused by that party’s negligence or willful misconduct, and any such damages or destruction so caused shall be the responsibility of the party at fault. Neither party shall, without the consent of the other party (which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld), make or cause to be made any openings in the Party Wall, decrease or increase the thickness of the Party Wall or add to or extend the Party Wall.

 

Section 3.7            Storm Drainage . (a) Certain storm water Utility Facilities are located on the Mill Real Property and the Carbon Plant Real Property as described on Exhibit C ( “Storm Drainage Facilities” ) and are used in transporting storm water through such property to the Mill’s wastewater treatment plant. The parties’ respective ownership of the Storm Drainage Facilities is described on Exhibit C .

 

(b)          The Mill Owner Easement Rights and the Ingevity Easement Rights each shall include a non-exclusive right to utilize the Storm Drainage Facilities that are located on the other party’s property for the sole purpose of transporting normal discharge storm water only (not sanitary or process water) through the other party’s property to the Mill’s wastewater treatment plant or to other Storm Drainage Facilities that lead to the Mill’s wastewater treatment plant in a manner reasonably consistent with the use of the Storm Drainage Facilities as of the Effective Date.

 

Section 3.8            Wastewater Lines . (a) Certain wastewater Utility Facilities are located on the Mill Real Property described on Exhibit C and are used in providing wastewater services to the Mill and the Carbon Plant (such facilities are collectively referred to as the “Wastewater Utility Facilities” ) and certain wastewater Utility Facilities are located on the Carbon Plant Real Property as described on Exhibit C and are used by the Mill to transport its wastewater to the wastewater treatment plant. The parties’ respective ownership of the Wastewater Utility Facilities described on Exhibit C .

 

(b)          The Mill Owner Easement Rights and the Ingevity Easement Rights each shall include a non-exclusive right to utilize the Wastewater Utility Facilities located on the other party’s property for the sole purpose of transporting wastewater through the other party’s property to the Mill’s wastewater treatment plant or to other Wastewater Utility Facilities that lead to the wastewater treatment plant in a manner reasonably consistent with the use of the Wastewater Utility Facilities as of the Effective Date.

 

Section 3.9            Potable Water . (a) Certain potable water Utility Facilities are located on the Mill Real Property described on Exhibit C and are used in supplying potable water from the local water utility to the Carbon Plant, and certain potable water Utility Facilities are located on the Carbon Plant Real Property described on Exhibit C and are used in supplying potable water from the local water utility to the Mill (such Utility Facilities are collectively referred to as the “Potable Water Utility Facilities” ). The parties’ respective ownership of the Potable Water Utility Facilities described on Exhibit C .

 

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(b)          The Mill Owner Easement Rights and the Ingevity Easement Rights each shall include a non-exclusive right to utilize the Potable Water Utility Facilities located on the other party’s property for the sole purpose of transporting potable water from the local water utility through the other party’s property to the Easement Right Holder’s property.

 

Section 3.10          Natural Gas Utility Facilities . (a) Certain natural gas Utility Facilities are located on the Mill Real Property and the Carbon Plant Real Property as shown on Exhibit D and are used in supplying natural gas to the Mill and the Carbon Plant. A portion of those natural gas Utility Facilities, as indicated on Exhibit D , serve both the Mill and the Carbon Plant and are owned by the Mill Owner (the “Mill Owner Natural Gas Utility Facilities” ). The remainder of the natural gas Utility Facilities shown on Exhibit D are owned by Ingevity but are located on the Mill Owner’s Property (the “Ingevity Natural Gas Utility Facilities” ).

 

(b)          As of the Effective Date, the Mill Owner is providing natural gas service to Ingevity under the Services Agreement pursuant to a temporary exemption from regulation as a public utility granted by the Virginia regulatory authority to allow Ingevity to have constructed, at Ingevity’s expense, a 46,000 dth/day capacity direct pipeline connecting the Carbon Plant to the pipeline of the local natural gas utility. The new direct Ingevity pipeline will begin at the local natural gas utility’s gas distribution pipeline at the Mill’s metering station (where the local natural gas utility will install, at Ingevity’s expense, a separate meter for the new pipeline) and will follow the route of the Mill’s high pressure natural gas pipeline from the metering station to the intra-plant pipe bridge over the Jackson River near the Carbon Plant and will then follow the Mill low pressure line from the pipe bridge to the point at which the gas pipeline serving only the Carbon Plant splits off of the Mill low pressure line (upon completion of the new Ingevity gas pipeline, the current pipeline serving only the Carbon Plant will be disconnected from the Mill Owner's low pressure pipeline and will be connected to the new Ingevity pipeline. The portion of the new direct gas pipeline on the Mill Real Property shall be constructed in accordance with Section 3.12 and, upon completion, shall be included in the Ingevity Natural Gas Utility Facilities for purposes of this Lease.

 

(c)          The Ingevity Easement Rights shall include: (i) a non-exclusive right for the Ingevity Natural Gas Utility Facilities to remain on the Mill Real Property at their current location or at such other location as the parties may agree, and (ii) subject to clause (ii) of the following sentence, an exclusive right to use the Ingevity Natural Gas Utility Facilities to transport natural gas purchased by Ingevity to the Carbon Plant. The Mill Owner Easement Rights shall include: (i) a non-exclusive right for the Mill Owner Natural Gas Utility Facilities to remain on the Carbon Plant Real Property at their current location or at such other location as the parties may agree, and (ii) the right to use the Ingevity Natural Gas Utility Facilities to transport natural gas to the Carbon Plant during any period in which the Mill Owner is providing natural gas service to Ingevity under the Services Agreement.

 

Section 3.11          Unknown Other Assets . In the event that, after the Effective Date, the parties determine that there are other Continuous Assets or other non-Continuous Assets serving one of the parties that are completely or partially located on the other party’s property that are not covered by any of Sections 3.4 through 3.10, the parties shall reasonably negotiate to amend this Lease to accommodate, in a manner reasonably consistent with the provisions set forth in Sections 3.1 through 3.10: (i) the ownership of such other Continuous Assets or non-Continuous Assets, (ii) the continued location of such other Continuous Assets or non-Continuous Assets on the other party’s property, and (iii) the right and obligation to Access, inspect, Maintain, use and operate such other Continuous Assets or non-Continuous Assets.

 

Section 3.12          Future Utility Facilities . In the event that Ingevity desires to install electrical distribution Utility Facilities or natural gas Utility Facilities directly connecting the Utility Facilities on

 

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the Carbon Plant Real Property with Utility Facilities owned by the local public utility or utilities serving the area, then the Ingevity Easement Rights shall include the right to locate such Utility Facilities over, under and through the Mill Real Property, at a location or loctions reasonably acceptable to Ingevity and the Mill Owner, and to inspect, Maintain, use and operate such Utility Facilities to serve the Carbon Plant. The Mill Owner shall have the right to review and approve the plans and specifications for the location of such Utility Facilities on the Mill Real Property, which location shall minimize, to the extent reasonably possible, the disruption to the Mill Owner’s Business and facilities and which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or unduly delayed. All construction of such Utility Facilities on the Mill Real Property may occur only at the locations so approved by the Mill Owner and shall be in compliance with all applicable Laws and the Construction Standards.

 

Section 3.13          No Rights to Obstruct; Use of Property Subject to Easement Rights . (a) Neither Plant Owner shall obstruct, or permit the obstruction of, the reasonable exercise on the Plant Owner’s property of Access Rights or other Easement Rights by the Easement Right Holder, including by permitting the storage of property of any kind or the parking of any vehicles (except to the extent of a shared parking lot), or the blockage of any Rail Facilities; provided, however, that implementation of the Plant Owner’s Rules and Regulations, with reasonable notice to the Easement Right Holder, shall not constitute obstruction of the exercise of Access Rights or other Easement Rights.

 

(b)          In the exercise of an Easement Right, an Easement Right Holder shall not unreasonably impair the right of the Plant Owner to use its property in any manner that does not materially impair the exercise by the Easement Right Holder of its Easement Rights. The Easement Rights granted under this Lease shall not restrict the Plant Owner from using the areas above, below or adjacent to the area covered by the other party’s Easement Rights, provided that the Plant Owner’s use of such area shall not unreasonably interfere with the beneficial use and enjoyment of the Easement Rights by the Easement Right Holder.

 

Section 3.14          Compliance . In the exercise of Easement Rights granted in, and in the performance of the obligations imposed by, this Lease, an Easement Right Holder shall: (a) comply with all applicable Laws; (b) comply with the Plant Owner’s Rules and Regulations; (c) comply with all applicable reasonable requirements of all insurance carriers having insurance then in effect as to which Plant Owner is a named insured and of which the Easement Right Holder has reasonable prior written notice; (d) not materially interrupt or interfere with the operations of the Plant Owner within the Plant Owner’s Property; and (e) use all Utility Facilities and Access Areas in a safe and prudent manner consistent with the purposes and capacities for which they were designed and standard industry practices.

 

Section 3.15          Exercise of Maintenance Obligations and Rights . (a) Whenever either the Mill Owner or Ingevity has, pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Lease, the Services Agreement or any other written agreement between them, any right or obligation to Maintain any asset, such party shall: (i) maintain and preserve such asset in good and safe operating condition and repair and in accordance with applicable Laws, (ii) complete any Maintenance as expeditiously as is reasonably feasible so as to minimize interference with the business operations of the other party, and (iii) otherwise use commercially reasonable efforts not to materially interfere with or interrupt the operations of the other party. All such Maintenance shall be completed in a good and workmanlike manner and any damages caused to the other party’s property by such Maintenance shall be restored at the sole cost and expense of the party obligated to perform such Maintenance. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing: (i) the Mill Owner and its Personnel shall have the right, at all reasonable times after prior reasonable notice to Ingevity (and at any time whatsoever in the event of any Emergency), to inspect the Utility Facilities located within the Carbon Plant Real Property that are used in connection with the supply of any Utility Product to the Mill or the provision of any service by the Mill Owner to Ingevity under the Services Agreement for any purpose whatsoever reasonably relating to the safety, protection and preservation of

 

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such Utility Facilities or the Mill or relating to the exercise of the Mill Owner’s rights or the performance of the Mill Owner’s obligations pursuant to the Services Agreement or this Lease; and (ii) Ingevity and its Personnel shall have the right, at all reasonable times after prior reasonable notice to the Mill Owner (and at any time whatsoever in the event of any Emergency), to inspect the Utility Facilities located within the Mill Real Property that are used in connection with the supply of any Utility Product to the Carbon Plant for any purpose whatsoever relating to the safety, protection and preservation of such Utility Facilities or the Carbon Plant or relating to the exercise of Ingevity’s rights or the performance of Ingevity’s obligations pursuant to the Services Agreement or this Lease. Notwithstanding the foregoing, each party shall have the right to: (A) reasonably limit the other party’s right to Access and inspect any areas that such party reasonably determines are confidential or secure areas, and (B) have representatives present during any inspection by the other party. Ingevity shall deliver to the Mill Owner prompt written notice of any repairs to any Utility Facilities located on the Carbon Plant Real Property required to be made by the Mill Owner under the Services Agreement, this Lease or any other written agreement between them and any repairs required to be made by Ingevity that are reasonably expected to affect the supply of Utilities to the Mill, upon Ingevity’s obtaining knowledge thereof. The Mill Owner shall deliver to Ingevity prompt written notice of any repairs to any Utility Facilities located on the Mill Real Property required to be made by Ingevity under the Services Agreement, this Lease or any other written agreement between them, and any repairs required to be made by the Mill Owner that are reasonably expected to affect the supply of Utilities to the Carbon Plant, upon the Mill Owner’s obtaining knowledge thereof.

 

(b)          Each party shall have a temporary and non-exclusive construction right (the “Temporary Construction Right” ) across, over, on, under and through those portions of the Carbon Plant Real Property (in the case of the Mill Owner) or the Mill Real Property (in the case of Ingevity) as may be reasonably necessary in connection with the design, location, construction, installation, repair, maintenance, replacement and restoration of any component or element of any Utility Facilities located on the other party’s property, or in connection with any Maintenance on such property or on any equipment located on such property as deemed reasonably necessary or desirable by such party, including the Maintenance of buildings or other improvements along the boundary lines of the parties’ properties, and including the temporary placement, storage and depositing of soil, construction materials, vehicles and equipment associated therewith (the “Temporary Construction Activities” ); provided, that a party conducting Temporary Construction Activities shall provide reasonable advance written notice to the other party and shall not unreasonably interfere with the business operations of the other party. Each party shall reasonably cooperate with the other party to determine a mutually agreeable location for such Temporary Construction Activities to the extent such activities take place on such other party’s property. Any construction completed under this Lease shall be completed with diligence and in accordance with applicable Laws and the Construction Standards.

 

Section 3.16          Mechanics’ Liens . An Easement Right Holder shall not permit any mechanics’ liens or similar liens to exist upon the other party’s property (including any Utility Facilities located on the other party’s property) by reason of any act or omission of the Easement Right Holder or its Personnel. If any such lien resulting from any act or omission of the Easement Holder or its Personnel shall at any time exist upon the other party’s property, the Easement Right Holder shall indemnify, defend and save the Plant Owner and the Plant Owner’s property harmless from and against such lien and all suits or judgments arising therefrom. The Easement Right Holder shall cause any such lien resulting from any act or omission of the Easement Holder or its Personnel that at any time exists upon the other party’s property to be removed of record by payment, bonding, discharge or otherwise as permitted by law within 30 days after notice by the Plant Owner to the Easement Right Holder of the existence of such lien of record.

 

Section 3.17          Right to Cure Defaults Under Article 3 . If either party has materially breached any of its obligations under this Lease and has failed to fully cure such breach after written notice of such

 

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breach, the non-breaching party, in addition to the remedies set forth in Section 4.2, shall have the right, but not the obligation, exercisable upon 14 days’ prior written notice (except in the event of an Emergency, or where such breach is likely to imminently and adversely affect the business operations of the non-defaulting party, in either which case such notice shall be given as soon as reasonably possible) to the defaulting party, to cure such breach and all recurrent and related breaches without waiving or releasing the defaulting party from any liability under this Lease for such breaches. The non-breaching party shall have a temporary and non-exclusive right across, over, on, under and through those portions of the breaching party’s property, but only to the extent, reasonably necessary to cure the breach, which right shall remain in effect only for such time as is necessary to cure such breach. All sums paid, advanced or expended pursuant to this Section 3.17 and all costs and expenses incurred by the non-breaching party in connection therewith (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) shall be repaid by the breaching party, on demand. The breaching party shall have the right to have a representative present while the non-breaching party conducts any work on the breaching party’s property to cure any breach pursuant to this Section 3.17; provided, that the breaching party shall not interfere with the efforts of the non-breaching party to cure such breach.

 

Section 3.18          Limitations Upon Easement Rights; Reservations by the Plant Owner (including Relocations) . Notwithstanding any Easement Rights created under this Lease, each party shall retain all rights to use its property, subject to the other terms and conditions of this Lease. Each Easement Right granted in this Article 3 is granted solely for the purposes expressly stated in this Article 3 and for no other purpose whatsoever, and each party hereby reserves to itself, and its successors-in-interest in and to its property, the right to use its property for any and all purposes whatsoever not inconsistent with such Easement Right and its interest in its property. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each party, with respect to the property owned or leased by it, reserves to itself and its successors-in-interest in and to its property the following rights and privileges:

 

(a)          the right to construct, reconstruct, install, use, operate, maintain, replace, remove and relocate personal property or improvements to real property within property, whether above, at or below grade (subject to Section 3.18(b)) with respect to any Utility Facilities or Access Areas on its property as to which the other party has an Easement Right pursuant to this Article 3;

 

(b)          with respect to those portions of any Utility Facilities or Access Area as to which the other party is granted any Easement Right pursuant to this Article 3, the right, at such other party’s sole expense, to require the Easement Right Holder to Relocate the same, or any portion thereof (whether before, during or after such Utility Facility or Access Area is Relocated, a “Relocated Facility” ); provided, however, that:

 

(i)          the Plant Owner shall provide the Easement Right Holder at least 60 days’ prior written notice of the requirement to Relocate and shall afford to the Easement Right Holder a reasonable time period thereafter to effect such relocation;

 

(ii)         such relocation shall be without any material interference or interruption of the Easement Right Holder’s rights to use such Relocated Facility or any increase in the Easement Right Holder’s cost of, or the operation, Maintenance or use and enjoyment of such Relocated Facility;

 

(iii)        the Plant Owner shall reimburse the Easement Right Holder for all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by the Easement Right Holder in connection with such relocation;

 

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(iv)        whenever a Relocated Facility has been Relocated: (A) the Easement Right Holder shall have the same Easement Rights, subject to the same terms and conditions, under this Article 3 in that portion of the other party’s property within which the Relocated Facility is so Relocated as was granted in this Article 3 to the Easement Right Holder with respect to such Relocated Facility before such Relocated Facility was so Relocated; and (B) the Easement Rights with respect to such Relocated Facility prior to being relocated that were granted to the Easement Right Holder in this Article 3;

 

(v)         the Relocated Facility, after the Relocated Facility has been so Relocated, shall be in a condition approximately equal in quality to that before such relocation and shall be of such a nature, status, condition, capacity, level of service volume, output or composition as to provide substantially equivalent benefits to the Easement Right Holder as such Relocated Facility provided to the Easement Right Holder before such Relocated Facility was relocated;

 

(vi)        the Relocated Facility shall be Relocated in strict compliance with all applicable Laws; and

 

(vii)       after such Relocated Facility has been so Relocated, the Plant Owner and the Easement Right Holder shall enter into a written supplemental agreement in recordable form that identifies the location of such Relocated Facility within the Plant Owner’s property as so Relocated and confirms the respective rights and easements which have been terminated and created pursuant to this Section 3.18(b).

 

Section 3.19          Termination of Easement Rights . Any particular Easement Right (or portion thereof) shall terminate when such Easement Right has been Abandoned, and thereupon the Easement Right Holder shall no longer have the Easement Right (or portion thereof) that has been Abandoned. Effective upon such Abandonment and termination, title to any Utility Facilities associated with such Abandoned Easement Right shall revert to and/or automatically be conveyed to the Plant Owner of the property subject to such Abandoned Easement Right, and the Easement Right Holder shall have no further liability with respect to such Utility Facilities; provided, however, that the the Easement Right Holder shall, at the Easement Right Holder’s sole expense, promptly Cap-Off such Utility Facilities (or such portion or portions thereof) or shall, if requested by the Plant Owner of the property subject to such Abandoned Easement Right, Remove such Utility Facilities and Restore the property affected thereby. Each party shall, at the request of the other party, execute a recordable instrument evidencing such transfer of title to any such Abandoned Utility Facilities.

 

Section 3.20          Article 3 Remedies . In the event of the failure or refusal of a party to perform its obligations or covenants under this Article 3, each of such party’s lenders shall have the right (to the extent provided in an agreement between such party and such lender), but shall not be obligated, to perform such covenants or obligations, and performance by such lenders shall be deemed to be performance by such party.

 

Section 3.21          Actions in Connection with a Work Stoppages . Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Article 3, in the event either the Mill Owner or Ingevity reasonably determines that a risk of a strike or work stoppage affecting either the Mill or the Carbon Plant, or both, exists, it shall notify the other party in writing of such risk, and both parties shall use reasonable efforts so that, commencing as soon thereafter as is reasonably practical (and, in any event, within ten days thereafter) and through the duration of such strike or work stoppage: (i) Ingevity shall not permit its Personnel to use parking lots located on the Mill Real Property and the Mill Owner shall not allow its Personnel to use parking lots located on the Carbon Plant Real Property, (ii) the Mill Owner and Ingevity each shall cause

 

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its respective Personnel to use the Access route designated for that party’s use on Exhibit G and shall not permit its Personnel to use the Access route designated for the use of the other party on Exhibit G , and (iii) the Mill Owner shall open a separate gate where indicated on Exhibit G to allow Ingevity’s Personnel to Access the portion of the Carbon Plant located inside of the Mill’s security fence.

 

Article 4

 

TERM; HOLDING OVER

 

Section 4.1            Term . The term of this Lease (the “Term” ) shall commence on the Effective Date and, unless earlier terminated pursuant to Section 4.2, shall continue until the 50th anniversary of the Effective Date.

 

Section 4.2            Termination . (a) This Lease may be terminated prior to the end of the Term in the following manner:

 

(i)          at any time by the mutual written agreement of the parties;

 

(ii)         as provided in Article 22, upon exercise of the Purchase Option by Ingevity;

 

(iii)        as provided in Section 12.1 or Section 12.2;

 

(iv)        upon at least six months prior written notice of termination, given at the election of Ingevity at any time following termination of the Services Agreement for any reason;

 

(v)         upon at least six months prior written notice of termination, given by Ingevity effective on or after the date of the Permanent Closure of the Carbon Plant;

 

(vi)        upon at least six months prior written notice of termination, given by the Mill Owner effective on or after the date of the Permanent Closure of the Carbon Plant (provided that such termination shall not become effective prior to the date the Carbon Plant is closed);

 

(vii)       by either party giving written notice to the other following a material breach by the other party (other than a breach by Ingevity of an obligation to pay any money obligation under this Lease) of any of its obligations under this Lease, if the other party has failed to fully cure such breach within 60 days after written notice of such breach; provided, however, that if there is a bona fide dispute between the parties as to whether a material breach has occurred, termination of this Lease shall not occur until the date on which it is determined, through the Escalation Process or otherwise, that a material breach has occurred and, if the breach is capable of being cured, an additional period of 60 days has passed following such determination during which the breach has not been cured;

 

(viii)      by the Mill Owner giving written notice to Ingevity, if Ingevity fails to pay any amount due under this Lease (including, without limitation, Taxes payable by Ingevity pursuant to Article 7) when due and such failure is not cured within 30 days following receipt of written notice from the Mill Owner; provided that if there is a bona fide dispute between the parties as to whether a payment was due, Ingevity shall not be deemed to have failed to make such payment until it is determined, through the Escalation Process or otherwise, that the payment is due and owing and an additional 30 days have passed following such determination.

 

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(ix)         by the Mill Owner giving written notice to Ingevity, if Ingevity defaults in the performance of a material obligation under the Services Agreement and such default continues beyond any cure period provided in the Services Agreement and is not waived by the Mill Owner, thereby giving the Mill Owner the right to terminate the Services Agreement; or

 

(x)          by Ingevity giving written notice to the Mill Owner, if the Mill Owner defaults in the performance of a material obligation under the Services Agreement and such default continues beyond any cure period provided in the Services Agreement and is not waived by Ingevity, thereby giving Ingevity the right to terminate the Services Agreement.

 

(b)          If the Mill Owner gives Ingevity written notice of termination of this Lease pursuant to any subparagraph of Section 4.2(a), Ingevity shall have the right to exercise the Purchase Option pursuant to Article 22 within 30 days after Ingevity receives such notice of termination, notwithstanding the termination of this Lease, so long as Ingevity cures, in all material respects, at or prior to the Purchase Option Closing, any material breaches by Ingevity of this Lease. Upon termination of this Lease for any reason, the other rights and obligations of the parties under this Lease (other than the rights and obligations of the parties under Articles 11, 14, 20, 22 and 23 and the right of the Mill Owner to receive payment for all amounts due under this Lease for periods prior to such termination) thereupon also shall terminate.

 

Section 4.3            Payment of Fair Market Value . (a) If the Mill Owner terminates this Lease pursuant to Section 4.2(a)(vi), Section 4.2(a)(vii), Section 4.2(a)(viii) or Section 4.2(a)(ix) and Ingevity does not thereafter exercise any right it may have to purchase the Leased Premises pursuant to the Purchase Option, the Mill Owner shall pay to Ingevity, within 30 days after final determination of the Fair Market Value of the Leased Premises pursuant to Section 4.3(b), an amount equal to the Fair Market Value of the Leased Premises as of the Termination Date, less all amounts due from Ingevity to the Mill Owner under this Lease with respect to periods prior to the Termination Date (including, without limitation, the amount of any unpaid claims by the Mill Owner against Ingevity for indemnification under the provisions of this Lease or the Services Agreement).

 

(b)          The Fair Market Value of the Leased Premises as of the Termination Date shall be determined by mutual agreement of the Mill Owner and Ingevity or, if the Mill Owner and Ingevity are unable to agree on the Fair Market Value of the Leased Premises within 60 days after the Termination Date, the Appraised Value of the Leased Premises as of the Termination Date shall be determined by appraisers selected as follows: Within 15 days after such 60 day period expires, the Mill Owner and Ingevity each shall appoint an appraiser and the Fair Market Value of the Leased Premises shall be determined by the two appraisers so appointed. If the higher of the two appraisals is no more than 10% greater than the lower appraisal, the Fair Market Value of the Leased Premises shall be the average of the two appraisals. If the higher appraisal is more than 10% greater than the lower appraisal, the two appraisers shall select a third appraiser from a list of appraisers approved by both parties (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld). The third appraiser shall then determine the Fair Market Value of the Leased Premises as of the Termination Date. All appraisal costs and expenses shall be shared by the parties equally. All appraisers shall be qualified appraisers of industrial properties in the Virginia region The appraisers shall give prompt written notice of the determination of the Fair Market Value of the Leased Premises pursuant to this Section 4.3(b). The determination of the Fair Market Value of the Leased Premises pursuant to this Section 4.3(b) shall be conclusive and incontestably binding upon both parties and shall be enforceable in any court having jurisdiction.

 

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Article 5

 

RENT

 

Section 5.1            Rent . This Lease is intended to be a transfer of all of the economic benefits and burdens of owning the Carbon Plant Real Property from the Mill Owner to Ingevity (and the retention of the Carbon Plant Real Property by Ingevity for U.S. federal income Tax purposes); accordingly, Ingevity shall pay the Mill Owner for the lease of the Leased Premises an annual rental (the “Rent” ) in the amount of $1.00, which shall be paid in full for the entire Term in advance and shall be included in the Mill Owner’s invoice for, and shall be paid in accordance with the payment terms for, the payment for the Carbon Plant Services under the Services Agreement for the first calendar month after the Effective Date.

 

Article 6

 

CARBON PLANT SERVICES

 

Section 6.1            Services Agreement . The Mill Owner shall provide to Ingevity for the benefit of the Carbon Plant and the Carbon Plant Real Property the Carbon Plant Services, and Ingevity shall pay for the Carbon Plant Services, all as provided in the Services Agreement.

 

Section 6.2            Maintenance Obligations . The Services Agreement provides for the allocation of responsibility to perform and pay for the costs of Maintenance of certain assets within the Mill and the Carbon Plant Real Property, including, without limitation, assets with respect to which Easement Rights are granted under this Lease, such as the Parking Areas, Railroad Spur Tracks, Co-located Continuous Assets and Utility Facilities. For so long as the Services Agreement remains in effect, the Services Agreement shall govern with respect to the allocation of responsibility to perform and pay for the costs of Maintenance of such assets. At such time as the Services Agreement no longer is in effect, the allocation of responsibility to perform and pay for the costs of Maintenance of such assets shall continue as provided under the Services Agreement immediately prior to the date the Services Agreement is no longer in effect (or in such other manner as the parties may agree in writing), and the parties shall negotiate diligently and in good faith to include such provisions in an amendment to this Lease.

 

Article 7

 

TAXES

 

Section 7.1            Ingevity to Pay Taxes . Ingevity shall pay all Taxes against the Carbon Plant and the Carbon Plant Real Property during the Term and a pro rata portion of the Taxes during the year in which the Effective Date occurs and the year in which this Lease expires; such pro rata share to be determined for the portion of the year following the Effective Date and as of the date this Lease terminates, respectively, in accordance with the method described in this Section 7.1. Ingevity shall not be obligated to pay any installment of any special assessment that may be assessed, levied or confirmed during the Term but does not fall due and is not required to be paid until after the expiration of this Lease, except for a pro rata share of the installment(s) becoming payable next following the expiration of this Lease. To the extent that all or part of the Carbon Plant Real Property is a separate real estate Tax parcel, Mill Owner shall cause all Tax bills to be sent by the applicable Governmental Authority directly to Ingevity or shall deliver all such Tax bills directly to Ingevity. If any of the Carbon Plant Real Property is included in a real estate Tax parcel with other land owned by the Mill Owner, Ingevity shall be required to pay only that portion of the Taxes for such real estate Tax parcel equal to the proportion that the acreage of the Carbon Plant Real Property contained in such Tax parcel bears to the total acreage contained in such real estate Tax parcel.

 

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Section 7.2            Taxes Defined . As used in this Lease, the term “Taxes” means: (a) all real estate taxes and assessments, whether general or special, levied upon or with respect to the Carbon Plant Real Property, (b) all fee-in-lieu of tax payments due with respect to the Carbon Plant Real Property, if any, and (c) any and all personal property taxes, improvement taxes, fee-in-lieu of tax payments, if any, and all other taxes due with respect to the Carbon Plant, in each case imposed at any time during the term of this Lease by any Governmental Authority. The term “Taxes” shall not include, and Ingevity shall not be required to pay, any franchise, estate, inheritance, transfer, income or similar tax of the Mill Owner, including, but not limited to, any income tax imposed with respect to the Mill Owner’s income from the Leased Premises.

 

Section 7.3            Payment of Taxes . If Taxes for the Carbon Plant Real Property are to be paid directly by Ingevity, the Taxes to be paid by Ingevity shall be paid before any delinquency can occur, provided that the Mill Owner has sent the Tax bills to Ingevity, the Tax bills are sent directly to Ingevity by the Governmental Authority as provided in Section 7.1, or Ingevity otherwise is in actual receipt of the Tax bills. Upon written request by the Mill Owner, Ingevity shall promptly provide to the Mill Owner reasonable proof of payment. Any Taxes owed by Ingevity pursuant to the last sentence of Section 7.1 shall be paid to the Mill Owner within 30 days after receipt by Ingevity of an invoice from the Mill Owner, together with a copy of the real estate Tax bill and a calculation of the Taxes due properly made in accordance with Section 7.1.

 

Section 7.4            Tax Notices . The Mill Owner shall promptly deliver to Ingevity any and all Tax notices or assessments the Mill Owner may receive relating to the Carbon Plant Real Property or the Carbon Plant.

 

Article 8

 

USE; COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS; MECHANIC’S LIENS

 

Section 8.1            Permitted Uses . During the Term, Ingevity shall use the Leased Premises solely for the purpose of operating and servicing the Carbon Plant (including, without limitation, manufacturing, producing, unloading, upgrading and reprocessing carbon and other products and the handling and storage of all equipment and materials (including inventories of raw materials, work in process, finished goods and supplies) related to such operations, services and processes and for related purposes) in substantially the same manner as it was being used on the Effective Date and for any expansion of such business that does not materially and adversely affect the operation of the Mill or the use of the Mill Owner Easement Rights. Ingevity shall not use the Leased Premises for any expansion of such business that is reasonably likely to materially and adversely affect the operation of the Mill or the use of the Mill Owner Easement Rights (including, without limitation, as a result of any material additional requirement reasonably likely to be imposed on the Mill Owner under any Environmental Law) without the prior written consent of the Mill Owner.

 

Section 8.2            Compliance with Laws . During the Term, Ingevity shall comply with and cause the Carbon Plant and the Carbon Plant Real Property to be in compliance with all Laws of any Governmental Authority applicable to the use of the Carbon Plant and the Carbon Plant Real Property by Ingevity. Except as otherwise provided in the Services Agreement, if any addition, alteration, change, repair or other work of any nature, structural or otherwise, shall be required or ordered or become necessary at any time during the Term because of any of these requirements, the entire expense of the same, irrespective of when the same shall be incurred or become due, shall be the sole liability of Ingevity. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in no event shall Ingevity be required to comply with any Laws, or make any addition, alteration, change, repair or other work, with respect to any

 

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machinery, personal property, equipment or other items which are owned by the Mill Owner and located on the Carbon Plant Real Property.

 

Section 8.3            Permitted Contests . Ingevity shall have the right to contest its obligations to comply with Laws as permitted by and in accordance with the Services Agreement.  

 

Section 8.4            Mechanic’s Liens on Leased Premises . Ingevity shall not create or permit to be created or to remain, and shall promptly discharge, or cause a bond to be issued securing payment of, at its sole cost and expense, any lien, encumbrance or charge upon the Leased Premises which arises by reason of any labor or materials furnished or claimed to have been furnished to Ingevity or by reason of any construction, addition, alteration or repair of any part of the Carbon Plant or the Carbon Plant Real Property. If any mechanic’s lien is filed against the Leased Premises as a result of Ingevity’s actions or omissions, Ingevity shall either (a) pay the lien and obtain a discharge of the same or (b) furnish to the Mill Owner adequate protection against loss or damage on account of the lien by delivering to the Mill Owner a sufficient surety bond or other security reasonably satisfactory to the Mill Owner, and if Ingevity fails to do either of the foregoing, the Mill Owner may pay the lien and obtain a discharge of the same and charge the amount paid and its reasonable expenses to Ingevity as additional Rent. In connection with any work on the Carbon Plant Real Property performed by or on behalf of Ingevity, Ingevity shall comply with all mechanic’s lien Laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, including any Law requiring notices to be posted or recorded.

 

Article 9

 

ALTERATIONS AND ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS; REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE

 

Section 9.1            Additional Improvements . During the Term, Ingevity shall have the right to construct or cause others to construct additional improvements on the Carbon Plant Real Property without the consent of the Mill Owner (except as hereinafter provided); however, all such additional improvements shall be constructed in accordance with the following standards (the “Construction Standards” ): (a) all improvements shall be constructed in a good and workmanlike manner and in compliance with industry standards for work of a comparable nature; (b) all work shall be constructed in accordance with all applicable Laws; (c) Ingevity at its expense shall obtain all necessary permits and approvals for the improvements from the governmental authorities having jurisdiction; (d) during construction, Ingevity shall maintain in force and effect builder’s risk insurance covering the improvements and liabilities arising during the construction; (e) the work shall not unreasonably interfere with the operation of the Mill or any of the Mill Owner Easement Rights in any material respect, and (f) the improvements shall be prosecuted with due diligence to completion. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the prior written consent of the Mill Owner shall be required prior to the construction of any additional improvement on the Carbon Plant Real Property that would be reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the Mill Owner, the Mill Owner’s Easement Rights or the operation of the Mill (including, without limitation, as a result of any material additional requirement reasonably likely to be imposed on the Mill Owner under any Environmental Law).

 

Section 9.2            Alterations . At any time during the Term, Ingevity shall have the right to make any alterations, modifications and replacements to any portion of the Carbon Plant, provided that the alterations, modifications and replacements shall be constructed in accordance with the Construction Standards. All additions and improvements, alterations, modifications and replacements made in accordance with Section 9.1 and this Section 9.2 shall become part of the Carbon Plant and shall remain the property of Ingevity.

 

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Section 9.3            Repair and Maintenance . (a)          Throughout the Term, but subject to the terms and conditions of the Services Agreement and the other provisions of this Lease, Ingevity, at its sole expense, shall keep and maintain the Carbon Plant and the Carbon Plant Real Property in such repair and condition and shall make such repairs, replacements and renewals, whether structural or non-structural, foreseen or unforeseen, ordinary or extraordinary, as Ingevity may, in its sole and absolute discretion, deem necessary or appropriate to put or maintain the Carbon Plant and the Carbon Plant Real Property in a state of repair and condition sufficient for use by Ingevity. Except to the extent provided in the Services Agreement, the Mill Owner shall not be required to maintain, repair or rebuild all or any part of the Carbon Plant or the Carbon Plant Real Property.

 

(b)          The Mill Owner shall maintain in accordance with the Services Agreement any non-real property assets owned by the Mill Owner which are located on the Carbon Plant Real Property.

 

Article 10

 

INSURANCE

 

Section 10.1          Insurance . (a) The Mill Owner and Ingevity each shall maintain, during the Term (but subject to revision at the end of the policy term of the applicable policy through review by the Operating Council), at such party’s sole expense, insurance of the following types in at least the amounts specified:

 

(i)          Commercial General Liability Occurrence insurance coverage with limits of liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 general aggregate. Such insurance shall include the other party, its Affiliates and their respective directors, officers and employees as additional insureds and shall include a waiver of any rights of subrogation against the other party and its directors, officers and employees.

 

(ii)         Commercial Automobile Liability insurance coverage for any automobile used in the performance of such party’s obligations under this Lease with limits of liability of $1,000,000 combined single limit. Such insurance shall include the other party, its Affiliates and their respective directors, officers and employees as additional insureds and shall include a waiver of any right of subrogation against the other party and its directors, officers and employees.

 

(iii)        Workers’ Compensation insurance coverage covering all persons providing services to the other party under this Lease. Such insurance (which may consist of a state-approved program of self-insurance) shall satisfy all applicable statutory requirements and be in accordance with the laws of the state or states in which the party is operating under this Lease, shall include an Alternate Employer Endorsement naming the other party as the alternate employer and shall include a waiver of any right of subrogation against the other party and its directors, officers and employees.

 

(iv)        Employer’s Liability insurance coverage with limits of: (x) bodily injury by accident — $1,000,000 each accident, (y) bodily injury by disease — $1,000,000 each employee, and (z) bodily injury by disease — $1,000,000 policy limit.

 

(v)         Excess Umbrella Liability insurance coverage with limits of liability of $10,000,000 per occurrence, with excess limits provided for the Commercial General Liability Occurrence, Automobile Liability and Employer’s Liability insurance coverages required under this Section 10.1. Such insurance shall include the other party, its Affiliates and their respective

 

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directors, officers and employees as additional insureds and shall include a waiver of any right of subrogation against the other party and its directors, officers and employees.

 

(b)          All insurance companies providing insurance required by this Section 10.1 must be authorized to do business in each state in which the operations of the insured party under this Lease are conducted and must be rated A- or better with a financial rating of VII or better in the most recent edition of the A.M. Best Rating Guide (or, in the event such rating guide is no longer published, or such ratings no longer are published in such rating guide, such other published rating of insurance companies as the parties mutually determine). If a captive entity is used to satisfy these insurance requirements, the captive entity shall provide a letter of good standing.

 

(c)          Each party shall use commercially reasonable efforts to require that all policies of insurance which such party is required to maintain under this Section 10.1 shall provide for 30 days prior written notice of cancellation or non-renewal to the other party under this Lease. Upon this Section 10 becoming effective pursuant to Section 10.1(f), each party shall provide to the other certificates evidencing all insurance coverages it is required to maintain under this Lease, and shall deliver renewal certificates within 10 days of renewal of any required insurance throughout the Term of the Lease; provided, however, that either the Mill Owner or Ingevity may, with notice to the other, satisfy such obligation by making such certificates available on the website of the party providing the certificate or an Affiliate. Any and all collateral required by an insurance carrier or a state agency and all deductibles or self-insured retentions on referenced insurance coverages must be borne by the first named insured party. The insurance required herein will not be limited by any limitations expressed in the indemnification language in this Lease or any limitation placed on the indemnity therein given as a matter of Law.

 

(d)          Failure of either party to maintain insurance as required by this Lease, to provide evidence of such insurance or to notify the other party of any breach by such other party of the provisions of this Section 10.1 shall not constitute a waiver of any such requirements to maintain insurance.

 

(e)          Each party shall be responsible for risk of loss of, and damage to, raw material, equipment or Co-located Continuous Asset of the other party in such party’s possession, custody or under its control, except to the extent that such loss or damage was caused by the acts or omissions of the other party or its agents.

 

(f)          Notwithstanding anything in the contrary in this Lease, so long as the Services Agreement remains in effect, the parties’ respective obligation to maintain insurance shall be governed by Article 10 of the Services Agreement and not this Section 10.1.

 

Article 11

 

WAIVER OF SUBROGATION; INDEMNIFICATION

 

Section 11.1          Limitation of Liability and Waiver of Subrogation . (a) Except as otherwise expressly provided in Section 11.3(ii), Section 11.3(iii), Section 11.3(iv) and Section 11.4, the Mill Owner shall not be liable to Ingevity for:

 

(i)          Losses to any buildings, improvements, fixtures, furnishings, equipment or other personal property ( “Property” ) located or found on the Carbon Plant Real Property (except for Losses to Property owned by third parties, which shall be subject to Section 11.3(v)), notwithstanding that such Losses are caused by, result from or are attributable to any act or omission of the Mill Owner or any servant, agent, employee, director, officer, subcontractor or supplier ( “Agent” ) of the Mill Owner;

 

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(ii)         any Losses arising from bodily injury or death to any employee of Ingevity occurring on the Mill Real Property, notwithstanding that such Losses are caused by, result from or are attributable to any action or omission of the Mill Owner or any Agent of the Mill Owner; and

 

(iii)        any Loss caused by Ingevity to Property owned by third parties.

 

Ingevity hereby waives all rights of subrogation against the Mill Owner with respect to the matters described in this Section 11.1(a).

 

(b)          Except as otherwise expressly provided in Section 11.2(ii), Section 11.2(iii), Section 11.2(iv), and Section 11.4, Ingevity shall not be liable to the Mill Owner for:

 

(i)          any Losses to any Property located or found on the Mill Real Property (except for Losses to Property owned by third parties, which shall be subject to Section 11.2(v)), notwithstanding that such Losses are caused by, result from or are attributable to any act or omission of Ingevity or any Agent of Ingevity;

 

(ii)         any Losses arising from bodily injury or death to any employee of the Mill Owner occurring on the Carbon Plant Real Property, notwithstanding that such Losses are caused by, result from or are attributable to any action or omission of Ingevity or any Agent of Ingevity; and

 

(iii)        any Loss caused by the Mill Owner to Property owned by third parties.

 

The Mill Owner hereby waives all rights of subrogation against Ingevity with respect to the matters described in this Section 11.1(b).

 

(c)          IN NO EVENT SHALL EITHER PARTY BE LIABLE TO THE OTHER PARTY UNDER THIS LEASE FOR ANY INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, LIQUIDATED, PUNITIVE OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES.

 

Section 11.2          Indemnification by Ingevity . Ingevity shall indemnify, defend and hold the Mill Owner and its Affiliates, and each of its and their respective officers, directors, employees, successors and assigns (collectively, the “Mill Indemnified Parties” ) harmless, from and against all Losses (including, without limitation, any claim, demand, cause of action, or lawsuit in connection therewith) resulting from, in connection with or arising out of:

 

(i)          with respect to third party claims (other than third party claims of a type covered by another provision of this Article 11), the performance of this Lease by Ingevity, but only to the extent that the Mill Owner was not responsible for the subject matter of such Losses;

 

(ii)         except with respect to bodily injury or death to any employee of the Mill Owner caused by a vehicle subject to any Virginia statutory motor vehicle insurance law (a “Vehicle” ) owned by Ingevity or a Vehicle driven by a Ingevity employee (which shall be subject to subsection (iv) of this Section 11.2), any bodily injury or death to any employee of the Mill Owner occurring on the Carbon Plant Real Property and resulting from or arising out of the gross negligence or intentional misconduct of Ingevity;

 

(iii)        any damage to any Property located or found on the Carbon Plant Real Property caused by a Vehicle owned by Ingevity or a Vehicle driven by an employee of Ingevity;

 

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(iv)        bodily injury or death to any employee of Mill Owner or to a third party (who is not an employee of Ingevity or Mill Owner) caused by a Vehicle owned by Ingevity or a Vehicle driven by a Ingevity employee; and

 

(v)         any damage to any Property of a third party caused by Ingevity.

 

except, with respect to clauses (ii) and (iii), to the extent that any such Loss is finally determined (in accordance with Section 23.1) to have arisen out of or resulted from the gross negligence or intentional misconduct of the Mill Owner or any such Affiliate, Agent, successor or assign. For purposes of this Section 11.2 and Section 11.3: (x) “intentional misconduct” means the intentional doing of something with knowledge that it is likely to result in serious injury or property damage or with reckless disregard of its probable consequences, and (y) “gross negligence” means the failure to use such care as a reasonably prudent and careful Person would use under similar circumstances when such Person has knowledge of the results of such Person’s acts or omissions and is recklessly or wantonly indifferent to the results.

 

Section 11.3          Indemnification by the Mill Owner . The Mill Owner shall indemnify, defend and hold Ingevity and its Affiliates, and each of their respective officers, directors, employees, successors and assigns (collectively, the “Ingevity Indemnified Parties” ), harmless from and against all Losses (including, without limitation, any claim, demand, cause of action, or lawsuit in connection therewith) arising out of or resulting from:

 

(i)          with respect to third party claims (other than third party claims of a type covered by another provision of this Article 11), the performance of this Lease by the Mill Owner, but only to the extent that Ingevity was not responsible for the subject matter of such Losses;

 

(ii)         except with respect to bodily injury or death to any employee of Ingevity caused by a Vehicle owned by Mill Owner or a Vehicle driven by a Mill Owner employee (which shall be subject to subsection (v) of this Section 11.3), any bodily injury or death to any employee of Ingevity occurring on the Mill Real Property and resulting from or arising out of the gross negligence or intentional misconduct of the Mill Owner or any Agent of the Mill Owner;

 

(iii)        any damage to any Property located or found on the Carbon Plant Real Property caused by a Vehicle owned by the Mill Owner or a Vehicle driven by an employee of the Mill Owner;

 

(iv)        bodily injury or death to any employee of Ingevity or to a third party (who is not an employee of Ingevity or the Mill Owner) caused by a Vehicle owned by the Mill Owner or a Vehicle driven by any employee of the Mill Owner; and

 

(v)         any damage to any Property of a third party caused by the Mill Owner,

 

except, with respect to clauses (ii) and (iii) to the extent that any such Loss is finally determined (in accordance with Section 23.1) to have arisen out of or resulted from the gross negligence or intentional misconduct of Ingevity or any such Affiliate, Agent, successor or assign.

 

Section 11.4          Environmental Indemnities . (a) Except as provided in Section 11.4(c), Ingevity shall indemnify, defend and hold the Mill Indemnified Parties harmless from and against and in respect of any and all Losses resulting from, in connection with or arising out of Environmental Liabilities resulting from, in connection with or arising out of:

 

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(i)          events, conditions or circumstances at, in, from or on any of the Carbon Plant (except as provided in Section 11.4(a)(ii) and Section 11.4(a)(iii), which address Co-Located Continuous Assets) in connection with or arising out of the operations, practices, presence, use or handling of Hazardous Substances, transfers, disposals or other activities (or omissions) of or on behalf of Ingevity first occurring after the Effective Date;

 

(ii)         the Release of Hazardous Substances from the Co-located Continuous Assets located in the Carbon Plant that are owned by Mill Owner, but only to the extent such Environmental Liabilities result from the actions or omissions of Ingevity, which Release first occurs after the Effective Date;

 

(iii)        the Release of Hazardous Substances from the Co-located Continuous Assets located in the Mill that are owned by Ingevity (except as provided in Section 11.4(b)(ii)) which Release first occurs after the Effective Date;

 

(iv)        the transport, disposal or arranging for disposal of Hazardous Substances first occurring after the Effective Date by or on behalf of Ingevity to any location;

 

(v)         the violation by Ingevity of any Environmental Law; and

 

(vi)        any claim, action, suit or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing.

 

(b)          Except as provided in Section 11.4(c), the Mill Owner shall indemnify, defend and hold the Ingevity Indemnified Parties harmless from and against and in respect of any and all Losses resulting from, in connection with or arising out of Environmental Liabilities resulting from, in connection with or arising out of:

 

(i)          events, conditions or circumstances at, in, from or on the Mill (except as provided in Section 11.4(b)(iii) and Section 11.4(a)(iii), which address Co-Located Continuous Assets) in connection with or arising out of the operations, practices, presence, use or Handling of Hazardous Substances, transfers, disposals or other activities (or omissions) of or on behalf of the Mill Owner first occurring after the Effective Date;

 

(ii)         the Release of Hazardous Substances from the Co-located Continuous Assets located in the Mill that are owned by Ingevity, but only to the extent such Environmental Liabilities result from the actions or omissions of the Mill Owner, which Release first occurs after the Effective Date;

 

(iii)        the Release of Hazardous Substances from the Co-located Continuous Assets located in the Carbon Plant that are owned by the Mill Owner (except as provided by Section 11.4(a)(ii)) or the Mill Owner Retained Assets which Release first occurs after the Effective Date;

 

(iv)        the transport, disposal or arranging for disposal of Hazardous Substances first occurring after the Effective Date by or on behalf of the Mill Owner to any location;

 

(v)         the violation by the Mill Owner of any Environmental Law; and

 

(vi)        any claim, action, suit or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing.

 

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(c)          In the event that subsequent to the Effective Date any party or parties entitled to indemnification under this Section 11.4 (the “Indemnified Party” ) asserts a claim under this Section 11.4 (an “Environmental Indemnity Claim” ) on account of or in connection with any Environmental Claim against such Indemnified Party by any Person who is not a party to this Lease or an Affiliate of such a party including, without any limitation, any Governmental Authority (a “Third Party Claim” ), the Indemnified Party shall give written notice thereof together with a statement of any available information regarding such claim to the party against whom the Environmental Indemnity Claim has been asserted ( “Indemnifying Party” ) as soon as reasonably practicable after learning of such Third Party Claim. Failure by an Indemnified Party to provide notice on a timely basis of a Third Party Claim shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party of its obligations hereunder, except that the foregoing shall not constitute a waiver by the Indemnifying Party of any claim for direct damages caused by such delay.

 

(d)          Notwithstanding anything in this Lease to the contrary, any matter or claim addressed by the indemnification provisions of the Separation Agreement is not intended to be addressed by this Lease. In the event of any conflict between the terms of this Lease and the indemnification provisions of the Separation Agreement with respect to an Indemnity Claim (as defined in the Separation Agreement) relating to Environmental Liabilities, the indemnification provisions of the Separation Agreement shall control.

 

Section 11.5          Remedial Action . If any Remedial Action is required to comply with applicable Environmental Laws (including any Remedial Action necessary to address any Environmental Condition) in connection with any matter for which an Indemnifying Party has an indemnification obligation under Section 11.4, the Indemnifying Party (or Ingevity, in the case of Remedial Action which Ingevity is required to undertake pursuant to Section 14.1) (the “Responsible Party” ) shall retain primary control over such Remedial Action, including, without limitation, the right to: (i) investigate any suspected contamination or non-compliance, (ii) conduct and obtain any tests, reports, surveys and investigations, (iii) contact, negotiate or otherwise deal with Governmental Authorities, (iv) prepare any plan for such Remedial Action, and (v) promptly perform such Remedial Action. To the extent the property, operations or rights and obligations under this Lease of the Indemnified Party (the “Non-Controlling Party” ) would be affected by the Remedial Action (including, without limitation, in the case of Remedial Action which Ingevity is required to conduct pursuant to Section 14.1, the Carbon Plant Real Property), the Responsible Party shall apprise the Non-Controlling Party of any information regarding the scheduling and execution of any Remedial Action and shall promptly provide the Non-Controlling Party with copies of all notices, correspondence, draft reports, submissions, work plans, and final reports and shall give the Non-Controlling Party a reasonable opportunity (at the Non-Controlling Party’s own expense) to comment on any submissions the Responsible Party intends to deliver or submit to the appropriate regulatory body prior to said submission provided; however, that the Responsible Party shall not make such submission to the appropriate regulatory body without a prior approval of the Non-Controlling Party (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or unduly delayed). The Non-Controlling Party may, at its own expense, hire its own consultants, attorneys or other professionals to monitor the defense, prosecution, investigation, containment and/or remediation, including any field work undertaken by the Responsible Party, and the Responsible Party shall provide the Non-Controlling Party with copies of the results of all such field work. The type of Remedial Action undertaken by the Responsible Party and the results thereof shall be subject to the approval of the Non-Controlling Party, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or unduly delayed. Notwithstanding the above, the Non-Controlling Party shall not take any actions that unreasonably interfere with the Responsible Party’s performance of the investigation, containment and/or remediation, nor shall the Responsible Party’s performance of the Remedial Action hereunder unreasonably interfere with the Non-Controlling Party’s operation of its business, unless otherwise required by a Governmental Authority.

 

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Section 11.6          Future Operational Compliance . Notwithstanding Section 11.5, in the event that: (i) under Section 11.5 one party would otherwise have control of a Remedial Action conducted under Section 11.5 for which the other party asserts an Environmental Indemnity Claim under this Lease, and (ii) such Environmental Indemnity Claim relates to the then-current or future operational compliance by the Non-Controlling Party with Environmental Laws, including, but not limited to, the possession of, and compliance with, applicable Environmental Permits, the parties shall cooperate in good faith regarding and jointly and reasonably control such Remedial Action; provided, however, that the Indemnifying Party shall, consistent with Sections 11.5 and 11.7, only be required to indemnify the Indemnified Party for Losses related to an Environmental Liability to the extent necessary to meet the minimum requirements of Environmental Law.

 

Section 11.7          Remedial Action Standards . In connection with any Remedial Action: (i) in which the Non-Controlling Party’s property, operations or Easement Rights under this Lease would be adversely affected and unless the parties jointly agree that a Consultant is not necessary, the Responsible Party shall retain a qualified independent environmental consultant ( “Consultant” ), which Consultant shall be subject to the Non-Controlling Party’s approval, such approval not to be unreasonably withheld or unduly delayed. The Responsible Party’s contract with the Consultant shall expressly state that the Non-Controlling Party may rely upon the Consultant’s work. The Responsible Party shall undertake such Remedial Action in a commercially reasonable fashion in accordance with Environmental Laws for facilities of the type being remediated such that any Remedial Action complies with only the minimum requirements of Environmental Laws and shall promptly obtain, if possible and appropriate, written notice from the appropriate regulatory body that no further investigation or remediation is necessary with respect to the matter, or, if no regulatory body is involved in such matter, either a good faith determination from the Consultant that no further investigation or remediation is required to bring the affected property that is the subject of the Remedial Action into conformance with the minimum requirements of Environmental Laws for facilities of the type being remediated or other resolution of the investigation or remediation reasonably acceptable to the Non-Controlling Party.

 

Section 11.8          Access to Areas Outside the Affected Access Area . The Non-Controlling Party shall grant the Responsible Party and its Consultants, or any other qualified consultant or subcontractor engaged by the Responsible Party to perform the Remedial Action, and their Agents access as reasonably necessary for the completion of the Remedial Action, subject to the following conditions: (1) the Non-Controlling Party shall receive at least five working days’ advance notice of Consultant’s or Agent’s intention to initially enter such area to conduct the remedial work; however, such time period may be shortened by agreement between the parties; and (2) the Access to such area granted by the Non-Controlling Party hereunder shall be limited to the Access reasonably necessary for the execution and supervision of the Remedial Action, and the Responsible Party shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to complete the Remedial Action in accordance with the schedule referenced in the scope of work for the Remedial Action; (3) the Responsible Party shall require the Consultants and their Agents to procure and maintain insurance consistent with industry practices; and (4) following the execution of the Remedial Action, and in no case later than 30 days after on-site activities have been completed, the Responsible Party shall undertake commercially reasonable measures (determined from the perspective of an objective, commercially reasonable person who is both paying the cost of restoration and operating the business on the property that is the subject of the Remedial Action) to return the affected property to their approximate condition prior to the taking of the Remedial Action (absent the contamination that was the subject of the Remedial Action), and arrange for the prompt removal of all equipment and materials brought to the property by the Consultants or any of their Agents during the course of the Remedial Action.

 

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Article 12

 

CASUALTY AND CONDEMNATION

 

Section 12.1          Casualty . If all or substantially all of the Carbon Plant is damaged or destroyed, Ingevity may, at Ingevity’s option, by notice in writing given the Mill Owner within 60 days after the occurrence of such damage or destruction, elect to terminate this Lease effective as of the date specified in such notice. Any insurance proceeds payable in connection with any damage or destruction of the Carbon Plant shall be payable to Ingevity. Upon any termination of this Lease, Ingevity shall satisfy and cause to be released any Mortgages, liens or other encumbrances placed or suffered to be placed on the Carbon Plant Real Property by Ingevity and shall surrender the Carbon Plant Real Property to the Mill Owner in accordance with Article 14. The Rent and any other charges due under this Lease shall be prorated as of the date of termination.

 

Section 12.2          Condemnation . (a) Unless this Lease is terminated pursuant to Section 12.2(b), if all or a portion of the Carbon Plant or the Carbon Plant Real Property is taken by condemnation or other eminent domain proceedings pursuant to any Law by a Governmental Authority ( “Condemning Authority” ) having the power of eminent domain, or is sold to a Condemning Authority under threat of the exercise of that power, this Lease shall continue in full force and effect and there shall be an equitable adjustment in the Rent and any other charges payable by Ingevity hereunder.

 

(b)          If all or substantially all of the Carbon Plant or Carbon Plant Real Property is taken by or sold to a Condemning Authority as described in Section 12.2(a), Ingevity may, at Ingevity’s option, by notice in writing given to the Mill Owner, elect to terminate this Lease. This Lease shall then terminate on the day following the vesting of title in the Condemning Authority. The Rent and any other charges under this Lease shall be prorated as of the date of termination, and upon termination Ingevity shall satisfy and cause to be released any Mortgages, liens or other encumbrances placed or suffered to be placed on the Carbon Plant Real Property by Ingevity. In the event of such termination, any award or compensation payable in connection with the taking or sale of the Carbon Plant shall be payable to the Mortgagee in the event a Mortgage is in effect, with the balance, if any, payable to Ingevity.

 

Article 13

 

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

Section 13.1          Power and Authority of Ingevity; Enforceability . Ingevity represents and warrants to the Mill Owner that: (i) Ingevity is a corporation duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, with the requisite authority to enter into this Lease and to perform its obligations hereunder, and (ii) this Lease has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by Ingevity and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of Ingevity, enforceable against Ingevity in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium, receivership or other similar laws affecting or relating to the enforcement of creditors’ rights or remedies generally and general principles of equity (whether considered at law or in equity).

 

Section 13.2          Power and Authority of the Mill Owner; Enforceability . The Mill Owner represents and warrants to Ingevity that: (i) the Mill Owner is a limited liability company duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with the requisite authority to enter into this Lease and to perform its obligations hereunder, and (ii) this Lease has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Mill Owner and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Mill Owner, enforceable against the Mill Owner in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be

 

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limited by bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium, receivership or other similar laws affecting or relating to the enforcement of creditors’ rights or remedies generally and general principles of equity (whether considered at law or in equity).

 

Article 14

 

SURRENDER

 

Section 14.1          Surrender . Unless this Lease is terminated as a result of the exercise of the Purchase Option, on the Termination Date, Ingevity shall surrender the Carbon Plant Real Property and any Excluded Removal Property to the Mill Owner; provided, that Ingevity shall have the right to enter the Carbon Plant Real Property subsequent to the Termination Date to fulfill Ingevity’s obligations under this Section 14.1. Unless this Lease is terminated as a result of the exercise of the Purchase Option or pursuant to Section 12.2, within one year following the Termination Date, Ingevity shall: (a) Remove from the Carbon Plant Real Property the Carbon Plant equipment and all of Ingevity’s inventory of raw materials, work in process, finished goods and supplies, equipment and machinery and all other Property as then remains on the Carbon Plant Real Property, (b) Remove from the Carbon Plant Real Property all Hazardous Materials used, stored, handled, released or disposed in, on or under the Carbon Plant Real Property and perform such Remedial Action as may be required under applicable Environmental Laws in connection with any contamination caused by Ingevity on the Carbon Plant Real Property, all in compliance with the provisions of this Lease, and (c) return the Carbon Plant Real Property to a safe condition as close to level grade as reasonably possible and in compliance with applicable Laws governing occupancy, taking into account that Ingevity shall have no obligation to Remove: (i) any Utility Facilities, Continuous Assets or Mill Owner Retained Assets, or (ii) any structure or fixture which the Mill Owner agrees in writing may remain on the Carbon Plant Real Property (and which Ingevity shall convey to the Mill Owner without further consideration, free and clear of all liens and encumbrances, upon surrender of the Carbon Plant Real Property to the Mill Owner) (collectively, the “Excluded Removal Property” ). All such work to Remove and all Remedial Action required pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be performed in compliance with Sections 11.5 through 11.8 of this Lease. Ingevity shall have Access over and across the Mill Real Property beyond the above-stated one year period, not to exceed an additional three months, if necessary in order to perform the work to Remove or Remedial Action required pursuant to this Section 14.1. In the event any work to Remove or Remedial Action requires more than 15 months, Ingevity shall give 30 days written notice of a request for extension to the Mill Owner with an estimate of additional time required for completion of work, the approval of which shall not be unreasonably withheld. If Ingevity fails to so Remove any items required to be Removed by Ingevity within the periods specified in this Sectin 14.1, the Mill Owner may cause such items to be Removed, cause the Carbon Real Property to comply with Laws (including applicable Environmental Laws) and return the Carbon Plant Real Property to a safe condition, without removal of the Excluded Removal Property, all at the sole cost and expense of Ingevity, such payment to be made upon 30 days’ written notice provided to Ingevity with reasonable supporting documents for all actual expenses, plus a construction fee payable to the Mill Owner in the amount of 10% of the Mill Owner’s actual expenses. The Mill Owner shall use commercially reasonable efforts to mitigate the costs and expenses it incurs with respect to any action taken by the Mill Owner pursuant to the preceding sentence. During any time period after the Termination Date during which Ingevity has not completed the work to Remove and Remedial Action required by this Section 14.1, Ingevity shall be responsible for any and all Taxes for the Leased Premises and any and all costs otherwise payable by Ingevity under this Lease related to the Leased Premises. On or before the Termination Date, Ingevity shall cause any Mortgages, liens or encumbrances created by, through or under Ingevity to be fully released and discharged. Ingevity’s obligations under this Section 14.1 shall survive the termination of this Lease. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, Ingevity shall not be required to remove any Hazardous Materials from the Carbon Plant Real Property which were placed upon the Carbon Plant Real Property

 

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by the Mill Owner or its Personnel, nor shall Ingevity be required to perform any Remedial Action in connection with any contamination caused by the Mill Owner or its Personnel.

 

Article 15

 

ASSIGNMENT AND SUBLETTING

 

Section 15.1          Assignment or Sublease by Ingevity . Except as otherwise provided in this Section 15.1, this Lease may not be assigned by Ingevity in whole or in part, nor may Ingevity sublease or license the use of all or any portion of the Leased Premises, without the prior written consent of the Mill Owner. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with prior written notice to the Mill Owner: (i) Ingevity may assign this Lease or sublease the Leased Premises to any Affiliate of Ingevity which is and at all times during the Term remains controlled by Ingevity (provided, however, that no such assignment or sublease shall relieve Ingevity of any obligations under this Lease), or (ii) Ingevity may assign this Lease to any Person that acquires all or substantially all of the assets of the Carbon Plant and that assumes all of the liabilities and obligations of Ingevity under this Lease and the Services Agreement (if the Services Agreement then is in effect). In addition, with the prior written consent of the Mill Owner (which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld), Ingevity may sublease or license the use of portions (but not all or substantially all) of the Leased Premises to Ingevity suppliers or contractors who shall be subject to all of the restrictions and requirements imposed by this Lease on Ingevity (including, without limitation, restrictions on use of the Leased Premises). Any purported assignment, transfer or sublease of this Lease by Ingevity in violation of this Section 15.1 shall be void and of no force or effect.

 

Section 15.2          Assignment by the Mill Owner . Except as otherwise provided in this Section 15.2, this Lease may not be assigned by the Mill Owner in whole or in part without the prior written consent of Ingevity. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Mill Owner may assign this Lease, with prior written notice to Ingevity: (i) to any Affiliate of the Mill Owner which is and at all times during the Term remains controlled by the Mill Owner (provided, however, that no such assignment shall relieve the Mill Owner of any obligations under this Lease), or (ii) any Person that acquires all or substantially all of the assets of the Mill (including the Mill Real Property) and that assumes all of the liabilities and obligations of the Mill Owner under this Lease and the Services Agreement (if the Services Agreement then is in effect). Any purported assignment or transfer of this Lease by the Mill Owner in violation of this Section 15.2 shall be void and of no force or effect.

 

Section 15.3          Release of Liability . In the event of any permitted assignment of this Lease by either party (other than to an Affilate of the assignor), the assignor shall be released from its obligations hereunder if the designated assignee shall assume, in writing, all of the rights and obligations of the assigning party under this Lease.

 

Article 16

 

FINANCING

 

Section 16.1          Ingevity’s Financing . Ingevity shall have the right during the Term to subject the Carbon Plant and Ingevity’s leasehold interest in the Leased Premises to a mortgage, deed of trust, collateral assignment of lease, and/or security agreement (a “Mortgage , any holder of which is referred to as a “Mortgagee” ) and to any one or more extensions, modifications or renewals or replacements of a Mortgage.

 

Section 16.2          The Mill Owner’s Financing . The Mill Owner shall have the right to mortgage its fee simple title to the Carbon Plant Real Property and for the Mill Owner Retained assets (a “Fee

 

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Mortgage” ), and any such mortgage shall be superior to all of the rights and interests of Ingevity under this Lease; provided that, as a condition to such Fee Mortgage being superior to this Lease with respect to the Carbon Plant Real Property, the Mill Owner shall cause the holder of such Fee Mortgage to execute and deliver to Ingevity a non-disturbance agreement with respect to this Lease in a form customarily used by institutional lenders and otherwise reasonably satisfactory to Ingevity.

 

Article 17

 

RIGHTS OF MORTGAGEE

 

Section 17.1          Performance by Mortgagee . At any time during the Term that a Mortgage is in effect, the Mortgagee may make any payment or perform any act required under this Lease to be made or performed by Ingevity with the same effect as if made or performed by Ingevity.

 

Section 17.2          Rights of Mortgagee . If Ingevity or any Mortgagee notifies the Mill Owner in writing of the existence of a Mortgage, then and thereafter so long as such Mortgage remains unsatisfied of record, the following provisions shall apply:

 

(a)          The Mill Owner, upon giving Ingevity any notice of any material breach of its obligations under this Lease pursuant to Section 4.2(a)(vii), (viii) or (ix) or any other notice under the provisions of or with respect to this Lease, also shall give a copy of such notice to such Mortgagee.

 

(b)          If Ingevity is in material breach of any of its obligations under this Lease, such Mortgagee shall, within the period provided in this Lease, have the right to remedy such breach, or cause the same to be remedied, and the Mill Owner shall accept such performance by or at the instance of such Mortgagee as if the same had been made by Ingevity.

 

(c)          If the period for cure of any breach by Ingevity after notice by the Mill Owner expires without the breach being cured, the Mill Owner shall give written notice to Mortgagee of such expiration and Mortgagee shall have: (i) an additional period of ten days to cure any such breach that may be cured by the payment of money, (ii) an additional period of not more than 30 days to cure any other breach, except for any breach which is personal to Ingevity and does not relate to the condition of or the use or occupancy of the Carbon Plant Real Property (a “Non-Curable Default” ), so long as Mortgagee pays and/or performs all of the obligations of Ingevity during the pendency of such cure, and (iii) solely as to any Non-Curable Default, an additional period that is reasonably required to foreclose the Mortgage with due diligence so long as Mortgagee promptly commences the foreclosure of the Mortgage, diligently prosecutes to completion the foreclosure and pays and/or performs all the obligations of Ingevity during the pendency of the foreclosure.

 

(d)          Any Non-Curable Default shall be deemed to have been waived by the Mill Owner upon completion of foreclosure proceedings for the Mortgage or upon the acquisition of Ingevity’s interest in this Lease by Mortgagee.

 

Section 17.3          Notices from Mortgagee . Any notice or other communication that Mortgagee gives to the Mill Owner shall be deemed to have been duly given if sent to the Mill Owner in the manner provided in Section 20.1, with a copy to any holder of a Fee Mortgage if the address of the holder of the Fee Mortgage has been provided in writing to Mortgagee.

 

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Section 17.4          Notice to Mortgagee . Ingevity shall provide the Mill Owner with written notice of the name, address and facsimile number of any Mortgagee, and any notice or other communication that the Mill Owner gives to such Mortgagee shall be deemed to have been duly given if sent to such Mortgagee in the manner provided in Section 20.1 of this Lease.

 

Section 17.5          Nonliability for Covenants . The provisions of this Article 17 are for the benefit of any Mortgagee and may be relied upon and shall be enforceable by a Mortgagee. Neither Mortgagee nor any other holder or owner of the indebtedness secured by the Mortgage or otherwise shall be liable upon the covenants, agreements or obligations of Ingevity contained in this Lease, unless and until Mortgagee or such holder or owner acquires the interest of Ingevity under this Lease and then only for the period of its ownership.

 

Article 18

 

RIGHT TO CURE DEFAULTS

 

If Ingevity fails to pay any of Taxes or perform any other act required under this Lease, the Mill Owner, without waiving or releasing any obligation of Ingevity or remedy available to the Mill Owner, may (but shall be under no obligation to) upon reasonable notice to Ingevity, make the payment or perform the act for the account and at the expense of Ingevity. All sums so paid by the Mill Owner, plus interest at the Default Rate from the date that the sums were paid by the Mill Owner until such sums are paid by Ingevity to the Mill Owner, shall be paid by Ingevity to the Mill Owner within ten days after receipt of written demand for the same.

 

Article 19

 

QUIET ENJOYMENT

 

During the Term and subject to Ingevity’s continued compliance with the terms of this Lease, Ingevity shall peacefully and quietly hold the Leased Premises free from hindrance or molestation by the Mill Owner and others claiming by, through, or under the Mill Owner, but subject, however, to the Permitted Encumbrances and the terms of this Lease.

 

Article 20

 

NOTICES

 

Section 20.1          Procedures for Notice . All notices, demands orother communications required or permittd to be given or delivered under or by reason of the provisions of this Lease shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been given when: (i) delivered personally to the recipient, (ii) sent via facsimile transmission, upon confirmation of receipt (which the issuing party shall give in good faith upon receipt), (iii) the next business day after having been sent to the recipient by reputable overnight courier service (charges prepaid), or (iv) four business days after having been mailed to the recipient by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested and postage prepaid. Such notices, demands and other communications shall be sent to the applicable address, facsimile number or email address set forth below, unless another address, facsimile number or email address has been previously specified in writing by such party:

 

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  If to Mill Owner: WestRock Virginia, LLC
    504 Thrasher Street
    Norcross, GA  30071
    Attention:  Chief Financial Officer
    Facsimile:  770-263-3582
     
  With a copy to: WestRock Company
    504 Thrasher Street
    Norcross, GA  30071
    Attention:  General Counsel
    Facsimile:  770-263-3582
     
  And: WestRock Virginia, LLC
    104 West Riverside Street
    Covington, VA  24426
    Attention:  Production Manager
    Facsimile:  540-969-5707
     
  If to Ingevity: Ingevity Virginia Corporation
    958 E. Riverside Street
    Covington, Virginia  24426
    Attention:  Plant Manager
    Facsimile:  540-969-3504
     
  With a copy to: Ingevity Corporation
    5255 Virginia Avenue
    North Charleston, South Carolina  29406
    Attention:  Law Department
    Facsimile:  843-746-8278

 

Section 20.2          Change of Address . Either party may, from time to time, change its notice address by written notice to the other party at its then current address in accordance with the provisions of this Article 20.

 

Article 21

 

EXPANSION OPTIONS

 

Section 21.1          Option to Expand the Leased Premises with the Sawdust Area . Ingevity shall have the option (the “Sawdust Area Expansion Option” ) to add all or a portion of the real property described on Exhibit E , which is a part of the Mill Real Property (the “Sawdust Area Expansion Property” ), to the Carbon Plant Real Property and the Leased Premises. Ingevity may exercise the Sawdust Area Expansion Option at any time Ingevity is not in material breach of an obligation under this Lease by: (i) giving written notice of such exercise (the “Sawdust Area Expansion Exercise Notice” ) to the Mill Owner at least six months prior to the effective date of the expansion of the Carbon Plant Real Property and Leased Premises to include the Sawdust Area Expansion Property, as specified in the Sawdust Area Expansion Exercise Notice, and (ii) completing, at Ingevity’s expense and under the direction of the Mill Owner, before occupying the Sawdust Area Expansion Property, such improvements as the Mill Owner reasonably may require so that the volume and capacity of the retention area for the Mill Owner’s landfill located adjacent to the Sawdust Area Expansion Property is not diminished by reason of the lease of the Sawdust Area Expansion Property to Ingevity pursuant to Ingevity’s exercise of the Sawdust Area Expansion Option and the use of the Sawdust Area Expansion Property by Ingevity.

 

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Section 21.2          Sawdust Area Expansion Property . (a) If the Sawdust Area Expansion Option is exercised in accordance with Section 21.1, effective on the effective date specified in the Sawdust Area Expansion Exercise Notice (or such later date as the improvements referred to in Section 21.1 are completed) (the “Sawdust Area Expansion Effective Date” ): (i) the Carbon Plant Real Property and the Leased Premises shall be expanded to include the Sawdust Area Expansion Property (subject to any Permitted Encumbrances) for all purposes of this Lease (including, without limitation, the Purchase Option), and (ii) the annual Rent payable under this Lease shall be increased by an amount equal to the Annual Fair Market Rental Value of the Sawdust Area Expansion Property, as of the Sawdust Area Expansion Effective Date, determined as provided in Section 21.2(b) (which increase shall be paid annually in advance, commencing on the Sawdust Area Expansion Effective Date, or on such later dated as the Annual Fair Market Rental Value is finally determined pursuant to Section 21.2(b), and on each subsequent anniversary of the Sawdust Area Effective Date during the remainder of the Term). The Mill Owner and Ingevity shall reasonably cooperate to cause the Sawdust Area Expansion Property to be surveyed and subdivided in accordance with applicable Law.

 

(b)          The Annual Fair Market Rental Value of the Sawdust Area Expansion Property as of the Sawdust Area Expansion Effective Date shall be determined by mutual agreement of the Mill Owner and Ingevity or, if the Mill Owner and Ingevity are unable to agree on such Annual Fair Market Rental Value within 60 days after the Sawdust Area Expansion Exercise Notice is given, the Annual Fair Market Rental Value shall be determined by appraisers selected as follows. Within 15 days after such 60 day period expires, the Mill Owner and Ingevity shall each appoint an appraiser and the Annual Fair Market Rental Value shall be as determined by the two appraisers so appointed. If the higher of the two appraisals is no more than 10% greater than the lower appraisal, the Annual Fair Market Rental Value shall be the average of the two appraisals. If the higher appraisal is more than 10% greater than the lower appraisal, the two appraisers shall select a third appraiser from a list of appraisers approved by both parties (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld). The third appraiser shall then determine the Annual Fair Market Rental Value. All appraisal costs and expenses shall be shared by the parties equally. All appraisers shall be qualified appraisers of industrial properties in the Virginia region. The appraisers shall give prompt written notice of the determination of Annual Fair Market Rental Value pursuant to this Section 21.2(b). The determination of Annual Fair Market Rental Value pursuant to this Section 21.2(b) shall be conclusive and incontestably binding upon both parties and shall be enforceable in any court having jurisdiction.

 

Section 21.3          Condition of the Sawdust Area Expansion Property . In furtherance of Section 21.2 and not in limitation thereof, if Ingevity exercises the Expansion Option, Ingevity will lease the Sawdust Area Expansion Property from the Mill Owner in its condition, AS IS, as of the Sawdust Area Expansion Effective Date. Ingevity acknowledges that it is familiar with the Sawdust Area Expansion Property.

 

Section 21.4          Option to Expand the Leased Premises with the Truck Shop Property . Ingevity shall have the option (the “Truck Shop Expansion Option” ) to add all or a portion of the Truck Shop Property to the Carbon Plant Real Property and the Leased Premises. Ingevity may exercise the Truck Shop Expansion Option at any time Ingevity is not in material breach of an obligation under this Lease by giving written notice of such exercise (the “Truck Shop Expansion Exercise Notice” ) to the Mill Owner at least 24 months prior to the effective date of the expansion of the Carbon Plant Real Property and Leased Premises to include the Truck Shop Property, as specified in the Truck Shop Expansion Exercise Notice.

 

Section 21.5          Truck Shop Property . (a) If the Truck Shop Expansion Option is exercised in accordance with Section 21.4, effective on the date (the “Truck Shop Expansion Effective Date” ) that is specified in the Truck Shop Expansion Exercise Notice (which is at least 24 months after the date the Truck Shop Expansion Exercise Notice is given) or, if earlier, the date that the Mill Owner actually vacates the Truck Shop Property: (i) the Leased Premises shall be expanded to include the Truck Shop Property (subject to any Permitted Encumbrances) for all purposes of this Lease (including, without limitation, the Purchase Option), and (ii) the Mill Owner shall convey to Ingevity by deed the buildings and improvements located on the Truck Shop Property (other than any Mill Owner Retained Assets that are located on the Truck Shop Property). If the recorded plat of the Carbon Plant Real Property has been subdivided prior to the Truck Shop Expansion Effective Date to exclude the Truck Shop Property, the Mill Owner and Ingevity shall reasonably cooperate to cause the Truck Shop Property to be surveyed, if necessary, and added back to the Carbon Plant Real Property in accordance with applicable Law, effective as of the Truck Shop Expansion Effective Date.

(b)          On the Truck Shop Expansion Effective Date, in lieu of any increase in the rent payable under this Lease, Ingevity shall reimburse the Mill Owner, by wire transfer of immediately available funds, for the actual costs and expenses incurred by the Mill Owner to construct a new building, or remodel an existing building, based on the plans set forth in the Truck Shop Report, to serve as a replacement truck repair facility for the Mill and relocate equipment.

 

Section 21.6          Condition of the Truck Shop Property . In furtherance of Section 21.5 and not in limitation thereof, if Ingevity exercises the Truck Shop Expansion Option, Ingevity will lease the Truck Shop Property from the Mill Owner in its condition, AS IS, on the Truck Shop Expansion Effective Date. Ingevity acknowledges that it is familiar with the Truck Shop Property.

 

Article 22

 

INGEVITY OPTION TO PURCHASE

 

Section 22.1          Option to Purchase . (a) Ingevity shall have the exclusive option and right, exercisable in Ingevity’s sole discretion (the “Purchase Option” ), to purchase the Carbon Plant Real Property at any time during the Term by giving written notice (the “Purchase Option Exercise Notice” ) of such exercise to the Mill Owner at any time during the Term or, under the circumstances provided in Section 4.2(b), during a 30 day period following written notice of termination of this Lease given by the Mill Owner pursuant to Section 4.2(a). In connection with the exercise of the Purchase Option, Ingevity also may exercise the Sawdust Area Expansion Option and/or the Truck Shop Expansion Option (if not previously exercised), and the Carbon Plant Real Property shall be expanded to include the property subject to such exercised option or options; however, the Purchase Option Closing with respect to the property subject to either such expansion option, if exercised in connection with the Purchase Option, shall be delayed until Ingevity has satisfied all of the conditions and requirements set forth in Article 21 with respect to such option (including, without limitation, minimum notice requirements, improvement requirements and reimbusement requirements).

 

(b)          If Ingevity has not given the Purchase Option Exercise Notice at least 90 days prior to the 50th Anniversary of the Effective Date and this Lease has not been earlier terminated pursuant to Section 4.2(a), the Purchase Option nonetheless shall be deemed to have been exercised by Ingevity automatically, without further action by either party, and the Purchase Option Exercise Notice shall be deemed to have been given, on the day that is 90 days prior to the end of the Term.

 

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(c)          If Ingevity is in material breach of any of its obligations under this Lease at or after the time Ingevity exercises (or is deemed to exercise) the Purchase Option pursuant to this Section 22.1, Ingevity shall not be entitled to complete the purchase of the Leased Premises pursuant to the exercise of the Purchase Option unless Ingevity cures such breach in all material respects prior to or at the Purchase Option Closing. Neither the exercise (or deemed exercise) of the Purchase Option nor the purchase of the Leased Premises pursuant to the exercise (or deemed exercise) of the Purchase Option shall release Ingevity from any liability to the Mill Owner arising under this Lease prior to the Purchase Option Closing.

 

Section 22.2          Purchase Price . (a) The purchase price payable by Ingevity for the Carbon Plant Real Property shall be $1.00.

 

(b)          The closing of the sale of the Carbon Plant Real Property (the “Purchase Option Closing” ) shall occur on a date agreed upon by the parties, but not later than 90 days after the date the Purchase Option Exercise Notice is given or deemed to be given (subject to necessary governmental approvals and other similar requirements). At such closing, Ingevity shall pay to the Mill Owner the purchase price in cash, and the Mill Owner shall convey all of its right, title and interest in the Leased Premises to Ingevity in an AS-IS, WHERE-IS condition and otherwise with all faults and defects as of the date of such closing, free and clear of all mortgages, security interest, liens, pledges, deeds of trust, charges, options, rights of first refusal, easements, covenants, restrictions and other encumbrances, but without any warranties of title. Any conveyance fee or transfer Tax payable with respect to any such conveyance shall be paid by Ingevity.

 

Section 22.3          Easement Rights to be Converted to Reciprocal Easements . In connection with (and as a condition to) the conveyance of Leased Premises to Ingevity following the exercise of the Purchase Option pursuant to this Article 22, the parties shall execute, deliver and record in the recording office of Allegheny County, Virginia a reciprocal easement agreement with respect to the Mill Real Property and the Carbon Plant Real Property (along with such subordination of any Mortgages on such properties as may be necessary so that such agreement is prior to and superior to any such Mortgage) containing substantially the same terms as Article 3 of this Lease (including the corresponding exhibits to this Lease referred to in Article 3), Article 11, Article 18 and Article 23 but with the Easement Rights expressed as perpetual (except as otherwise provided in Article 3) easements in real property.

 

Section 22.4          Subdivision of Truck Shop Property . If Ingevity has not exercised the Truck Shop Expansion Option prior to or in connection with giving the Purchase Option Exercise Notice, then prior to or at the Purchase Option Closing, Ingevity and the Mill Owner shall reasonably cooperate to cause the Truck Shop Property to be surveyed and removed from the legal subdivision that describes the Carbon Plant Real Property (unless such removal already has occurred).

 

Section 22.5          Services Agreement . Upon any conveyance of the Leased Premises to Ingevity pursuant to this Article 22, the Mill Owner and Ingevity shall amend the Services Agreement, effective with such conveyance, to eliminate any obligation of the Mill Owner to provide electricity to Ingevity if the continued provision of such electricity to Ingevity pursuant to the Services Agreement would subject the Mill Owner to regulation as a public utility under applicable Law.

 

Section 22.6          Termination of Lease . Upon the conveyance of the Leased Premises to Ingevity pursuant to this Article 22, this Lease shall terminate and both parties shall be released from all liabilities and obligations hereunder, other than with respect to: (i) any obligation of the party arising under Article 11 with respect to actions, occurrences or admissions occurring prior to such termination, or (ii) any uncured material breaches of this Agreement occurring prior to such termination.

 

Article 23

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 23.1          Dispute Resolution . (a) Each of the parties from time to time shall designate an individual who shall be responsible for managing such party’s relationship with the other party and will

 

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serve as such party’s primary representative with respect to operational matters under this Lease (a “Contract Manager” ). The initial Contract Manager shall be the Production Manager of the Mill for the Mill Owner and the Plant Manager of the Carbon Plant for Ingevity. Each Contract Manager shall be authorized to act for and on behalf of the party such Contract Manager is representing with respect to all day to day matters relating to this Lease. A party shall provide as much notice as is practicable to the other party of any change in the individual who is designated by the party as its Contract Manager. Each party may rely on direction from and decisions regarding day-to-day administration of this Lease by the Contract Manager of the other party as being the directions and decisions of the party represented by such Contract Manager, subject to any direction from a party or that party’s representatives on the Operating Council to the contrary.

 

(b)           The Operating Council . An operating council (the “Operating Council” ) consisting of the Contract Manager and two other representatives designated by each party shall have overall responsibility for assisting the parties to this Lease in the administration of this Lease. The initial members of the Operating Council shall be the Production Manager of the Mill, the Mill Manager and the Mill Owner’s Vice President of Operations for the Mill Owner and the Plant Manager of the Carbon Plant, the Services and Support Manager of the Carbon Plant and Ingevity’s Vice President of Operations for Ingevity, or in each case a reasonably equivalent position designated by the Mill Owner or Ingevity, as the case may be. In addition, each party from time to time may designate alternate representatives, who shall be authorized to participate on the Operating Council on behalf of such party in the absence of one or more of its primary representatives. Each party shall provide as much notice as is practicable to the other party of any change in its designees on the Operating Council. The Operating Council shall meet on such a schedule, and for such purposes (within the authority of the Operating Council established by this Lease), as the Operating Council shall approve. The presence of at least two representatives and/or alternates of each party at a meeting of the Operating Council shall be required for a quorum. The Operating Council shall act only at a meeting at which a quorum is present. Each party’s representatives on the Operating Council shall have, collectively, one vote, and any action shall be taken only with the affirmative vote of both parties’ representatives.

 

(c)           Consideration by Contract Managers . All disputes, issues, controversies or claims between the parties hereunder ( “Disputes” ) shall first be referred to the Contract Managers for resolution. If the Contract Managers are unable to resolve, or do not anticipate resolving, a Dispute within 10 business days (or such other period as reasonably may be approved by them) after referral of the matter to them, then the parties shall submit the Dispute to the Operating Council for resolution. The Dispute escalation process described in this Section 23.1 is referred to as the “Escalation Process.”

 

(d)           Escalation to Operating Council . If a Dispute has been submitted to the Operating Council for resolution, the Operating Council shall negotiate in good faith to resolve such Dispute within 10 business days (or such other period of time as may be approved by the Operating Council).

 

(e)           Escalation to Executive Management . If the Operating Council does not resolve a Dispute within 10 business days (or such other period of time as may be approved by the Operating Council) after referral of the matter to it, then either party may notify the other in writing that it desires to elevate such Dispute to the respective executive management of the Mill Owner, who shall be the President, Paper Solutions of the Mill Owner’s ultimate parent (as of the Effective Date, WestRock Company), or reasonably equivalent officer designated by the Mill Owner, and of Ingevity, who shall be Ingevity’s Chief Executive Officer (as of the Effective Date, D. Michael Wilson (collectively, the “Executive Management” ) for resolution. Upon receipt by the other party of such written notice, the Dispute shall be so elevated and the Executive Management shall negotiate in good faith to resolve such Dispute within 10 business days (or such other period as may be approved by the Executive Management)

 

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after referral of the matter to the Executive Management (the last day of such period is referred to as the “Conclusion of the Escalation Process” ).

 

(f)           Negotiation of Disputes . During the Escalation Process, each party’s representatives shall negotiate in good faith. The location, format, frequency, duration and conclusion of the discussions between the Contract Managers, the Operating Council and the Executive Management, respectively, shall be left to the discretion of the representatives involved. Discussions and correspondence among such representatives for purposes of these negotiations shall be treated as Confidential Information and information developed for purposes of settlement, exempt from discovery and production, which shall not be admissible in subsequent proceedings between the parties. Documents identified in or provided with such communications, which are not prepared for purposes of the negotiations, are not so exempted and may, if otherwise admissible, be admitted in evidence in such subsequent proceeding.

 

(g)           Participation in Escalation Process . Notwithstanding anything else in this Lease to the contrary, and except as provided below in this Section 23.1(g), the parties shall participate in the Escalation Process until the Conclusion of the Escalation Process and shall not terminate negotiations concerning resolution of the matters in Dispute until the earlier of the Conclusion of the Escalation Process or expiration or termination of this Lease (so long as termination of this Lease is not the subject of the Dispute). No party shall commence a lawsuit or seek other remedies with respect to the Dispute (including termination of this Lease) prior to the Conclusion of the Escalation Process, provided that either party is authorized to institute formal legal proceedings at any time: (i) to avoid the expiration of any applicable statute of limitations period, (ii) to preserve a superior position with respect to other creditors, or (iii) to seek an injunction to prevent irreparable harm, including in situations where the party reasonably believes that the matter involved in the Dispute may result in such party’s operations being significantly curtailed or shut down.

 

Section 23.2          Force Majeure . Neither party shall be liable to the other party under this Lease for any delay in or failure of performance by the party of its obligations under this Lease resulting from a Force Majeure Event if the party has used commercially reasonable efforts to perform notwithstanding the occurrence of the Force Majeure Event. Each party shall use commercially reasonable efforts to mitigate or remedy the effects of a Force Majeure Event, and if the cause of the Force Majeure Event can be minimized or remedied, the parties shall use commercially reasonable efforts to do so promptly.

 

Section 23.3          Amendment; Waiver . No amendment, modification or discharge of this Lease and no waiver under this Lease shall be valid or binding unless set forth in writing and duly executed by the party against whom enforcement of the amendment, modification, discharge or waiver is sought. Any such waiver shall constitute a waiver only with respect to the specific matter described in such writing and shall in no way impair the rights of the party granting such waiver in any other respect or at any other time. The failure of either party to insist in any one or more instances upon strict performance of any of the provisions of this Lease or take advantage of any of its rights hereunder shall not be construed as a waiver of any such provisions or the relinquishment of any such rights, but the same shall continue and remain in full force and effect.

 

Section 23.4          Entire Agreement . This instrument constitutes the entire agreement between the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and there are no agreements, understandings, conditions, representations, or warranties not expressly set forth herein.

 

Section 23.5          Memorandum of Lease . The full text of this Lease shall not be recorded by either party. The parties shall execute and deliver a short form memorandum of this Lease for filing and recording in the office of the official records of Alleghany County, Virginia. Such memorandum shall include reference to the Purchase Option.

 

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Section 23.6          Estoppel Certificate . At any time and from time to time, each party shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the other, not later than 20 days after a request in writing from such othe party, a statement in writing, in a customary form reasonably satisfactory to both parties, certifying that: (i) this Lease is in full force and effect and unmodified (or if there have been modifications, that this Lease is in full force and effect as modified and stating the modifications), and (ii) the existence or non-existence of any default under this Lease, any amendment to this Lease, or any prepayment of rentals, and (iii) such other facts with respect to this Lease as may be reasonably requested.

 

Section 23.7          Governing Law . This Lease shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, without reference to the conflicts of laws or choice of law provisions thereof.

 

Section 23.8          Binding Agreement; Successors . This Lease shall bind the parties to this Lease and their respective successors (including, without limitation, any successor to the Mill Owner as owner of the Mill and any successor to Ingevity as owner of the Carbon Plant) and shall bind, and inure to the benefit of, their permitted assigns under Sections 15.1 and 15.2. This Lease also shall inure to the benefit of each Person entitled to indemnification under Article 11.

 

Section 23.9          Headings . The section and other headings in this Lease are inserted solely as a matter of convenience and for reference, are not a part of this Lease, and shall not be deemed to affect the meaning or interpretation of this Lease.

 

Section 23.10         Counterparts . This Lease may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

Section 23.11          Exhibits . All exhibits to this Lease referenced herein are incorporated herein by reference.

 

Section 23.12          Severability, etc. Any term or provision of this Lease that is invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to that jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity or unenforceability, without rendering invalid or unenforceable the remaining terms and provisions of this Lease or affecting the validity or unenforceability of any of the terms or provisions of this Lease in any other jurisdiction. If any term or provision of this Lease is so broad as to be invalid or unenforceable, the provision shall be interpreted to be only so broad as is valid or enforceable. Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section 23.12, if any term or provision of this Lease is invalid or unenforceable for any reason, such circumstances shall not have the effect of rendering such term or provision invalid or unenforceable in any other case or circumstance.

 

Section 23.13          Negation of Partnership . Both parties shall act under this Lease solely as independent contractors and not as agents of the other party. Nothing contained in this Lease shall be construed or interpreted as creating an agency, partnership, co-partnership or joint venture relationship between the parties.

 

Section 23.14          Third-Party Rights . Nothing herein expressed or implied is intended or shall be construed to confer upon or give to any Person, other than the parties hereto (and, to the extent provided in Article 11, the Mill Indemnified Parties and the Ingevity Indemnified Parties, and, to the extent provided in Article 17, any Mortgagee), any right or remedies under or by reason of this Lease.

 

Section 23.15          Further Assurances . Each of the parties shall execute from time to time any such documents and instruments as the other party reasonably may request to further assure the Easement

 

  39

 

 

Rights granted in Article 3 or, to the extent provided by the terms and conditions of this Lease, to reflect any relocation, release or termination of any Easement Rights granted in Article 3 or any Utility Facilities with respect thereto.

 

Section 23.16          Merger of Estates . The Easement Rights created in this Lease and benefiting applicable parcels of real property described herein shall continue until terminated as provided herein, notwithstanding any merger of title (existing presently or in the future) in a common owner, and none of the parties intend that there be, and there shall not be in any event, a merger of any of the Easement Rights with the title or other interest of any owner of the real property interests described herein.

 

Section 23.17          No Presumption Against Drafter . Each of the parties hereto has jointly participated in the negotiation and drafting of this Lease. In the event of any ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation, this Lease shall be construed as if drafted jointly by each of the parties hereto and no presumptions or burdens of proof shall arise favoring any party by virtue of the authorship of any of the provisions of this Lease.

 

Section 23.18          Conflict Between Agreements . In the event of any inconsistency or conflict between the terms and provisions of this Lease and the Services Agreement or the Separation Agreement, the terms and provisions of the Services Agreement and the Separation Aggreement shall control.

 

[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

  40

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Lease as of the day and year first written above.

 

WITNESSES   WESTROCK VIRGINIA, LLC
       
    By:  
      Name:
      Title:
       
    INGEVITY VIRGINIA CORPORATION
       
    By:  
      Name:
      Title:

 

  41

 

 

STATE OF ___________________ )  
  )  
COUNTY OF _________________ )  

 

I, _________________________, Notary Public for the State of ___________________, do hereby certify that the above-named WESTROCK VIRGINIA, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, by ____________________________, its _________________________, did personally appear before me this day and acknowledged the due execution of the foregoing instrument.

 

Witness my hand and official seal this the ___ day of February, 2016.

 

   
  Notary Public for __________________________________
   
  My commission expires: ____________________________

 

STATE OF ___________________ )  
  )  
COUNTY OF _________________ )  

 

I, _________________________, Notary Public for the State of ___________________, do hereby certify that the above-named INGEVITY VIRGINIA CORPORATION, a Virginia corporation, by ____________________________, its _________________________________, did personally appear before me this day and acknowledged the due execution of the foregoing instrument.

 

Witness my hand and official seal this the ___ day of February, 2016.

 

   
  Notary Public for ___________________________________
   
  My commission expires: _____________________________

 

  42

 

 

JOINDER OF MILL REAL PROPERTY RECORD OWNER

 

THIS JOINDER OF MILL REAL PROPERTY RECORD OWNER (this “ Joinder ) is made and effective as of February 1, 2016 by WESTROCK MWV, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, successor by name change, merger and conversion to West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company, Westvaco Corporation and MeadWestvaco Corporation (“ WestRock MWV ”), for the benefit of WESTROCK VIRGINIA, LLC, a Delaware liability company, as landlord (the “ Mill Owner ), and INGEVITY VIRGINIA CORPORATION, a Virginia corporation, as tenant ( Ingevity ), under the following circumstances:

 

A.           The Mill Owner and Ingevity are entering into the Ground Lease (as hereinafter defined) to set forth their agreement with respect to Ingevity’s lease of the real property within the Mill Owner’s mill complex upon which Ingevity’s Carbon Plant is located. The Ground Lease is intended to be a transfer of all of the economic benefits and burdens of owning the real property on which the Carbon Plant is located from the Mill Owner to Ingevity and thereafter is intended to be a retention by Ingevity of such real property for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

B.           WestRock MWV is the record owner of the Mill Real Property (as defined in the Ground Lease) and wishes to acknowledge and agree that the Mill Real Property is bound by and subject to the Ground Lease.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants described in the Ground Lease and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are acknowledged, and intending to be legally bound hereby, WestRock MWV agrees for the benefit of Mill Owner and Ingevity as follows:

 

1.           Definitions . All capitalized terms used herein shall have the respective terms ascribed to them in the Covington Plant Ground Lease Agreement between the Mill Owner and Ingevity dated as of February 1, 2016 (“the Ground Lease ”).

 

2.           Joinder . WestRock MWV hereby agrees that the Mill Real Property is subject to and bound by the Ground Lease (including, without limitation, the Ingevity Easement Rights granted pursuant to Article 3, the Sawdust Area Expansion Option and the Truck Shop Expansion Option granted pursuant to Article 21, the obligation to convert the Ingevity Easement Rights into reciprocal easements pursuant to Section 22.3 and the obligations with respect to memoranda of lease and estoppel certificates under Sections 23.5 and 23.6). WestRock MWV shall have no personal liability under the Ground Lease, and the liability of WestRock MWV under the Ground Lease is limited to the Mill Real Property. WestRock MWV shall be released from any liability under the Ground Lease upon the conveyance by WestRock MWV of the Mill Real Property.

 

3.           Amendment; Waiver . No amendment, modification or discharge of this Joinder and no waiver under this Joinder shall be valid or binding unless set forth in writing and duly executed by the party against whom enforcement of the amendment, modification, discharge or waiver is sought. Any such waiver shall constitute a waiver only with respect to the specific matter described in such writing and shall in no way impair the rights of the party granting such waiver in any other respect or at any other time. The failure of either party to insist in any one or more instances upon strict performance of any of the provisions of this Joinder or take advantage of any of its rights hereunder shall not be construed as a waiver of any such provisions or the relinquishment of any such rights, but the same shall continue and remain in full force and effect.

 

  43

 

 

4.           Governing Law . This Joinder shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, without reference to the conflicts of laws or choice of law provisions thereof.

 

5.           Binding Agreement; Successors . This Joinder shall bind the parties to this Joinder and their respective successors (including, without limitation, any successor to WestRock MWV as owner of record title to the Mill Real Property and any successor to Ingevity as owner of the Carbon Plant) and shall bind, and inure to the benefit of, their permitted assigns under Sections 15.1 and 15.2 of the Ground Lease. This Joinder also shall inure to the benefit of each Person entitled to indemnification under Article 11 of the Ground Lease.

 

6.           Third Party Beneficiaries . The Mill Owner and Ingevity are third party beneficiaries of this Joinder.

 

7.           Merger of Estates . The Easement Rights created in the Ground Lease and benefiting applicable parcels of real property described herein shall continue until terminated as provided therein, notwithstanding any merger of title (existing presently or in the future) in a common owner, and none of the parties intend that there be, and there shall not be in any event, a merger of any of the Easement Rights with the title or other interest of any owner of the real property interests described therein.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, WestRock MWV has duly executed this Joinder as of the day and year first written above.

 

WITNESSES   WESTROCK MWV, LLC,
    a Delaware limited liability company
       
    By:  
      Name:
      Title:

 

STATE OF GEORGIA

 

COUNTY OF GWINNETT, to-wit:

 

I, _________________________, Notary Public for the State of ___________________, do hereby certify that the above-named WESTROCK MWV, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, by ____________________________, its _________________________, did personally appear before me this day and acknowledged the due execution of the foregoing instrument.

 

Witness my hand and official seal this the _____ day of _________, 2016.

 

   
  NOTARY PUBLIC
   
  My commission expires: _____________________________

 

Registration No.__

 

829201

 

  44

 

Exhibit 10.6

 

CRUDE TALL OIL AND BLACK LIQUOR SOAP SKIMMINGS AGREEMENT

 

THIS CRUDE TALL OIL AND BLACK LIQUOR SOAP SKIMMINGS AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”) is made and entered into on ___________, 2016, (“ Effective Date ”), by and between WestRock Shared Services, LLC and WestRock MWV, LLC, on behalf of the affiliates of WestRock Company (“ Seller ”), and Ingevity Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“ Buyer ”). Buyer and Seller may each be referred to as a “ Party ” and collectively as the “ Parties .”

 

WHEREAS, Seller produces black liquor soap skimmings (“ BLSS ”) and crude tall oil (“ CTO ”, together with BLSS, each as further described on Exhibit A , the “ Products ”) at certain of its mills; and

 

WHEREAS, Seller desires to sell to Buyer, and Buyer desires to purchase from Seller, Seller’s entire production of the Products at such mills;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the covenants and agreements herein contained, and other good and valuable considerations, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, and subject to terms, provisions and conditions set forth herein, the Parties hereto agree as follows:

 

1. PURCHASE AND SALE

 

Seller agrees to sell to Buyer, and Buyer agrees to purchase and receive from Seller, one hundred percent (100%) of the output of BLSS and CTO produced and originating at Seller’s Mills (as defined in Section 1(B)), upon the terms and conditions set forth herein:

 

A. Quantity : (i) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, in no event shall any provision in this Agreement require Seller to produce any minimum quantities of CTO or BLSS at any of the Mills (whether individually or aggregate) and the Parties agree that the volume of output of the Products will be subject to change in Seller’s sole discretion, including, but not limited to, any reduction in volume that may arise as a result of any closure of or modification of any such Mill(s) or their operating processes or the volumes and types of pulp and paper products produced therein. For the purpose of this Agreement one CTO equivalent ton is defined as one short ton (2,000 pounds) of CTO or two short tons (4,000 pounds) of BLSS (each, a “ CTO Equivalent Ton ” and collectively, the “ CTO Equivalent Tons ”).

 

(ii) Buyer shall use commercially reasonable efforts to assist Seller to identify areas to maintain and/or improve the recovery and quality of the Products produced at the Mills in order to assist Seller in its efforts to produce the Products. Buyer’s duties relative to technical service efforts with respect to Product recovery and quality shall include, but not be limited to: (a) regular visits to Mill sites to perform analysis of current state of quality and recovery, (b) sample collection and subsequent testing of physical properties of the Products, (c) the preparation of quality reports to be distributed to each Mill at a minimum of once per calendar quarter, and (d) other activities that the Parties may mutually deem to be reasonably necessary to support the ongoing production and quality of the Products.

 

B. Mill locations : Seller’s and its affiliates’ mills whose Products are included in this Agreement are located at Fernandina Beach, FL; Hodge, LA; West Point, VA; Florence, SC; Panama City, FL; Hopewell, VA; Demopolis, AL; Phenix City, AL, Evadale TX, and Tres Barras, Santa Cantarina Brazil, and any New Mills whose Products are added by Seller pursuant to section 6 (A) below (each, a “ Mill ” and collectively, the “ Mills ”).

 

 

 

 

In the event Seller sells or otherwise transfers any Mill or ceases production of Products at any Mill, the remaining above-named Mills and any New Mills shall be deemed the Mills for purposes of this Agreement.

 

C. Quality : CTO and BLSS sold hereunder is not guaranteed to meet any specifications; however, Buyer and Seller will determine whether CTO and BLSS sold hereunder: (i) meets or exceeds the minimum weighted-average quarterly (“ WQA ”) specifications for each Mill included in Exhibit B and (ii) meets or is less than the maximum WQA specifications for each Mill included in Exhibit B (collectively, the “ Specifications ” and each a “ Specification ”). The WQA for each Specification for each Mill will be monitored, sampled, and reported per Exhibit B at the end of each calendar quarter. If CTO or BLSS quality falls below any Specification, Seller will determine, in its sole discretion, which actions, if any, it will take to improve quality. It is understood that Seller shall have no obligation to deliver CTO or BLSS that meets or exceeds either the minimum or maximum Specifications set forth in Exhibit B .

 

i. Quality parameters are set on an individual Mill basis. References below to “Moisture Content,” “Acid Number,” “Hexane Insolubles,” “Soap Number,” “Anthraquinone,” “Fiber in Soap,” and “Black Liquor,” are references to such terms associated with various Specifications as further described in Exhibit B . In the event that the WQA CTO or BLSS quality of any particular Mill (i) does not meet or exceed the minimum Specifications set forth on Exhibit B , or (ii) exceeds any of the maximum Specifications set forth on Exhibit B , as applicable, for particular shipments or tonnage of Products (“ Below Standard Products ”) then Seller will provide a credit memo to Buyer for use within thirty (30) days against applicable invoices from Seller (or, if this Agreement has terminated, will reimburse Buyer), as follows:

 

a. Moisture Content of CTO . Seller will provide a credit for excess moisture included with CTO sold to Buyer during such calendar quarter as follows: The credit shall be based on the amount that the WQA is above the Specification maximum limit for each specific Mill. For example, if a specific Mill sells 1,000 tons that had a CTO Moisture Content WQA of thirteen percent (13%) and a moisture Specification of two percent (2%), then Seller will provide a Below Standard Product credit equal to (13% - 2%) * 1000 = 110 tons multiplied by the then-current Purchase Price of CTO as described in Exhibits C and E hereto.

 

b. Acid Number for CTO and BLSS . Seller will provide a credit for the tons of Below Standard Products sold to Buyer during such calendar quarter based on the amount that the Mill specific WQA is below the applicable Acid Number minimum Specification on Exhibit B . The following calculation will apply: (Mill WQA Acid Number - Mill Acid Number Specification) divided by the Mill Acid Number Specification multiplied by the then-current CTO or BLSS Purchase Price, as applicable, multiplied by the tons delivered during the calendar quarter from the Mill = allowed $ credit. For example, if the Hopewell, VA Mill sells 1,000 tons of CTO at a Purchase Price of $300 with a WQA Acid Number of 160, the credit would be ((165-160)/165)* $300 * 1,000 = $9,091.

 

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c. Hexane Insolubles in CTO or BLSS . Seller will provide a credit equal to eight percent (8%) of the Purchase Price for the tons of Below Standard Product sold to Buyer during such calendar quarter by the specific Mill if the WQA of Hexane Insolubles exceeds the Specification for such Mill. Such credit, if payable, shall be limited to a maximum of thirty dollars ($30.00) per ton during the January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2020 period.  For each five (5)-year period beginning on January 1, 2021, Buyer will calculate a new maximum per ton credit based on the average maximum credit for Hexane Insolubles agreed to by Buyer with its third party vendors in advance of such applicable time period. If no such market average credit can be established based on Buyer’s third party vendors, then the maximum credit will be eight percent (8%) of the Purchase Price for the tons of Product sold to Buyer during such calendar quarter by the specific Mill.

 

d. Soap Number of CTO . Seller will provide a credit equal to eight percent (8%) of the Purchase Price for the tons of Below Standard Product sold to Buyer during such calendar quarter by the specific Mill if the WQA of the Soap Number exceeds the Specification for that Mill. Such credit, if payable, shall be limited to a maximum of thirty dollars ($30.00) per ton during the January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2020 period.  For each five (5)-year period beginning on January 1, 2021, Buyer will calculate a new maximum per ton credit based on the average maximum credit for Soap Number of CTO agreed to by Buyer with its third party vendors in advance of such applicable time period. If no such market average credit can be established based on Buyer’s third party vendors, then the maximum credit will be eight percent (8%) of the Purchase Price for the tons of Below Standard Product sold to Buyer during such calendar quarter by the specific Mill.

 

e. Black Liquor in BLSS . Seller will provide a credit for excess black liquor included in the tons of Below Standard Product sold to Buyer during such calendar quarter based on the amount that the WQA of Black Liquor is above the Specification maximum limit. For example, if 1000 tons of BLSS is sold that had a WQA of Black Liquor of sixteen percent (16%), then the allowed credit would be (16% - 10%) * 1000 = 60 tons multiplied by the then-current Purchase Price of BLSS.

 

ii. Anthraquinone content . Seller shall not ship Products to Buyer with Anthraquinone levels exceeding 500 ppm. Buyer shall have the right to reject delivery of any load of Products that exceeds such Anthraquinone level. Upon such rejection, the Products shall, at Seller’s expense, either be returned to Seller in accordance with Seller’s reasonable instructions or disposed of by Buyer in a manner authorized in advance by Seller.

 

iii. Fiber in Soap . See Exhibit B .

 

iv. In the event that Seller provides an individual load or loads of Products with one or more Negative Impacts (as defined below), Seller in its discretion shall do one of the following: (a) take back such load(s) with Seller reimbursing Buyer for its freight costs and third party demurrage charges incurred; (b) instruct Buyer to

 

  Page 3 of 19  

 

 

dispose of such loads with Seller reimbursing Buyer for its actual costs incurred for such disposal; or (c) if Buyer provides in writing the actual and reasonable costs it would incur to accept and process such load(s), then Seller may, in its sole discretion, agree to cover such costs and then allow Buyer to proceed with processing such load(s). In the event Seller elects in its sole discretion to pursue either of the foregoing options (a) or (b), Buyer shall have no responsibility for payment to Seller for such load(s). For purposes of this section, a “ Negative Impact ” refers to (a) a Product varying so significantly from a Specification that it would require substantial pre-processing or other extraordinary corrective measures prior to using such Product in Buyer’s typical production processes, or (b) a Product adversely affected by a temporary process change at Seller’s Mill or Mills, such as adding a pulping agent, which would result in abnormal plugging, fouling, or buildup in Buyer’s production system so as to interfere with Buyer’s standard production process.

 

v. Each Mill has the right to do its own testing to validate Buyer’s testing accuracy. In the event of a discrepancy, a mutually acceptable third-party laboratory will be used to settle the discrepancy. Each Party agrees to: (a) accept the values provided by the third party laboratory and (b) pay half of such laboratory’s charge for such testing.

 

vi. Each claim for credits outlined in this Section 1 must be made in writing within sixty (60) days after close of the calendar quarter in which the applicable Products were Delivered, or such claim shall be deemed to have been waived.

 

D. Process Change : If Seller implements an ongoing process change at a Mill different from current operations that results in ongoing Negative Impacts, then Buyer shall have the right to discontinue such purchases of such Product from such Mill, and Seller shall have the right to sell such Product to a third party until such time as the Negative Impacts are no longer occurring, with no liability to Buyer under this Agreement or at law or in equity in connection with such process change.

 

E. Freight : Buyer is responsible for determining the mode of transportation and for providing suitable tank trucks, rail cars or barges for shipments of one hundred percent (100%) of the Products from the Mills. All freight charges, insurance, demurrage and all other expenses incident thereto are for Buyer’s account; provided that if Buyer incurs third party demurrage charges due to Seller’s delay, then Seller shall reimburse Buyer for such charges. Seller will make commercially reasonable efforts to fully load tank trucks or rail cars to minimize total cost of transportation. Buyer may request and Seller shall provide a credit of one percent (1%) of the Purchase Price for each one percent (1%) of volume that each load falls below ninety-five percent (95%) of the working capacity of the tank truck or rail car used to transport such load from the applicable Mill.

 

Buyer and Seller will work in good faith to enable transportation by barge as is appropriate and mutually agreed. The initial cost to develop and construct infrastructure for barge shipments shall be borne by Buyer and the maintenance costs for such infrastructure shall be as agreed in writing.

 

F. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Seller shall have no responsibility to issue credits under this Section 1 or any other compensation or reimbursement to Buyer to the extent that

 

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any failure to meet the quality requirements set forth in Exhibit B is due to quality issues with BLSS provided by Buyer to Seller for Toll Acidulation (as defined in Section 5A).

 

G. EXCEPT FOR SECTION 1(C)(IV), IN NO EVENT WILL THE TOTAL OF CREDITS AVAILABLE UNDER THIS SECTION 1 FOR BELOW STANDARD PRODUCTS EXCEED THE PURCHASE PRICE DESCRIBED IN SECTION 3 FOR THE APPLICABLE TONNAGE OF SUCH BELOW STANDARD PRODUCTS. THE REMEDIES SET FORTH IN THIS SECTION 1 ARE THE SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE REMEDIES TO COMPENSATE FOR, OR CORRECT THE CONDITION OF, DEFECTIVE OR NON-CONFORMING PRODUCTS, AND NO OTHER REMEDIES CONNECTED WITH THIS AGREEMENT, AT LAW, OR IN EQUITY SHALL APPLY TO SUCH MATTERS.

 

2. TERM

 

A. This Agreement shall be effective for an initial period commencing on the Effective Date and ending on December 31, 2040 (the “ Initial Term ”). If either Party chooses to renew the Initial Term for an additional one (1) year from the Initial Term (the “ Initial Renewal Term ”), it shall provide written notice of renewal to the other Party no less than sixty (60) calendar months prior to the expiration of the Initial Term (the “ Renewal Notice ”). If the receiving Party acknowledges in writing within sixty (60) days of receipt of the Renewal Notice that it agrees to the Initial Renewal Term, then the Initial Term shall renew for the Initial Renewal Term. Thereafter, if either Party chooses to renew the Initial Renewal Term for additional successive one (1) year terms (each, an “ Additional Renewal Term ”, and together with the Initial Term and the Initial Renewal Term, the “ Term ”) it shall provide written notice of renewal to the other Party no less than ninety (90) days prior to the expiration of the Initial Renewal Term or the Additional Renewal Term, as the case may be (each, an “ Additional Renewal Notice ”). If the receiving Party acknowledges in writing within thirty (30) days of receipt of the Additional Renewal Notice that it agrees to the Additional Renewal Term, then the Initial Renewal Term or the Additional Renewal Term, as the case may be, shall renew for such Additional Renewal Term.

 

B. If the Parties do not agree to extend the Initial Term per Section 2A, the quantity of Products subject to this Agreement may be gradually reduced during a five (5)-year period ending on the termination date (the “ Transition Period ”). The Parties will meet at least six (6) months prior to each calendar year of the Transition Period to discuss the commercial needs of each Party in regards to this Agreement, and may mutually agree to the quantity of Products that are released from the purchase and sale obligations set forth in this Agreement in the following year(s). In the event that the Parties do not reach such a mutual agreement, then, without limiting the first sentence of Section 1A(i) above, the following schedule of Products volumes shall be automatically released from any purchase and sale obligations set forth this Agreement during the following year of the Transition Period:

 

i. During the first year (“ Year One ”) of the Transition Period, Seller shall be obligated to supply, and Buyer shall be obligated to purchase, one hundred percent (100%) of the output of BLSS and CTO produced at Mills, subject to adjustments for opting Product volumes in or out of this Agreement as provided in Section 7 below (such total amount of Products sold by Seller to Buyer during such year to be known as the “ Year One Volume ”);

 

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ii. During the second year of the Transition Period, fifteen percent (15%) of the Year One Volume shall be released from the purchase and sale obligations set forth in this Agreement. The amount of Products released from this Agreement during such year shall be known as the “ Year Two Released Volume ”;

 

iii. During the third year (“ Year Three ”) of the Transition Period, the Year Two Released Volume plus an additional fifteen percent (15%) of the Year One Volume shall be released from the purchase and sale obligations in this Agreement. The total amount of Products released from this Agreement during such year shall be known as the “ Year Three Released Volume ”;

 

iv. During the fourth year (“ Year Four ”) of the Transition Period, the Year Three Released Volume plus an additional fifteen percent (15%) of the Year One Volume shall be released from the purchase and sale obligations in this Agreement. The total amount of Products released from this Agreement during such year shall be known as the “ Year Four Released Volume ”; and

 

v. During the fifth and final year of the Transition Period, the Year Four Released Volume plus an additional fifteen (15%) of the Year One Volume shall be released from the purchase and sale obligations in this Agreement.

 

Seller shall be free to sell any volumes of released Products to any third parties. Seller shall have the right to designate in writing at least sixty (60) days prior to each year of the Transition Period the specific U.S. domestic Mill or Mills to be utilized to comprise the volume of Product released from this Agreement pursuant to this Section 2; provided that Seller will utilize good faith efforts to match the released Product volume from an entire Mill or Mills when possible.

 

3. PURCHASE PRICE

 

A. The prices for each of the Products (each a “ Purchase Price ”) shall be established quarterly in accordance with this Section 3.

 

B. For CTO sold by Seller from its North American Mills, the Purchase Price shall be established in accordance with Exhibit C .

 

C. For BLSS sold by Seller from its North American Mills, the Purchase Price shall be established in accordance with Exhibit D .

 

D. For BLSS or CTO sold by Seller from its Brazilian Mill, the Purchase Price shall be established in accordance with Exhibit E .

 

4. TERMINATION OF EXISTING AGREEMENT

 

The Parties acknowledge that the Crude Tall Oil and Black Liquor Soap Skimmings Agreement, dated December 6, 2006 as amended, among MeadWestvaco Corporation, Rock Tenn Mill Company and RockTenn CP, LLC, is deemed terminated and superseded by merger of these companies as of July 1, 2015.

 

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5. TOLL ACIDULATION

 

A. Upon mutual written agreement by the Parties, Buyer may deliver to Seller BLSS from Buyer or Buyer’s vendors on behalf of Buyer for acidulation into CTO (“ Toll Acidulation ”). Buyer and Seller are not obligated to any minimum volumes for tolling but will make commercially reasonable efforts to accommodate volume requests from either Party when possible. From time to time, the Parties may enter into specific agreements which include volume expectations as opportunities arise.

 

B. Buyer shall be responsible for the costs of delivering the BLSS to the Mills for Toll Acidulation.

 

C. For Toll Acidulation, the price shall be established in accordance with Exhibit F .

 

D. Seller shall have the right to refuse to sell BLSS to Buyer from Mills with limited or no acidulation capacity, to transfer BLSS produced by Seller to alternative Mills for acidulation into CTO (“ Internally Acidulated BLSS ”), and to sell the resulting CTO to Buyer in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the pricing for CTO as set forth herein. Seller shall be responsible for handling and shipping among Seller’s facilities such Internally Acidulated BLSS in connection with Seller’s acidulation efforts. Seller shall give Buyer written notice at least sixty (60) days prior to beginning such internal acidulation efforts. Once Buyer has begun purchasing CTO from such Internally Acidulated BLSS from Seller, Seller shall give Buyer written notice at least one (1) year prior to terminating such supply of CTO, which termination shall be in Seller’s sole discretion. Such termination shall thereby obligate Buyer to resume the purchase of BLSS from the original producing Mill.

 

6. NEW MILL OPTION; SALE OF MILL; SALE OF BUYER; THIRD PARTY PRODUCTS

 

A. During the Term, in the event Seller or its affiliates enable the new production of BLSS or CTO at existing mills or acquire, construct or otherwise begin to operate additional mills which produce BLSS or CTO (each, a “ New Mill ”), Seller may in its discretion provide Buyer the option of adding to this Agreement the CTO or BLSS production of each New Mill, subject to any time limits as Seller may determine (the “ New Mill Option ”). If Seller elects to provide such option, Seller shall provide notice of availability to Buyer one hundred and eighty (180) days, or such other time as Seller may determine, prior the date of first availability of Products from such New Mill. If Seller and Buyer elect to add a New Mill to this Agreement, then for a term mutually agreed upon in writing by the Parties: (1) Buyer shall purchase one hundred percent (100%) of the output of Products produced at the New Mill; (2) the New Mill shall be added to the list of Seller’s Mills set forth in Section 1A; and (3) quality Specifications will be added to this Agreement by a mutually agreed upon written amendment, which Specifications will be based in part on the most recent six (6) months’ production from the New Mill; provided that with respect to Seller’s Covington, VA; Tacoma, WA and La Tuque, Quebec mills, such quality Specifications are set forth on Exhibit B . For the avoidance of doubt, Seller’s decision not to add Product volumes from any New Mill(s) to this Agreement will not negatively impact the incentive payment set forth in Exhibit G, Section 3 .

 

B. In the event that Seller or its affiliates sells or transfers its ownership interest in any Mill during the Term, Seller or its affiliates, as the case may be, may, subject to Section 17

 

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below, assign this Agreement in part to the entity acquiring such Mill or may cause such entity to enter into a written agreement, pursuant to which such entity will assume all of Seller’s or its affiliates’ rights and obligations under this Agreement with respect to such Mill, except that such entity acquiring such Mill shall not be subject to Section 6A. Upon such assignment and assumption, Seller and its affiliates, as applicable, shall have no further obligations under this Agreement with respect to such Mill. For the avoidance of doubt, any sale or transfer of a Mill will not negatively impact the incentive payment set forth in Exhibit G, Section 3 .

 

C. During the Term, and subject to Section 17 below, in the event that Buyer or its affiliates sells or transfers all or substantially all of its business to which this Agreement relates, then Buyer or its affiliate will cause the acquirer to enter into a written agreement, on and as of the consummation of that sale or transfer, pursuant to which that entity will assume all of Buyer’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. Upon such assignment and assumption, Buyer and its affiliates, as applicable, shall have no further obligations under this Agreement; provided that such acquirer meets Seller’s reasonable and standard credit requirements. If Buyer closes a facility or ceases production at such facility for any period or reason, Buyer shall give Seller first priority to continue to sell its Products to Buyer, and Buyer shall terminate or reduce supplies from its other vendors prior to reducing the amount of any supply of Products purchased from Seller under this Agreement.

 

D. From the Effective Date through December 31, 2021, Seller and its affiliates will not directly or indirectly purchase, utilize, process or sell CTO or BLSS from any third party unaffiliated with Seller (“ Third Party Products ”). From January 1, 2022 through the remainder of the Term, Seller may purchase Third Party Products, and utilize, process, or sell such Third Party Products to third parties in Seller’s sole discretion, subject to the following terms:

 

i. If Seller intends to commence purchases of any Third Party Products, Seller’s Director of Procurement shall notify the CEO of Buyer of such intent prior to Seller’s first purchase of Third Party Products.

 

ii. If Seller intends to commence purchases of any Third Party Products, Seller shall provide Buyer with written notice of the type of Product(s), a sample of such Third Party Products, anticipated monthly or quarterly volumes, originating mill location, Seller mill location (if third party BLSS is to be acidulated by Seller) and the anticipated time period Seller intends for the Third Party Products transactions to occur (the “ Option Notice ”). Buyer shall have the option to add the Third Party Products described in the Option Notice to this Agreement by notifying Seller in writing within thirty (30) days of receipt of the Option Notice. If Buyer does not provide such notice to Seller within such thirty (30)-day period, or declines to exercise such option, then such Third Party Products shall not become part of this Agreement, and Seller may sell the Third Party Products described in the Option Notice to one or more third parties. Upon Seller purchasing any Third Party Products, the pricing and incentives on Exhibits C, D, E and G shall adjust, as applicable, as provided in such Exhibit(s).

 

iii. For the avoidance of doubt, Third Party Products shall not be included in Products sold to Buyer under this Agreement without Buyer’s prior written consent. If Buyer elects to add the Third Party Products described in the Option

 

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Notice to this Agreement, then for the time period set forth in the Option Notice: (a) Buyer shall purchase one hundred percent (100%) of the Third Party Products identified in the Option Notice; and (b) quality Specifications for such Third Party Products will be added to this Agreement by a mutually agreed upon written amendment to this Agreement.

 

7. VOLUME OPT-IN/OPT-OUT OPTIONS

 

A. Seller Opt-Out Options . Seller has three (3) options, each providing Seller the right to sell to third parties up to ten percent (10%) of the CTO Equivalent Tons (either in the form of BLSS or CTO) sold by Seller to Buyer during the prior twelve (12) month calendar period ending on the last day of the calendar month immediately preceding the month in which the option is exercised (collectively, the “ Seller Options ” and each a “ Seller Option ”). Seller may exercise the Seller Options on the following terms:

 

i. Seller may exercise the first Seller Option effective on or after January 1, 2026 (the “ First Seller Option ”). Thereafter, Seller may exercise the: (a) second Seller Option effective no earlier than three (3) years after the exercise of the First Seller Option (the “ Second Seller Option ”) and (b) third Seller Option effective no earlier than three (3) years after the exercise of the Second Seller Option (the “ Third Seller Option ”).

 

ii. Seller will provide Buyer with at least twelve (12) months’ prior written notice of Seller’s exercise of any Seller Option, including the effective date and amount of CTO Equivalent Tons (including specific Products and Mill(s)) that Seller will sell to third parties (the “ Seller Option Volume ”). Following the exercise of a Seller Option, for the remainder of the Term, Seller will solicit contract offers for the Seller Option Volume from third parties for individual terms of no less than one (1) year.

 

B. Buyer Opt-Out Options . If Seller exercises the First Seller Option, then Buyer shall have three (3) options, each providing Buyer the right to reduce the volume of Products by up to ten percent (10%) of the CTO Equivalent Tons (either in the form of BLSS or CTO) sold by Seller to Buyer during the prior twelve (12) month calendar period ending on the last day of the calendar month immediately preceding the month in which the option is exercised (collectively, the “ Buyer Options ” and each a “ Buyer Option ”). Buyer may exercise the Buyer Options on the following terms:

 

i. Buyer may only exercise the Buyer Option effective after Seller exercises the First Seller Option. Thereafter, Buyer may exercise the: (a) second Buyer Option effective no earlier than three (3) years after the exercise of the First Buyer Option (the “ Second Buyer Option ”) and (b) third Buyer Option effective no earlier than three (3) years after the exercise of the Second Buyer Option (the “ Third Buyer Option ”).

 

ii. Buyer will provide Seller with at least twelve (12) months’ prior written notice of Buyer’s exercise of any Buyer Option, including the effective date and the Products and the amount of Products included in such Buyer Option (the “ Buyer Option Volume ”). Upon the effective date of the Buyer Option, Seller shall have the right to sell such Buyer Option Volume to third parties.

 

iii. Once the Buyer exercises any of the foregoing options, the volumes of Products applicable to such options will remain excluded from this Agreement.

 

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C. Seller Opt-In Options . Seller may offer to Buyer to add back any removed Seller Option Volume or Buyer Option Volume to the total amount of Products sold to Buyer under the terms of this Agreement.

 

8. ROSIN AVAILABILITY FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ROSIN BASED SIZE

 

Seller acknowledges that Buyer is and intends to be a party to a marketing alliance agreement with one or more third parties that sell rosin based size. Buyer agrees to make available to its marketing alliance partner(s) tall oil rosin for the manufacture of rosin size required by Seller at competitive market prices in quantities no less than the Rosin Supply Available for Seller (as defined below). Seller acknowledges that the terms of sale of the rosin size to Seller from such third parties will be negotiated by Seller and any third parties. For purposes of this Agreement the “ Rosin Supply Available for Seller ” shall mean for each calendar quarter, an amount equal to the sum of: (a) 100,000 pounds and (b) the average quarterly volume of rosin required to manufacture rosin size manufactured by Buyer for Seller’s benefit during the preceding two calendar quarters. Subject to availability, Buyer will use commercially reasonable efforts to supply its marketing alliance partner(s) with Seller’s additional rosin size requirements in excess of Seller’s committed rosin supply. Notwithstanding the foregoing, neither section nor any other provision of this Agreement shall be deemed to require or commit Seller to purchase the Rosin Supply Available for Seller or any other volume of rosin size from any third party, including, without limitation, any third parties with whom Buyer has or intends to have a marketing alliance. This Agreement is not intended to and does not create any third party beneficiaries, and Seller may or may not decide to purchase rosin size from such third parties in Seller’s sole discretion and without liability for any expenses or costs of Buyer or any third parties in connection with such decisions.

 

9. PERFORMANCE INCENTIVES

 

Seller is eligible for certain performance incentives outlined in Exhibit G .

 

10. OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

 

A. Due to unique conditions related to the location in Panama City, FL, Buyer may from time to time offer to Swap (as defined below) Products from Panama City with other consumers of CTO or BLSS. Buyer will make a good faith effort to make the Swap occur on an ongoing basis. Seller recognizes Buyer may not be able to come to reasonable terms and should a Swap agreement fail to be completed or fail to continue for the duration of the Term, Buyer shall bear all costs associated with the installation of equipment at Seller’s Panama City, Florida Mill required to enable the loading of BLSS into rail cars or tank trucks for delivery to Buyer; provided that any such costs paid by Buyer will be credited against any Unique Contractual Commitment payment owed by Buyer to Seller pursuant to Exhibit J, Section 2 of this Agreement provided that such credit must be utilized within five (5) years of Buyer incurring such costs. For purposes of this Agreement, a “ Swap ” shall mean the trade, exchange or similar transaction between Buyer and a third party unaffiliated with Buyer of: (i) Buyer’s CTO and/or BLSS for (ii) the CTO Equivalent Ton of such third party’s CTO or BLSS.

 

B. If the Purchase Price for CTO, adjusted as provided in this Agreement, fall below the CTO Energy Index Price described in Exhibit C hereto at any Mill for two (2) consecutive calendar quarters, then such Mill may consume CTO as a source of energy until such time as the Purchase Price for CTO per this Agreement exceeds the CTO

 

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Energy Index Price. Seller shall notify Buyer within fifteen (15) days of the start of the third calendar quarter as to whether it will exercise its rights under this Section. Otherwise, Seller shall not consume CTO or BLSS produced by the Mills internally as a fuel (except where failure to do so could jeopardize the ability of the Mill to operate) without prior written consent from Buyer, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.

 

C. Once per year during the Term: (i) Seller shall have the right to audit Buyer’s compliance with Sections 1C, 3, 7, 9 and Exhibit J of this Agreement during the most recent twelve (12)-month period and (ii) Buyer shall have the right to audit Seller’s compliance with Sections 1 (first paragraph), 2B, 3D, 6D, 7 and Exhibit H of this Agreement during the most recent twelve (12)-month period.

 

i. Such audit shall be conducted by means of a nationally recognized, independent accounting firm (the “ Auditor ”) approved by both Parties (such approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) who shall inspect and examine the relevant books and records of the audited Party in order to verify compliance with the applicable Section of or Exhibit to this Agreement.

 

ii. The requesting Party shall notify the other Party in writing of its intent to exercise its audit rights hereunder. The Parties shall in good faith make reasonable efforts to mutually agree upon a joint letter of instruction for the Auditor which shall describe the format and procedures the Auditor shall undertake and the documents it will examine in the course of its audit. If the Parties are unable to agree on the terms of the letter of instruction, the Auditor shall make its examination and determination in accordance with written instructions provided by the requesting Party; provided that such instructions shall request the examination to be conducted in accordance with this Section 10C. A copy of such written instruction shall be provided to the other Party no later than thirty (30) days prior to the Auditor commencing its audit; provided that, prior to commencing such audit, the Auditor shall have agreed to hold in confidence and not disclose to the requesting Party any of the audited Party’s information. No later than ten (10) days before the audit, the Auditor shall provide the audited Party with a list of documents to be made available by the audited Party and audited Party shall have the documents ready for inspection and review when the Auditor arrives to conduct the audit. In addition, the audited Party is obligated to furnish and make available to the Auditor such other information in the audited Party’s possession as is required in the Auditor’s reasonable judgment to conduct the audit. The Auditor shall have the right to discuss such information with the audited Party’s officers and employees as is required in the Auditor’s reasonable opinion to conduct the audit. The Auditor shall provide both Parties with a final written conclusion of compliance or non-compliance and the amount of the discrepancy, if any. If a discrepancy is found by the Auditor, the Auditor’s conclusion shall specify the amount owed by the applicable Party and a general statement as to the basis for the discrepancy.

 

iii. The Auditor’s costs and expenses associated with each such audit shall be borne by the auditing Party if such audit reveals that no refund or reimbursement is due from the audited Party. If such audit reveals an error in payment of five percent (5%) or more in any item subject to the audit, such that a refund or

 

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reimbursement is due from the audited Party, then the audited Party shall pay the Auditor’s costs and expenses.

 

iv. If as a result of such audit it is determined that one Party owes money to the other Party, such Party shall pay such money to the other Party within thirty (30) days of written request by the other, together with interest thereon at the prevailing prime rate as published by The Wall Street Journal newspaper currently entitled “Money Rates,” not to exceed the maximum rate allowed by applicable law. Interest shall accrue from the date of the discrepancy to the date of payment to the other Party.

 

D. Seller reserves the right to install acidulation equipment and convert BLSS to CTO at any Mill at any time.

 

E. The Parties shall comply with the Alkaline Brine procedures set forth on Exhibit H .

 

F. The Parties shall comply with the Black Liquor Return procedures set forth on Exhibit I .

 

G. Seller shall give at least twelve (12) months’ notice prior to ceasing acidulation of BLSS into CTO for any period exceeding thirty (30) days at any Mill which formerly conducted such acidulation, unless such cessation is due to a force majeure event described in Section 16 below. If such Mill is still producing BLSS despite ceasing acidulation, Buyer shall be obligated to purchase BLSS from such Mill. If, pursuant to Exhibit H , a Party requires return of Alkaline Brine generated from the resulting offsite acidulation of such BLSS, Buyer shall arrange for return of the Alkaline Brine to such Mill, and Seller shall pay the transportation costs for such return during the period of cessation or the remaining portion of the Term, whichever is sooner. If such cessation of acidulation occurs without the required twelve (12) months’ notice, then Seller shall have the option in its discretion to (i) internally acidulate such BLSS at its other Mills pursuant to Section 5D above, (ii) sell such BLSS to Buyer at a distressed price of fifty percent (50%) of the then-current Purchase Price for BLSS under this Agreement, for each month that notice was delayed and less than the required twelve (12) months’ notice (the “ Delay Period ”), or (iii) choose to self-consume and burn such BLSS for a period of twelve (12) months, or any combination of the foregoing. At the end of the Delay Period, Buyer shall be obligated to purchase BLSS at the then-current Purchase Price for BLSS.

 

H. The Parties shall comply with the strategic supplier payment procedures set forth on Exhibit J .

 

11. DELIVERY

 

A. If requested by Buyer, Seller will inform Buyer of planned plant outages as well as its estimate of the quantity of CTO and/or BLSS it may have available in any succeeding calendar quarter. Seller’s estimate shall not obligate Seller to provide any minimum quantity.

 

B. Subject to variances in volumes of Products supplied due to planned outages, seasonality in production, changes in product grade mix, or other such general production factors, Seller shall not purposely withhold volumes from month to month in order to deliver Products in bulk at unequal intervals.

 

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C. Title and risk of loss to all CTO and BLSS shall pass to Buyer at Seller’s Mill site when loaded in tank trucks, rail cars or barges, as mutually agreed upon (“ Delivery ”).

 

12. TERMS OF PAYMENT

 

A. Seller shall invoice Buyer upon Delivery of Products and Buyer shall pay each invoice within thirty (30) days of the invoice date. Each Delivery of CTO and BLSS shall constitute a separate and distinct sale, and any default by Buyer in ordering, accepting or paying for any Delivery shall not affect Seller’s right to insist upon full performance of Buyer’s obligations hereunder for the full Term. Likewise, any default by Seller in its performance hereunder shall not affect Buyer’s right to insist upon full performance of Seller’s obligations hereunder for the full Term.

 

B. To the extent that Buyer is more than thirty (30) days past due with payments, Buyer shall pay interest on unpaid amounts at the rate equal to the lesser of (i) then-applicable “Prime Rate” of interest per annum as published in the Wall Street Journal plus eight percent (8%), and (ii) the maximum amount permitted by applicable law. To the extent that Buyer is sixty (60) or more days past due with payments, Seller may demand a letter of credit for past due amounts. Seller may cease to ship CTO and/or BLSS to Buyer until such letter of credit or all past due payments are received, in addition to its other rights and remedies in connection with this Agreement.

 

C. Buyer shall pay all sales, use, excise and similar taxes which are required by applicable law to be paid by Buyer in connection with the sale of Products from Seller to Buyer under this Agreement or shall supply Seller a suitable tax exempt certificate relating thereto.

 

D. (i) Buyer may, but shall not be obligated to, obtain a credit rating by independent, third party, credit-rating institutions. Without limiting Seller’s other rights and remedies, in the event that Buyer obtains a credit rating and Buyer’s credit rating at any time falls to or below a Moody’s Investor Services (“ Moody’s ”) standard rating of “ B1 ,” or a Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC (“ S&P ”) standard rating of “ B+ ” (each a “ Minimum Credit Level ”), then Seller shall have the right, in its sole discretion, on thirty (30) days’ notice to Buyer, to require Buyer to either (a) post a letter of credit in an amount necessary to cover all outstanding accounts receivable due from Buyer to Seller and all pending sales of Product by Seller to Buyer or (b) forward a cash amount equal to one hundred twenty-five percent (125%) of the highest accounts receivable balance of Seller’s sales to Buyer over the previous six (6) months or one hundred twenty-five percent (125%) of the forecasted accounts receivable balance, whichever is higher. Any such cash amount received by Seller from Buyer may be comingled with other funds of Seller and shall not bear interest. At Seller’s sole discretion, any such cash amounts and the proceeds of any draws under a letter of credit may be applied by Seller to outstanding accounts receivable from Buyer or held as security for Buyer’s obligations under this Agreement. Upon application of all or any portion of such cash amounts or proceeds of draws under a letter of credit to outstanding accounts receivable from Buyer, Seller shall have the right, in its sole discretion, to require Buyer to post additional letters of credit or additional cash in amounts sufficient to continue to meet the requirements of clause (a) or (b) above, as applicable. To secure Buyer’s obligations under this Agreement, Buyer hereby grants to Seller a security interest in all letters of credit, letter of credit rights and proceeds thereof and all cash amounts now or hereafter received by Seller pursuant to this Section 12D. Seller may suspend production and defer or eliminate further Deliveries

 

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and sell its Products to other buyers, in whole or in part, until such conditions are met, with a corresponding adjustment to any volume requirements or credit calculations or incentive payments under this Agreement. When both of Buyer’s credit ratings return to levels above the Minimum Credit Levels, the original payment terms of this Agreement shall be reinstituted for so long as Buyer’s credit levels remain above the Minimum Credit Levels.

 

(ii) In the event Buyer is unable to obtain or elects not to obtain the foregoing Moody’s or S&P credit ratings, Buyer shall provide its annual audited financial statements and its quarterly company-prepared financial statements to Seller, and any other related information reasonably requested by Seller, in order for Seller to make an informed and accurate assessment of whether Buyer meets the Seller’s typical credit requirements and whether Buyer must post a letter of credit or cash amount as described above; provided, that if Buyer does not provide such financial information, then Buyer acknowledges that Seller may, among its other rights, require Buyer to post the letter of credit or forward the cash amount described above. Buyer’s posting of such letter of credit or forwarding of such cash amount shall be absolute and necessary preconditions to Seller’s obligation to provide any Products to Buyer under this Agreement, and any failure of Buyer to satisfy such conditions will result, in Seller’s sole discretion, in (a) reduction in any amount that Seller deems appropriate to the volumes or percentage of Products sold to Buyer under this Agreement, (b) Seller having the right to sell to third parties any portion of the volumes or percentage of Products not sold to Buyer, and (c) Seller having the right to declare that Buyer’s failure is sufficient and conclusive evidence of Buyer’s insolvency and inability to pay its debts as they mature, in which case Seller shall have the right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 18A below.

 

13. WARRANTIES

 

Seller represents and warrants to Buyer that (a) Seller will convey good and marketable title to the Product free and clear of any liens and encumbrances, and (b) Seller shall manufacture the Products in accordance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations. Seller MAKES NO OTHER WARRANTIES, OF ANY KIND WHATSOEVER, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED, ORAL, WRITTEN, OR OTHERWISE, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

 

14. CLAIMS

 

All breach of warranty claims relating to any Delivery must be made in writing within thirty (30) days after close of the calendar quarter in which the CTO or BLSS, as the case may be, is received, or it shall be deemed to have been waived.

 

15. LIABILITY

 

Except as set forth in this Agreement, Seller’s liability to Buyer or anyone claiming through or on behalf of Buyer with respect to any claim or loss arising out of a breach of warranty or this Agreement shall be limited to an amount equal to (a) the applicable Purchase Price of the volume of CTO or BLSS, associated with such liability, or (b) where mutually agreed to, replacement of the CTO or BLSS in question. In no event shall EITHER party be liable for any PUNITIVE, incidental, consequential, indirect or special losses or damages (including, without limitation, lost profits, lost revenues,

 

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loss of business AND DIMUNITION OF VALUE), whether foreseeable or not AND whether OR NOT occasioned by any failure to perform or the breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or other obligation under this Agreement for any cause whatsoever. Any warranty claim shall be brought within six (6) months of the date of delivery of the relevant load(s) of Products from Seller to Buyer or thereafter be barred. For the avoidance of doubt, any warranty claim shall apply only to those warranties expressly provided for in Section 13 above.

 

16. FORCE MAJEURE

 

Seller shall not be liable for any failure to deliver or for any delay in delivery, and Buyer shall not be liable for any failure to request or take delivery or for any delay in requesting or taking delivery, when any such failure or delay shall be caused, directly or indirectly, in each case beyond the reasonable control of the party whose performance is delayed, by fire, floods, accidents, explosions, machinery breakdown, sabotage, strikes or other labor disturbances (regardless of the reasonableness of the demands of labor), civil commotions, riots, invasions, wars (present or future), acts, restraints, requisitions, regulations or directions of any government in or of the United States, Canada or Brazil, voluntary or mandatory compliance by Buyer or Seller with any request of any federal, state, or local government or any officer, department, agency or committee of such government for purposes of national defense or for materials represented to be for purposes of (directly or indirectly) producing articles for national defense or completing national defense facilities, shortages of labor, fuel, power or raw materials, inability to obtain supplies, failure of normal sources of supplies, inability to obtain or delays of transportation facilities, any act of God or any cause (whether similar or dissimilar to the foregoing), beyond the reasonable control of Buyer or Seller, as the case may be, affecting the production, Delivery, or consumption of any materials covered by this Agreement. The affected Party shall promptly notify the other Party of the occurrence of any of the foregoing and use commercially reasonable efforts to resolve such issue promptly.

 

17. ASSIGNMENT

 

This Agreement may not be assigned (by operation of law or otherwise) in whole or in part by either Party without first obtaining the written consent of the other Party thereto, which consent shall not be unreasonably delayed, conditioned, or withheld; provided, however, that either Party may assign or otherwise transfer all of its rights and obligations under this Agreement to any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with such Party, upon prior written notice to the other Party. In each case of assignment the entity to which the Agreement is assigned shall accept all the duties and obligations of the assigning Party hereunder.

 

18. DEFAULT

 

A. Either Party may terminate this Agreement, immediately, upon giving written notice to the other Party, if the other Party liquidates or suspends all, or a substantial portion, of its business; dissolves or terminates its existence; becomes insolvent or unable to pay its debts as they mature; or commits any act of bankruptcy or makes any arrangement, composition or assignment for the benefit or creditors and such bankruptcy or other insolvency proceedings are not discharged within sixty (60) days of the occurrence thereof, all of which events shall be considered a breach hereunder. Upon termination, the non-defaulting Party may seek such damages to which it may be entitled at law or in equity.

 

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B. Except as to defects in condition or nonconformance of Products, which are governed by the rights remedies set forth in Section 1 above, or Buyer’s failure to provide assurance of financial stability as set forth in Section 12D above, if either Party defaults in the performance of any material provision of this Agreement, the other Party may give notice in writing of such default and, if after thirty (30) days following the giving of such notice said default has not been rectified, the other Party may terminate this Agreement by providing written notice of termination.

 

C. The termination of this Agreement shall not release either Party from the obligation to pay any sum that may be owing to the other Party (whether then or thereafter due to Seller) or operate to discharge any liability that had been incurred by either Party prior to any such termination. Furthermore, the provisions in Sections 1C, 12-15, 17, 19 and 21-22 shall survive the termination or expiration of this Agreement.

 

19. INSURANCE AND SAFETY POLICIES

 

A. Each Party shall obtain, pay for and keep in force during the Term the following insurance coverage with at least the following minimum limits of coverage: (i) statutory workers’ compensation in accordance with all state and local requirements; (ii) employer’s liability with a limit of no less than $1,000,000 for one or more claims arising from each accident; (iii) commercial general liability, including coverage for completed operations (for at least two years after the performance of the Services) and contractually assumed obligations, with liability limit of no less than $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 general aggregate; (iv) business automobile liability for all owned, non-owned and hired vehicles with bodily injury limits of no less than $1,000,000 combined single limit; and (v) excess umbrella liability coverage with a limit of no less than $5,000,000 per occurrence. Each Party shall cause its insurers to (a) waive all rights of subrogation against the other Party, its officers, directors and employees, (b) include the other Party and its affiliates as additional insureds for the coverages set forth in clauses (iii), (iv) and (v) above and (c) furnish certificates of insurance to the other Party in a form acceptable to the other Party evidencing that the above insurance is in effect and otherwise complies with the requirements of this Section. Each Party shall give the other Party at least thirty (30) days written notice of any material change or alteration in or the cancellation of any required policy of insurance. At all times during the Term, all insurance must be issued by an entity authorized to do business in the State(s) where business is transacted relating to the Products and must be rated “A-” or better with a financial rating of VIII or better in the A.M. Best Rating Guide. The carrying by each Party of the insurance required herein shall in no way be interpreted as relieving such Party of any other obligations it may have under this Agreement.

 

B. As Buyer’s employees and representatives will be coming to the Mills on a recurring basis, Buyer agrees that its employees and any of its authorized subcontractors at each Mill site shall strictly abide by such Mill’s safety and security policies and procedures.

 

20. NOTICE

 

Any notice which a Party hereto is required to give or may desire to give in connection with this Agreement shall be in writing and shall either be (a) delivered in person, (b) sent standard overnight courier or (c) mailed, registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid and addressed to the attention of the Party intended as the recipient at the address listed below. The Party provided such written notice shall also send a contemporaneous notice by email

 

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to the recipient’s email address provided below. All such notices shall be deemed to have been received upon the date of delivery.

 

To Seller:

 

WestRock Company
3950 Shackleford Road
Duluth, GA 30096
Attn: Chief Procurement Officer

 

With a copy to:

 

WestRock Company
Attn: General Counsel
504 Thrasher Street
Norcross, Georgia 30071
Email: LegalDepartment@WestRock.com

 

To Buyer:

 

Ingevity Corporation
Attn: CTO Procurement Manager
5255 Virginia Avenue
North Charleston, SC 29406

 

Ingevity Corporation
Attn: General Counsel
5255 Virginia Avenue
North Charleston, SC 29406

 

21. Confidentiality

 

Any Party receiving Confidential Information (as defined below) from the other Party shall maintain the confidential and proprietary status of such Confidential Information, keep such Confidential Information and each part thereof within its possession or under its control sufficient to prevent any activity with respect to the Confidential Information that is not specifically authorized by this Agreement, use commercially reasonable efforts, in each case, to prevent the disclosure of any Confidential Information to any other person or entity, and use commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that such Confidential Information is used only for those purposes specifically authorized herein; provided, however, that such restrictions shall not apply to any Confidential Information which is (a) independently developed by, or already in possession of, the receiving Party, as demonstrated by its written records, (b) in the public domain at the time of its receipt or thereafter becomes part of the public domain through no fault of the receiving Party, (c) received without an obligation of confidentiality from a third party who, to the receiving party’s knowledge, has the right to disclose such information, (d) released from the restrictions of this Section 21 by the express written consent of the other Party hereto, or (e) compelled to be disclosed by law or pursuant to a court order (the disclosing Party shall, however, use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain confidential treatment of any such disclosure). “ Confidential Information ” shall mean: (x) the terms and conditions of this Agreement and (y) all information and records relating to the operation of each other’s business, including, without limitation, trade secrets, technical information, development, production, sales, marketing,

 

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pricing and financial details related to the refining of CTO. Each Party shall return or destroy all Confidential Information of the other Party within thirty (30) days following the termination of this Agreement for any reason, except for one (1) copy that may be retained by the recipient’s legal department for archival, compliance or enforcement purposes.

 

22. GOVERNING LAW

 

This Agreement is to be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the internal substantive laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia.  The Parties consent to and agree that venue is proper with, and any and all disputes arising out of or relating in any way to the Agreement shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia (Richmond Division), or the Circuit Court of the County of Henrico, Virginia.  The Parties consent to the jurisdiction of such courts, agree to accept service of process by mail and waive any jurisdictional or venue defenses otherwise available. The Parties expressly reject the applicability to this Agreement of the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods.

 

23. WAIVER; AMENDMENT

 

Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, the failure or delay by either Party to exercise any of its rights hereunder shall not be construed to be a waiver of any of such rights. The provisions of this Agreement may be waived, altered, amended or supplemented, in whole or in part, only by a writing signed by both Parties. No waiver of any performance required under this Agreement shall be deemed a waiver of future compliance with all of the terms hereof.

 

24. ENTIRE AGREEMENT

 

This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the Parties hereto with respect to the sale and purchase of CTO and BLSS and there are no understandings, representations or warranties of any kind whatsoever with respect to such sale and purchase except as expressly herein set forth. All modifications to this Agreement shall be in writing and signed by Buyer and Seller. A failure to exercise any right hereunder with respect to any breach shall not constitute a waiver of such right with respect to any subsequent breach. Any references to “the Agreement” in the exhibits hereto are references to this Agreement.

 

25. COUNTERPARTS; FACSIMILE SIGNATURE

 

This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original and all of which together shall be deemed to be one and the same instrument. A signature sent by telecopy or facsimile transmission shall be as valid and binding upon the Party as an original signature of such Party.

 

  Page 18 of 19  

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

 

INGEVITY CORPORATION   WESTROCK SHARED SERVICES, LLC
     
By:     By:  
  Name:     Name:
  Title     Title
     
    WESTROCK MWV, LLC
     
    By:  
      Name:
      Title

 

  Page 19 of 19  

 

 

Exhibit 10.7

 

 

CONSULTING AGREEMENT

 

This CONSULTING AGREEMENT (“ Agreement ”) is made as of February 1, 2016, between Ingevity Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) and [____________](“ Consultant ”).

 

WHEREAS, Consultant has been proposed as a member of the Board of Directors of the Company, and has agreed to serve in such capacity upon election to the role by the shareholder of the Company, with such service to take effect immediately after the planned separation of the Company from its parent corporation (the “Separation”) (Consultant and those other individuals who have also been proposed as members of the Board of Directors of the Company are herein referred to as the “Prospective Board Members”);

 

WHEREAS, the Separation is anticipated to occur on or about April 25, 2016, and the parties desire to engage Consultant in advance of the Separation in order to (i) facilitate advance planning of certain corporate governance matters including proposing board and committee agenda items, (ii) afford advance opportunity for the Company to review in depth the Company’s business with the Prospective Board Members, and (iii) afford advance opportunity for the Prospective Board Members to meet each other and members of the Company’s management team (the “Advance Planning Activities”).

 

NOW, THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, the parties agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I. - APPOINTMENT; TERM

 

1.1.           Appointment . The Company hereby appoints Consultant, and Consultant hereby accepts such appointment, to engage in the Advance Planning Activities, as well as other services incidental thereto (the “Services”). It is anticipated that the Advance Planning Activities will include attendance at a two-business day pre-planning session for Prospective Board Members, as well as participation in telephonic or other conferences from time to time with senior management of the Company.

 

1.2            Term . The term of this Agreement shall commence on February 1, 2016, and shall terminate on the effective date of the Separation or, if the Separation shall not have occurred by May 30, 2016, on such date (the “Term”). The Term may be earlier terminated at any time by either party providing the other party with at least ten (10) days prior written notice of its intent to terminate this Agreement.

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 2. - COMPENSATION; EXPENSES

 

2.1.           Compensation . The Company agrees to pay Consultant for the rendering of the Services the sum of $[_____] (the “Fee”), payable on or about March 1. The Fee shall not be subject to pro-ration or refund regardless of any early termination of the Term.

 

2.2.           Business Expenses . The Company will reimburse Consultant for all reasonable out-of-pocket business expenses incurred by Consultant in performing the Services hereunder during the Term. The Consultant agrees to provide normal business documentation for expenses incurred hereunder. Travel by consultant may be first class. Business expenses shall be reimbursed promptly, and in any event within thirty days after the related documentation shall have been submitted to the Company.

 

ARTICLE 3. - CONFIDENTIALITY

 

3.1.           Confidentiality Obligation .

 

The Consultant may be furnished with or otherwise given access to certain proprietary or confidential information relating to the business affairs and operations of the Company. This information includes, but is not limited to, proprietary or confidential information related to the Company’s business plans and strategies, results of operations, acquisition targets, growth and new markets, and other business development activity, as well as financial forecasts (any such information furnished to the Consultant, including information derived therefrom, with the exceptions set forth below, is herein referred to as “Confidential Information”). The Consultant agrees to treat this Confidential Information as follows:

 

(a) Consultant agrees that the Confidential Information will not be furnished to any other person except with the express written consent of the Company. Upon the request of the Company, Consultant will return all copies of any of the Confidential Information, in whatever medium, including any reports, notes, summaries or any other materials that include any of the Confidential Information, are based on or derived from the Confidential Information or were developed using the Confidential Information. (In the case of summaries, notes, and similar materials or extracts prepared by the Consultant, the Consultant may destroy such materials in lieu of returning them to the Company.)

 

(b) Consultant agrees that (he/she) will not use the Confidential Information in any manner except in respect of the activities contemplated hereby.

 

(c) The obligation of confidentiality and limited use does not apply to any information which: (i) is or becomes generally available through no fault of Consultant; (ii) is already known by Consultant prior to disclosure hereunder, or (iii) is subsequently acquired by Consultant from a source who, to Consultant’s

 

  - 2 -  

 

 

knowledge, was not in breach of an obligation of confidentiality to the Company in respect thereof.

 

(d) In the event that Consultant is compelled by legal process to disclose any Confidential Information, Consultant shall first notify the Company and cooperate with the Company in limiting the scope of the disclosure, and otherwise obtaining protective treatment for the Confidential Information. In the event that, in the absence of a protective order or receipt of a waiver from the Company, the Consultant is compelled to disclose any of the Confidential Information by virtue of legal process, Consultant may disclose such Confidential Information without liability provided that Consultant (i) prior to such disclosure, advise and consult with the Company, and (ii) disclose only that portion of the Confidential Information that Consultant believes is reasonably required to comply with the legal process.

 

(e) Consultant understands that the Confidential Information may contain material, non-public information relative to WestRock Company, Company’s parent corporation. Consultant agrees that Consultant will refrain from disclosing any such material, non-public information, or otherwise acting on any such material, non-public information, in violation of applicable laws, rules or regulations.

 

ARTICLE 4. - RESTRICTED SERVICES

 

4.1.           Restricted Services . The Parties acknowledge that unless and until Consultant shall be elected to the Board of Directors of the Company by the shareholder of the Company, Consultant shall not be acting in such capacity and shall have no authority to represent [himself/herself] as acting in such capacity. The parties further acknowledge that any meeting of one or more Prospective Board Members shall not be considered, construed or represented as a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Company until such persons have been elected as members of the Board of Directors by the stockholder of the Company and have assumed service in such capacity. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any act of Consultant, either individually or with other Prospective Board Members, shall be not be considered as an act of the Board of Directors or of a Board member.

 

  - 3 -  

 

 

ARTICLE 5. - INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR; TAXES

 

5.1.           Status as Independent Contractor . In the performance of the Services, Consultant shall act solely as an independent contractor, and nothing herein contained or implied will at any time be construed so as to create the relationship of employer and employee, partnership, principal and agent, or joint venturer as between the Company and Consultant. Consultant shall have no authority to bind the Company or its affiliates in any way or make any representations or warranties on behalf of the Company or its affiliates and shall not represent to any person or entity that it has such authority.

 

5.2.           Taxes . All taxes applicable to this Agreement shall be paid by Consultant, and the Company shall not withhold or pay any amount for federal, state or municipal income tax, social security, unemployment or worker's compensation, unless required to do so by law. The Company shall issue the appropriate tax form or forms evidencing the payment of the Fee to Consultant.

 

ARTICLE 6. - INDEMNIFICATION

 

The Company shall indemnify and hold the Consultant harmless from any and all losses, liabilities, claims, demands, actions, costs, damages and expenses (including expenses of counsel and reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from the performance by Consultant of the Services hereunder.

 

ARTICLE 7. - GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

7.1.           Governing Law . This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to its rules regarding conflicts of law.

 

7.2.           Entire Agreement; Waiver; Amendment . This Agreement constitutes the entire understanding between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof. The parties hereto agree that this Agreement supersedes and replaces any and all other agreements, whether oral or in writing, regarding the subject matter hereof. The provisions of this Agreement may be waived, altered, amended or supplemented, in whole or in part, only by a writing signed by both parties. The failure or delay by either party to exercise any of its rights hereunder shall not be construed to be a waiver of any of such rights.

 

7.3.           Assignment . Consultant may not assign this Agreement, nor may Consultant delegate or subcontract the performance and obligations imposed hereunder, without the prior written consent of the Company.

 

7.5.           Severability . If any part of this Agreement shall be declared to be void or unenforceable by any court or administrative body of competent jurisdiction, such part shall be deemed several from the remainder of this Agreement, and this Agreement

 

  - 4 -  

 

 

shall continue in all respects to be valid and enforceable. The parties mutually agree to cooperate with each other to revise this Agreement so as to make this Agreement enforceable.

 

7.6            Counterparts; Facsimile Signature . This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original and all of which together shall be deemed to be one and the same instrument. A signature sent by pdf or facsimile transmission shall be as valid and binding upon the party as an original signature of such party.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

INGEVITY CORPORATION CONSULTANT

 

By:        
  D. Michael Wilson   [Type Name]  
  Chief Executive Officer      

 

  - 5 -  

 

Exhibit 10.8

 

Deal CUSIP 45687NAA2

Revolving Commitment CUSIP 45687NAB0

Initial Term Loan CUSIP 45687NAC8

 

 

 

CREDIT AGREEMENT

dated as of

March 7, 2016,

 

among

 

INGEVITY CORPORATION,

as U.S. Borrower,

   

The LENDERS from Time to Time Party Hereto

 

and

 

WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent

 

 

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.

and

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

as Syndication Agents

 

Citizens BANK OF PENNSYLVANIA,

KeyBank National Association,

The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd.,

SunTrust Bank,

and

U .S. Bank National Association ,

as Documentation Agents

 

WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC,

MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED

and

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners

 

 

 

     

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

    Page
     
ARTICLE I
     
Definitions
     
SECTION 1.01 Defined Terms 1
SECTION 1.02 Classification of Loans and Borrowings 50
SECTION 1.03 Terms Generally 50
SECTION 1.04 Accounting Terms; GAAP; Pro Forma Calculations 50
SECTION 1.05 Times of Day 51
SECTION 1.06 Timing of Payment or Performance 51
SECTION 1.07 Exchange Rate Calculations and Currency Equivalents Generally 51
SECTION 1.08 Belgian Terms 52
     
ARTICLE II
     
The Credits
     
SECTION 2.01 Commitments 53
SECTION 2.02 Loans and Borrowings 54
SECTION 2.03 Requests for Borrowings 55
SECTION 2.04 Swingline Loans 56
SECTION 2.05 Letters of Credit 57
SECTION 2.06 Funding of Borrowings 63
SECTION 2.07 Interest Elections 64
SECTION 2.08 Termination and Reduction of Commitments 65
SECTION 2.09 Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt 66
SECTION 2.10 Amortization of Term Loans 67
SECTION 2.11 Prepayment of Loans 69
SECTION 2.12 Fees 71
SECTION 2.13 Interest 72
SECTION 2.14 Alternate Rate of Interest 73
SECTION 2.15 Increased Costs 73
SECTION 2.16 Break Funding Payments 74
SECTION 2.17 Taxes 75
SECTION 2.18 Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Setoffs 79
SECTION 2.19 Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders 80
SECTION 2.20 Defaulting Lenders 81
SECTION 2.21 Incremental Facilities 83
SECTION 2.22 Extensions of Term Loans, Revolving Loans and Revolving Commitments 87
SECTION 2.23 Loan Repurchases 92
SECTION 2.24 Illegality 93

 

 

  i  

 

  

    Page
     
ARTICLE III
     
Representations and Warranties
     
SECTION 3.01 Organization; Powers 94
SECTION 3.02 Authorization; Enforceability 94
SECTION 3.03 Governmental Approvals; Absence of Conflicts 95
SECTION 3.04 Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change 95
SECTION 3.05 Properties 96
SECTION 3.06 Litigation and Environmental Matters 97
SECTION 3.07 Compliance with Laws 97
SECTION 3.08 Investment Company Status 97
SECTION 3.09 Taxes 97
SECTION 3.10 ERISA; Labor Matters 97
SECTION 3.11 Subsidiaries and Joint Ventures; Disqualified Equity Interests 98
SECTION 3.12 Insurance 99
SECTION 3.13 Solvency 99
SECTION 3.14 Disclosure 99
SECTION 3.15 Collateral Matters 99
SECTION 3.16 Federal Reserve Regulations; Use of Proceeds 100
SECTION 3.17 SME Status; Centre of Main Interests 101
SECTION 3.18 Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions 101
SECTION 3.19 EEA Financial Institutions 101
     
ARTICLE IV
     
Conditions
     
SECTION 4.01 Signing Date 101
SECTION 4.02 Initial Funding Date 102
SECTION 4.03 Each Credit Event 105
     
ARTICLE V
     
Affirmative Covenants
     
SECTION 5.01 Financial Statements and Other Information 106
SECTION 5.02 Notices of Material Events 108
SECTION 5.03 Additional Subsidiaries 109
SECTION 5.04 Information Regarding Collateral 109
SECTION 5.05 Existence; Conduct of Business 110
SECTION 5.06 Payment of Obligations 110
SECTION 5.07 Maintenance of Properties 110
SECTION 5.08 Insurance 110
SECTION 5.09 Books and Records; Inspection and Audit Rights 111
SECTION 5.10 Compliance with Laws 111
SECTION 5.11 Use of Proceeds and Letters of Credit 111

 

 

  ii  

 

  

    Page
     
SECTION 5.12 Further Assurances 112
SECTION 5.13 Certain Post-Closing Collateral Obligations and Delivery of Schedule 5.13 113
SECTION 5.14 Compliance with Specified Material Contracts 114
SECTION 5.15 Designation of Subsidiaries 114
SECTION 5.16 Financial Assistance 115
SECTION 5.17 Spin-Off 115
     
ARTICLE VI
     
Negative Covenants
     
SECTION 6.01 Indebtedness; Certain Equity Securities 115
SECTION 6.02 Liens 119
SECTION 6.03 Fundamental Changes; Business Activities 122
SECTION 6.04 Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions 123
SECTION 6.05 Asset Sales 126
SECTION 6.06 Sale/Leaseback Transactions 128
SECTION 6.07 [Reserved] 128
SECTION 6.08 Restricted Payments; Certain Payments of Indebtedness 128
SECTION 6.09 Transactions with Affiliates 131
SECTION 6.10 Restrictive Agreements 132
SECTION 6.11 Amendment of Material Documents 134
SECTION 6.12 Financial Covenants 134
SECTION 6.13 Fiscal Year 134
SECTION 6.14 Actions Prior to Spin-Off 135
     
ARTICLE VII
     
Events of Default
     
SECTION 7.01 Events of Default 135
SECTION 7.02 Crediting of Payments and Proceeds 138
     
ARTICLE VIII
     
The Administrative Agent
     
SECTION 8.01 Administrative Agent 139
SECTION 8.02 Parallel Debt 144
     
ARTICLE IX
     
Miscellaneous
     
SECTION 9.01 Notices 146
SECTION 9.02 Waivers; Amendments 147

  

  iii  

 

   

    Page
     
SECTION 9.03 Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver 150
SECTION 9.04 Successors and Assigns 152
SECTION 9.05 Survival 155
SECTION 9.06 Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness 156
SECTION 9.07 Severability 156
SECTION 9.08 Right of Setoff 157
SECTION 9.09 Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process 157
SECTION 9.10 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL 158
SECTION 9.11 Headings 158
SECTION 9.12 Confidentiality 159
SECTION 9.13 Interest Rate Limitation 159
SECTION 9.14 Release of Liens and Guarantees 160
SECTION 9.15 USA PATRIOT Act Notice 161
SECTION 9.16 No Fiduciary Relationship 161
SECTION 9.17 Non-Public Information 162
SECTION 9.18 Borrower Representative 162
SECTION 9.19 Obligations of the Belgian Borrower 163
SECTION 9.20 Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions 163
SECTION 9.21 Judgment Currency 164

 

  iv  

 

 

SCHEDULES :

 

Schedule 1.01 Existing Letters of Credit
Schedule 2.01 Commitments
Schedule 3.06(a) Litigation
Schedule 3.06(b) Environmental Matters
Schedule 3.11A Subsidiaries and Joint Ventures
Schedule 3.11B Disqualified Equity Interests
Schedule 3.12 Insurance
Schedule 5.13 Post-Closing Collateral Obligations
Schedule 6.01 Existing Indebtedness
Schedule 6.02 Existing Liens
Schedule 6.04 Existing Investments
Schedule 6.09 Affiliate Transactions
Schedule 6.10 Existing Restrictions
     
EXHIBITS :    
     
Exhibit A Form of Assignment and Assumption
Exhibit B Loan Auction Procedures
Exhibit C-1 Form of Borrowing Request
Exhibit C-2 Form of Letter of Credit Request
Exhibit D Form of U.S. Guarantee and Collateral Agreement
Exhibit E Form of Compliance Certificate
Exhibit F Form of Subordinated Intercompany Note
Exhibit H Form of Interest Election Request
Exhibit J Form of Perfection Certificate
Exhibit K Form of Solvency Certificate
Exhibit L-1 Form of U.S. Tax Certificate for Non-U.S. Lenders that are not Partnerships for U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes
Exhibit L-2 Form of U.S. Tax Certificate for Non-U.S. Lenders that are Partnerships for U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes
Exhibit L-3 Form of U.S. Tax Certificate for Non-U.S. Participants that are not Partnerships for U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes
Exhibit L-4 Form of U.S. Tax Certificate for Non-U.S. Participants that are Partnerships for U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes
Exhibit M Form of Secretary’s Certificate
Exhibit N Form of Closing Certificate
Exhibit O Form of Lender Loss Sharing Agreement

 

  v  

 

 

CREDIT AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”) dated as of March 7, 2016, among INGEVITY CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation, as U.S. Borrower, the LENDERS from time to time party hereto and WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., as Administrative Agent.

 

The parties hereto agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

 

Definitions

 

SECTION 1.01  Defined Terms .  As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below:

 

ABR ,” when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, shall bear interest at a rate determined by reference to the Alternate Base Rate.

 

Acquired EBITDA ” means, with respect to any Acquired Entity or Business for any period, the amount for such period of Consolidated EBITDA of such Acquired Entity or Business (determined as if references to the U.S. Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries in the definition of the term “Consolidated EBITDA” were references to such Acquired Entity or Business and its subsidiaries which will become Restricted Subsidiaries), all as determined on a consolidated basis for such Acquired Entity or Business.

 

Acquired Entity or Business ” has the meaning set forth in the definition of the term “Consolidated EBITDA.”

 

Acquired Person ” has the meaning set forth in the definition of the term “Permitted Acquisition.”

 

Adjusted LIBO Rate ” means, with respect to any Eurocurrency Rate Loan denominated in Dollars for any Interest Period, an interest rate per annum equal to (a) LIBOR as set forth on the applicable Bloomberg screen page (or another commercially available source as may be designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time) for deposits in Dollars multiplied by (b) the Statutory Reserve Rate.

 

Administrative Agent ” means Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., in its capacity as administrative agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, and its successors in such capacity as provided in Article VIII.

 

Administrative Questionnaire ” means an Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.

 

Affiliate ” means, with respect to a specified Person, another Person that directly or indirectly Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.

 

Agents ” means the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, the Documentation Agents and the Syndication Agents.

 

     

 

 

Aggregate Revolving Commitment ” means the sum of the Revolving Commitments of all the Revolving Lenders, as increased or reduced from time to time.

 

Aggregate Revolving Exposure ” means the sum of the Revolving Exposures of all the Revolving Lenders.

 

Alternate Base Rate ” means, for any day, a rate per annum equal to the greatest of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day, (b) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day plus ½ of 1% and (c) the Adjusted LIBO Rate on such day (or if such day is not a Business Day, the immediately preceding Business Day) for a deposit in Dollars with a maturity of one month plus 1%; provided that, if the Alternate Base Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed zero for purposes of this Agreement.  For purposes of clause (c) above, the Adjusted LIBO Rate on any day shall be the Adjusted LIBO Rate for deposits in Dollars (for delivery on such day) with a term of one month; provided that, to the extent that the Adjusted LIBO Rate is not ascertainable pursuant to the foregoing clause (c), the Adjusted LIBO Rate shall be determined by the Administrative Agent to be the average of the rates per annum at which deposits in Dollars with a maturity of one month are offered to major banks in the London interbank market on such day.  Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Effective Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate shall be effective as of the opening of business on the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Effective Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate, respectively.

 

Alternative Currency ” means with respect to any Revolving Loans, Euros and Japanese Yen.

 

Alternative Currency Sublimit ” means (i) with respect to Revolving Loans denominated in Japanese Yen, the Japanese Yen Sublimit and (ii) with respect to Revolving Loans denominated in Euros, the Euro Sublimit.

 

Anti-Corruption Laws ” means all laws, rules and regulations of any jurisdiction directly applicable to the Borrowers or their Subsidiaries from time to time concerning or relating to bribery or corruption, including, without limitation, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 78dd-1, et seq . and the rules and regulations thereunder.

 

Applicable Percentage ” means, at any time, with respect to any Revolving Lender, the percentage of the Aggregate Revolving Commitment represented by such Lender’s Revolving Commitment at such time, subject to adjustment as required to give effect to any reallocation of LC Exposure or Swingline Exposure made pursuant to paragraph (c) or (d) of Section 2.20 or the final paragraph of Section 2.20.  If the Revolving Commitments have terminated or expired, the Applicable Percentages shall be determined based upon the Revolving Commitments most recently in effect, giving effect to any assignments and to any Revolving Lender’s status as a Defaulting Lender at the time of determination.

 

Applicable Rate ” means, for any day, (a) with respect to the Loans of any Class other than the Revolving Loans made pursuant to the Revolving Commitments and the Initial Term Loans, or commitment fees payable in respect of Commitments of any Class other than the Revolving Commitments, the rate or rates per annum specified in the applicable Extension Amendment or Incremental Facility Agreement and (b) with respect to any Revolving Loan made pursuant to

 

  2  

 

 

the Revolving Commitments and any Initial Term Loan that, in either case, is an ABR Loan (including any Swingline Loan) or Eurocurrency Rate Loan, or with respect to the commitment fees in respect of the Revolving Commitments payable hereunder, as the case may be, the applicable rate per annum set forth below under the caption “ABR Spread,” “Eurocurrency Spread” or “Commitment Fee Rate,” respectively, based upon the Total Leverage Ratio as of the most recent determination date; provided that the “Applicable Rate” shall be the applicable rate per annum set forth below in Category 3 from the Initial Funding Date until the next change in the Applicable Rate in accordance with the immediately succeeding sentence:

 

    Total Leverage Ratio   Eurocurrency
Spread
    ABR
Spread
    Commitment
Fee
Rate
 
Category 1:   < 2.00:1.00     1.25 %     0.25 %     0.15 %
Category 2:   ≥  2.00:1.00 and < 2.50:1.00     1.50 %     0.50 %     0.20 %
Category 3:   ≥  2.50:1.00 and < 3.25:1.00     1.75 %     0.75 %     0.25 %
Category 4:   ≥  3.25:1.00     2.00 %     1.00 %     0.30 %

 

For purposes of the foregoing, each change in the Applicable Rate resulting from a change in the Total Leverage Ratio shall be effective during the period commencing on and including the first Business Day after delivery to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or 5.01(b) of consolidated financial statements (commencing with the financial statements covering the first fiscal quarter commencing on or after the Initial Funding Date) indicating such change and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change; provided that the Total Leverage Ratio shall be deemed to be in Category 4 if the Borrower fails to deliver the consolidated financial statements required to be delivered by it pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b) or any Compliance Certificate required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(d), during the period from the expiration of the time for delivery thereof until such consolidated financial statements or Compliance Certificate are delivered.

 

Approved Fund ” means any Person (other than a natural person) that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course and that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.

 

Arrangers ” means Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. in their capacity as the joint lead arrangers and joint bookrunners for the credit facilities provided for herein.

 

Assignment and Assumption ” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an Eligible Assignee, with the consent of any Person whose consent is required by Section

 

  3  

 

 

9.04, and accepted by the Administrative Agent, substantially in the form of Exhibit A or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent (acting reasonably).

 

Auction Manager ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.23(a).

 

Auction Notice ” means an auction notice given by the U.S. Borrower in accordance with the Auction Procedures with respect to a Purchase Offer.

 

Auction Procedures ” means the auction procedures with respect to Purchase Offers set forth in Exhibit B hereto.

 

Authorized Officer ” means the president, the chief executive officer, the chief financial officer, the chief operating officer, the treasurer, the assistant treasurer, the secretary, the assistant secretary, the general counsel or the assistant general counsel, and, with respect to certain limited liability companies or partnerships that do not have officers, any manager, managing member or general partner thereof, or any other senior officer of the U.S. Borrower or any other Loan Party designated as such in writing to the Administrative Agent by the U.S. Borrower or any other Loan Party, as applicable.  The Administrative Agent may conclusively presume that (a) any document delivered hereunder that is signed by an Authorized Officer has been authorized by all necessary corporate, limited liability company, partnership and/or other action on the part of the U.S. Borrower or any other Loan Party and (b) such Authorized Officer has acted on behalf of such Person.

 

Bail-In Action ” means the exercise of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable EEA Resolution Authority in respect of any liability of an EEA Financial Institution.

 

Bail-In Legislation ” means, with respect to any EEA Member Country implementing Article 55 of Directive 2014/59/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union, the implementing law for such EEA Member Country from time to time which is described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule.

 

Belgian Borrower ” means, upon satisfaction (or waiver in accordance with Section 9.02) of the obligations set forth in Section 5.13(b), MeadWestvaco Europe SPRL (which is expected to change its name to Ingevity Holdings SPRL on or around the Spin-Off Date), a Belgian private limited liability company ( société privée à responsabilité limitée/besloten vennootschap met beperkte aansprakelijkheid ), incorporated under the laws of Belgium, with its registered office at Avenue des Olympiades 2, B-1140 Brussels and registered with the Belgian Crossroads Bank for Enterprises under number 0402.720.145, RPR/RPM Brussels (French speaking division), that is (or will be prior to the Spin-Off) an indirect wholly-owned Subsidiary of the U.S. Borrower and that has elected (or will elect prior to the Spin-Off) to be classified as an association taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

Belgian Borrower Joinder ” means a joinder to this Agreement by MeadWestvaco Europe SPRL (which is expected to change its name to Ingevity Holdings SPRL on or around the Spin-Off Date), a Belgian private limited liability company in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.

 

Belgian Borrower Sublimit ” means €100,000,000.

 

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Belgian Collateral Documents ” means, collectively, the Belgian Security Agreements and any other agreements, instruments and documents executed by any Belgian Loan Party in connection with this Agreement that are intended to guarantee or create, perfect or evidence Liens on the Collateral to secure the Belgian Obligations, including, without limitation, all other security agreements, pledge agreements, loan agreements, notes, guarantees, sub-ordination agreements, pledges, powers of attorney, consents, assignments, contracts, fee letters, notices, leases, financing statements and all other written matter whether theretofore, now or hereafter executed by any Belgian Loan Party and delivered to the Administrative Agent.

 

Belgian Insolvency Event ” means any event whereby a Belgian Loan Party (i) has been dissolved ( ontbonden / dissoute ) or resolved to enter into liquidation ( vereffening / liquidation ), (ii) had its assets placed under administration ( onder bewind gesteld / placés sous administration ), (iii) ceased to pay its debts as they fall due ( staking van betaling / cessation de paiement ), (iv) filed an application for or been subject to proceedings for bankruptcy ( faillissement / faillite ) or judicial reorganisation ( gerechtelijke reorganisatie / réorganisation judiciaire ), (v) has been declared bankrupt ( failliet verklaard / declarées en faillite ), or (vi) has been subjected to measures such as the appointment of a provisional administrator ( voorlopig bewindvoerder / administrateur provisoire ) or sequestrator ( sekwester / séquestre ).

 

Belgian Loan Parties ” means, collectively, the Belgian Borrower and each other Person that is organized under the laws of Belgium and becomes a party hereto and to a Belgian Security Agreement as security provider.

 

Belgian Obligations ” means the “Secured Liabilities” as defined in the Belgian Security Agreements.

 

Belgian Security Agreements ” means any pledge of receivables between a Belgian Loan Party as pledgor and the Administrative Agent as pledgee, any pledge of bank accounts between a Belgian Loan Party as pledgor and the Administrative Agent as pledgee, any pledge over the business assets ( pand op handelszaak / gage sur fonds de commerce ), any business pledge mandate ( mandaat pand handelszaak / mandat de gage sur fonds de commerce ) and any other pledge or security agreement governed by the laws of Belgium and entered into, after the date of this Agreement by any other Belgian Loan Party (as required by this Agreement or any other Loan Document) or any other Person for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties, as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

Board of Governors ” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States of America.

 

Borrower ” or “ Borrowers ” means, individually or collectively, the Belgian Borrower and the U.S. Borrower.

 

Borrower Representative ” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.18(a).

 

Borrowing ” means (a) Loans of the same Class and Type made, converted or continued on the same date and, in the case of Eurocurrency Rate Loans, as to which a single Interest Period is in effect, or (b) a Swingline Loan.

 

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Borrowing Minimum ” means (a) in the case of a Borrowing denominated in Dollars, $1,000,000, (b) in the case of a Borrowing denominated in Euro, €920,000 and (c) in the case of a Borrowing denominated in Japanese Yen, ¥120,000,000.

 

Borrowing Multiple ” means (a) in the case of a Borrowing denominated in Dollars, $500,000, (b) in the case of a Borrowing denominated in Euro, €460,000 and (c) in the case of a Borrowing denominated in Japanese Yen, ¥60,000,000.

 

Borrowing Request ” means a request by the Borrower Representative for a Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.03 or 2.04, as applicable, which shall be, in the case of any such written request, substantially in the form of Exhibit C-1 or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent (acting reasonably).

 

Business Day ” means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York City or Washington, D.C.  are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided that, (a) when used in connection with a Eurocurrency Rate Loan or any other Loan denominated in an Alternative Currency, the term “Business Day” shall also exclude any day on which banks are not open for dealings in dollar deposits in the London interbank market, (b) when used in connection with a Loan in Euros, the term “Business Day” shall also exclude any day that is not a TARGET Day and (c) when used in connection with any Loan denominated in Japanese Yen, the term “Business Day” shall also exclude any day in which commercial banks in Tokyo, Japan are authorized or required by law to remain closed.

 

Capital Lease Obligations ” of any Person means the obligations of such Person to pay rent or other amounts under any lease of (or other arrangement conveying the right to use) real or personal property, or a combination thereof, which obligations are required to be classified and accounted for as capital leases on a balance sheet of such Person under GAAP.  The amount of such obligations shall be the capitalized amount thereof determined in accordance with GAAP, and the final maturity of such obligations shall be the date of the last payment of such or any other amounts due under such lease (or other arrangement) prior to the first date on which such lease (or other arrangement) may be terminated by the lessee without payment of a premium or a penalty.  For purposes of Section 6.02, a Capital Lease Obligation shall be deemed to be secured by a Lien on the property being leased and such property shall be deemed to be owned by the lessee.

 

Cash Consideration ” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.05.

 

Cash Equivalents ” means:

 

(a)          Dollars and, with respect to any Foreign Subsidiary, local currencies held by such Foreign Subsidiary;

 

(b)          direct obligations of, or obligations the principal of and interest on which are unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States of America (or any agency or instrumentality thereof to the extent such obligations are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States of America), in each case maturing within one year from the date of acquisition thereof;

 

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(c)          securities issued by any state or commonwealth of the United States of America or any political subdivision or taxing authority of any such state or commonwealth or any public instrumentality thereof or any political subdivision or taxing authority of any such state or commonwealth or any public instrumentality, in each case maturing within one year from the date of acquisition thereof and having, at such date of acquisition, at least an A-1 credit rating from S&P or a P-1 credit rating from Moody’s;

 

(d)          investments in commercial paper maturing within 270 days from the date of acquisition thereof and having, at such date of acquisition, at least an A-1 credit rating from S&P or a P-1 credit rating from Moody’s;

 

(e)          investments in certificates of deposit, banker’s acceptances and demand or time deposits, in each case maturing within one year from the date of acquisition thereof, issued or guaranteed by or placed with, and money market deposit accounts issued or offered by, any domestic office of any commercial bank organized under the laws of the United States of America or any state thereof that has a combined capital and surplus and undivided profits of not less than $500,000,000;

 

(f)          fully collateralized repurchase agreements with a term of not more than 30 days for securities described in clause (b), (c) and (e) above and entered into with a financial institution satisfying the criteria described in clause (e) above;

 

(g)          money market funds that (i) comply with the criteria set forth in Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, (ii) are rated at least A-1 by S&P or P-1 by Moody’s and (iii) have portfolio assets of at least $1,000,000,000; and

 

(h)          in the case of any Foreign Subsidiary, other short-term investments that are analogous to the foregoing, are of comparable credit quality and are customarily used by companies in the jurisdiction of such Foreign Subsidiary for cash management purposes.

 

Cash Management Agreement ” means any agreement entered into from time to time by the U.S. Borrower or one of its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with cash management services for collections, other Cash Management Services and for operating, payroll and trust accounts of the U.S. Borrower or one of its Restricted Subsidiaries, including automatic clearing house services, controlled disbursement services, electronic funds transfer services, information reporting services, lockbox services, stop payment services, wire transfer services, purchasing card services and similar payment arrangement services.

 

Cash Management Bank ” means any Lender, Agent or Arranger or any Affiliate thereof that provides any Cash Management Services.

 

Cash Management Obligations ” means obligations owed by a Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to any Cash Management Bank in connection with, or in respect of, any Cash Management Services.

 

Cash Management Services ” means (a) commercial credit cards, merchant card services, purchase or debit cards, including non-card e-payables services, (b) treasury management services

 

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(including controlled disbursement, overdraft automatic clearing house fund transfer services, return items and interstate depository network services) and (c) any other demand deposit or operating account relationships or other cash management services, including any Cash Management Agreements.

 

CFC ” means (a) each Person that is a “controlled foreign corporation” within the meaning of Section 957 of the Code and (b) each subsidiary of any such controlled foreign corporation.

 

Change in Control ” means (a) the acquisition of ownership, directly or indirectly, beneficially or of record, by any Person or “group” (within the meaning of Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules of the SEC thereunder, but excluding any employee benefit plan of the U.S. Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries and any Person or “group” acting in its capacity as trustee, agent or other fiduciary or administrator of any such plan), other than prior to the Spin-Off Date by the Permitted Holders, of Equity Interests in the U.S. Borrower representing more than 35% of the aggregate ordinary voting power for the election of directors of the U.S. Borrower; (b) persons who were Continuing Directors ceasing to occupy a majority of the seats (excluding vacant seats) on the board of directors of the U.S. Borrower; or (c) the occurrence of any “change in control” (or similar event, however denominated) with respect to the U.S. Borrower under and as defined in any indenture or other agreement or instrument evidencing, governing the rights of the holders of or otherwise relating to any Material Indebtedness of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary.

 

Change in Law ” means the occurrence, after the Signing Date, of any of the following: (a) the adoption or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty, (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation, implementation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) the making or issuance of any request, rule, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) by any Governmental Authority; provided that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, with respect to any Credit Party (x) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith and (y) all requests, rules, guidelines or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to be a “Change in Law,” regardless of the date enacted, adopted, promulgated or issued.

 

Class ,” when used in reference to (a) any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are Initial Term Loans, Incremental Term Loans of any Series, Revolving Loans (other than Extended Revolving Loans) or Swingline Loans, Extended Term Loans (of the same Extension Series) or Extended Revolving Loans (of the same Extension Series) (b) any Commitment, refers to whether such Commitment is an Initial Term Commitment, an Extended Revolving Commitment (of the same Extension Series) an Incremental Term Commitment of any Series or a Revolving Commitment (other than an Extended Revolving Commitment) and (c) any Lender, refers to whether such Lender has a Loan or Commitment of a particular Class.

 

Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

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Collateral ” has the meaning provided for such term (or any analogous term describing assets on which Liens are purported to be granted to secure the Obligations) in each of the Security Documents.

 

Collateral Agent ” means Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as collateral agent under the U.S. Collateral Agreement.

 

Collateral Agreement ” means the U.S. Collateral Agreement, the Belgian Collateral Documents and/or any future security or collateral agreement entered into hereafter in accordance with the terms hereof, as the context may require.

 

Collateral and Guarantee Requirement ” means, at any time, the requirement that:

 

(a)          the Administrative Agent shall have received from the U.S. Borrower and each Designated Subsidiary either (i) with respect to Loan Parties as of the Initial Funding Date, in the case of the U.S. Borrower and each Designated Subsidiary that is a Domestic Subsidiary, a counterpart of the U.S. Collateral Agreement duly executed and delivered on behalf of such Person or (ii) in the case of any Person (other than the Belgian Borrower which shall be subject to the requirements in Section 5.13(b)) that becomes a Designated Subsidiary after the Initial Funding Date (including by ceasing to be an Excluded Subsidiary), a supplement to the applicable Collateral Agreement, substantially in the form specified therein or in a form otherwise reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, or a new Collateral Agreement in a form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent duly executed and delivered on behalf of such Person, together with, to the extent reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent, documents and opinions of the type referred to in paragraphs (e) and (f) of Section 4.02 with respect to such Designated Subsidiary;

 

(b)          all Equity Interests in any Subsidiary owned by any Loan Party, other than any Excluded Equity Interests, shall have been pledged pursuant to the applicable Collateral Agreement and the Administrative Agent shall, to the extent required by the applicable Collateral Agreement, have received certificates or other instruments representing all such Equity Interests, together with undated stock powers or other instruments of transfer with respect thereto endorsed in blank;

 

(c)          (i) all Indebtedness of any Loan Party (or any Person required to become a Loan Party) that is owing to the U.S. Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries shall be evidenced by the Intercompany Note to the extent consistent with applicable law, which Intercompany Note shall be required to be pledged to the Administrative Agent pursuant to the Collateral Agreements, and (ii) except with respect to intercompany Indebtedness, as promptly as practicable, and in any event within 30 days after the Initial Funding Date (or such later time as the Administrative Agent may agree), all Indebtedness for borrowed money in a principal amount in excess of $5,000,000 (individually) or $10,000,000 (in the aggregate) that is owing to any Loan Party (or any Person required to become a Loan Party) and is evidenced by a promissory note shall have been pledged pursuant to the applicable Collateral Agreement substantially in the form specified therein or in a form otherwise reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, and the

 

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Administrative Agent shall have received all such promissory notes, together with undated instruments of transfer with respect thereto endorsed in blank; and

 

(d)          all documents and instruments, including Uniform Commercial Code financing statements, required by Requirements of Law or reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to be delivered, filed, registered or recorded to create the Liens intended to be created by the Security Documents and perfect such Liens to the extent required by, and with the priority required by, the Security Documents and the other provisions of the term “Collateral and Guarantee Requirement,” shall have been filed, registered or recorded or delivered to the Administrative Agent for filing, registration or recording.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this definition or anything in this Agreement or any other Loan Document to the contrary, (a) the foregoing provisions of this definition shall not require the creation or perfection of pledges of or security interests in, or the obtaining of legal opinions or other deliverables with respect to, particular assets of the Loan Parties, or the provision of Guarantees by any Restricted Subsidiary, as to which the Administrative Agent and the U.S. Borrower reasonably agree that the cost of creating or perfecting such pledges or security interests in such assets, or obtaining such legal opinions or other deliverables in respect of such assets, or providing such Guarantees (taking into account any adverse tax consequences to the U.S. Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries (including the imposition of withholding or other material taxes)), shall be excessive in view of the benefits to be obtained by the Lenders therefrom, (b) Liens required to be granted from time to time pursuant to the term “Collateral and Guarantee Requirement” shall be subject to exceptions and limitations set forth in the Security Documents as in effect on the Initial Funding Date and, to the extent appropriate in the applicable jurisdiction, as reasonably agreed between the Administrative Agent and the U.S. Borrower, (c) in no event shall control agreements or similar arrangements be required with respect to deposit accounts, securities accounts or commodities accounts, (d) in no event shall the delivery of landlord lien waivers, estoppels, collateral access letters or any similar agreement or document be required, (e) in no event shall the Collateral pledged by any U.S. Loan Party include any Excluded Assets, (f) in no event shall the U.S. Borrower or any Domestic Subsidiary be required to deliver any documents or take any perfection steps required or governed by the laws of any non-U.S. jurisdiction, including the delivery of non-U.S. law pledge or charge agreements, non-U.S. law agreements or filings with respect to Intellectual Property or non-U.S. law security assignments or other non-U.S. agreements or filings, other than a Belgian law pledge of the equity interests in the Belgian Borrower and (g) no certificates, stock powers or other instruments representing Equity Interests of Persons that are not Subsidiaries or Persons that are Excluded Subsidiaries pursuant to clause (e) of the definition of “Excluded Subsidiary” shall be required to be delivered.  The Administrative Agent may, without the consent of any Lender, grant extensions of time for the creation and perfection of security interests in or the obtaining of legal opinions or other deliverables with respect to particular assets or the provision of any Guarantee by any Restricted Subsidiary (including extensions beyond the Initial Funding Date or in connection with assets acquired, or Subsidiaries formed or acquired, after the Initial Funding Date) where it and the U.S. Borrower reasonably agree that such action cannot be accomplished without undue effort or expense by the time or times at which it would otherwise be required to be accomplished by this Agreement or the Security Documents.  

 

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Commitment ” means a Revolving Commitment, an Initial Term Commitment, an Incremental Term Commitment of any Series, any Extended Revolving Commitment or any combination thereof (as the context requires).

 

Commitment Fee ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.12(a).

 

Competitor ” means any Person which is a direct competitor of the U.S. Borrower or its Subsidiaries; provided, that in connection with any assignment or participation, the assignee or Participant with respect to such proposed assignment or participation that is an investment bank, a commercial bank, a finance company, a fund, or other Person which merely has an economic interest in any such direct competitor, and is not itself such a direct competitor of the U.S. Borrower or its Subsidiaries, shall not be deemed to be a direct competitor for the purposes of this definition.

 

Compliance Certificate ” means a Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit E or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent (acting reasonably).

 

Consolidated EBITDA ” means, for any period, Consolidated Net Income for such period, plus

 

(a)          without duplication and to the extent deducted (and not added back) in determining such Consolidated Net Income, the sum of

 

(i)          consolidated interest expense for such period (including imputed interest expense in respect of Capital Lease Obligations);

 

(ii)         provision for taxes based on income, profits, losses or capital, including federal, foreign and state income and similar taxes (including foreign withholding taxes), paid or accrued during such period;

 

(iii)        all amounts attributable to depreciation and amortization for such period (excluding amortization expense attributable to a prepaid cash item that was paid in a prior period, but including amortization of deferred financing fees and costs and amortization of intangibles);

 

(iv)        (A) any unusual or non-recurring charges for such period, including restructuring or similar charges and (B) any extraordinary charges, losses or expenses (including transaction expenses) for such period, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP;

 

(v)         any Non-Cash Charges or changes in reserves for earnouts or similar obligations for such period;

 

(vi)       any losses attributable to early extinguishment of Indebtedness or obligations under any Hedging Agreement;

 

(vii)      one-time out-of-pocket costs and expenses relating to the Transactions, including, without limitation, legal and advisory fees (if incurred no later than 6 months following the Initial Funding Date);

 

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(viii)       [reserved];

 

(ix)         losses incurred as a result of Dispositions, closures, disposals or abandonments not in the ordinary course of business;

 

(x)          run-rate cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies expected to be achieved within 12 months following the Initial Funding Date related to the Spin-Off as a result of specified actions taken within 6 months following the Initial Funding Date or undertaken or implemented prior to the Initial Funding Date (calculated on a Pro Forma Basis as though such savings, reductions and synergies had been realized on the first day of such period) and not already included in Consolidated EBITDA; provided that such cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies (x) are reasonably identifiable, factually supportable and certified by the chief executive officer or a Financial Officer of the U.S. Borrower in a manner acceptable to the Administrative Agent (not to be unreasonably withheld) (it is understood and agreed that “run-rate” means the full recurring benefit for a period that is associated with any action taken or expected to be taken provided that such benefit is expected to be realized within 12 months of taking such action) and (y) shall not, together with any cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies attributable to paragraph (xi) below, exceed in any Test Period 20% of Consolidated EBITDA for such Test Period, calculated without giving effect to such cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies; and

 

(xi)         run-rate cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies related to Permitted Acquisitions, Dispositions or other transactions permitted under Section 6.05 expected to be achieved within 12 months following such transaction as a result of specified actions taken within 6 months following such transaction or undertaken or implemented prior to such transaction (calculated on a Pro Forma Basis as though such savings, reductions and synergies had been realized on the first day of such period) and not already included in Consolidated EBITDA; provided that such cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies (x) are reasonably identifiable, factually supportable and certified by the chief executive officer or a Financial Officer of the U.S. Borrower in a manner acceptable to the Administrative Agent (not to be unreasonably withheld) (it is understood and agreed that “run-rate” means the full recurring benefit for a period that is associated with any action taken or expected to be taken provided that such benefit is expected to be realized within 12 months of taking such action) and (y) shall not, together with any cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies attributable to paragraph (x) above, exceed in any Test Period 20% of Consolidated EBITDA for such Test Period, calculated without giving effect to such cost savings, operating expense reductions and synergies;

 

provided further that any cash payment made with respect to any Non-Cash Charges added back in computing Consolidated EBITDA for any prior period pursuant to clause

 

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(a)(v) above (or that would have been added back had this Agreement been in effect during such prior period) shall be subtracted in computing Consolidated EBITDA for the period in which such cash payment is made; and minus

 

(b)          without duplication and to the extent included (and not deducted) in determining such Consolidated Net Income, the sum of:

 

(i)          any interest income for such period, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP;

 

(ii)         any extraordinary gains or income for such period and any unusual or non-recurring gains for such period, all determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP;

 

(iii)        any gains attributable to the early extinguishment of Indebtedness or obligations under any Hedging Agreement;

 

(iv)        non-cash income for any Test Period; and

 

(v)         gains as a result of Dispositions, closures, disposals or abandonments not in the ordinary course of business;

 

provided that any cash receipt (or any netting arrangements resulting in reduced cash expenses) with respect to any non-cash income deducted in computing Consolidated EBITDA for any prior period pursuant to clause (b)(iv) above (or that would have been deducted in computing Consolidated EBITDA had this Agreement been in effect during such prior period) shall be added in computing Consolidated EBITDA for the period in which such cash is received (or netting arrangement becomes effective); provided , further that, to the extent included in Consolidated Net Income, Consolidated EBITDA for any period shall be calculated so as to exclude (without duplication of any adjustment referred to above) the effect of:

 

(A)         the cumulative effect of any changes in GAAP or accounting principles applied by management during such period;

 

(B)         any gains or losses on currency derivatives and any currency transaction and gains or losses that arise upon consolidation or upon remeasurement of Indebtedness; provided, for the avoidance of doubt, not excluding translation gains or losses;

 

(C)         any gains or losses attributable to the mark-to-market movement in the valuation of Hedging Obligations or other derivative instruments pursuant to Accounting Standards Codification 815; and

 

(D)         purchase accounting adjustments;

 

provided , further , that Consolidated EBITDA for any period shall be calculated so as to include (without duplication of any adjustment referred to above or made pursuant to Section 1.04, if applicable) the Acquired EBITDA of any Person, property, business or asset acquired by the U.S.

 

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Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary during such period (other than any Unrestricted Subsidiary) in a Material Acquisition to the extent not subsequently sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of (but not including the Acquired EBITDA of any related Person, property, business or asset to the extent not so acquired) (each such Person, property, business or asset acquired, including pursuant to a transaction consummated prior to the Initial Funding Date, and not subsequently so disposed of, an “ Acquired Entity or Business ”) for the entire period determined on a historical Pro Forma Basis and the Acquired EBITDA of any Unrestricted Subsidiary that is designated as a Restricted Subsidiary during such period (each, a “ Converted Restricted Subsidiary ”), in each case based on the Acquired EBITDA of such Acquired Entity or Business or Converted Restricted Subsidiary for such period (including the portion thereof occurring prior to such acquisition or conversion) determined on a historical Pro Forma Basis; and provided , further , that Consolidated EBITDA for any period shall be calculated so as to exclude (without duplication of any adjustment referred to above or made pursuant to Section 1.04, if applicable) the Disposed EBITDA of any Person, property, business or asset sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of or closed by the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary during such period in a Material Disposition (each such Person (other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary), property, business or asset so sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of or closed, including pursuant to a transaction consummated prior to the Initial Funding Date, a “ Sold Entity or Business ”) for the entire period determined on a historical Pro Forma Basis, and the Disposed EBITDA of any Restricted Subsidiary that is designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary during such period (each, a “ Converted Unrestricted Subsidiary ”), in each case based on the Disposed EBITDA of such Sold Entity or Business or Converted Unrestricted Subsidiary for such period (including the portion thereof occurring prior to such sale, transfer, disposition, closure, classification or conversion) determined on a historical Pro Forma Basis.

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, for purposes of determining Consolidated EBITDA under this Agreement for any period that includes any of the fiscal quarters ended March 31, 2015, June 30, 2015, September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2015, Consolidated EBITDA for such fiscal quarters shall be $47,700,000, $59,700,000, $55,900,000 and $26,800,000, respectively.

 

Consolidated Net Income ” means, for any period, the net income or loss attributable to the U.S. Borrower and its consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP; provided that there shall be excluded (a) (i) any gains or losses for such period of any Person that is accounted for by the equity method of accounting and (ii) the income of any Person (other than the U.S. Borrower) that is not a consolidated Restricted Subsidiary, in each case, except that Consolidated Net Income of the U.S. Borrower shall be increased by the amount (not in excess of such excluded gains or income of such Person) of cash dividends or cash distributions or other payments that are actually paid by such Person in cash or Cash Equivalents (or other property to the extent converted into cash or Cash Equivalents) to the U.S. Borrower or, subject to clause (b) below, any other consolidated Restricted Subsidiary during such period, and (b) the income of any consolidated Restricted Subsidiary (other than any Borrower or any Subsidiary Loan Party) to the extent that, on the date of determination, the declaration or payment of cash dividends or similar cash distributions by such Restricted Subsidiary is not permitted by the operation of the terms of the Organizational Documents of or shareholder

 

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or similar agreement applicable to such Restricted Subsidiary, unless such restriction with respect to the payment of cash dividends and other similar cash distributions has been legally and effectively waived.

 

Consolidated Secured Debt ” means, without duplication, as of any date of determination, the aggregate principal amount of (i) all Consolidated Total Debt outstanding hereunder as of such date and (ii) all other Consolidated Total Debt secured by Liens on any assets or property of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary (whether or not such assets or property constitute part of the Collateral).

 

Consolidated Total Assets ” means, on any date of determination, the consolidated total assets of the U.S. Borrower and its consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries as set forth on the consolidated balance sheet of the U.S. Borrower as of the last day of the applicable Test Period (but excluding all amounts attributable to Unrestricted Subsidiaries); provided that prior to the first delivery of financial statements pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or 5.01(b), Consolidated Total Assets shall be determined based on the balance sheet included in the Pro Forma Financial Statements.

 

Consolidated Total Debt ” means, as of any date of determination, the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness of the U.S. Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries outstanding on such date, in the amount that would be reflected on a consolidated balance sheet of the U.S. Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP, but only to the extent consisting of (i) Indebtedness for borrowed money, (ii) unpaid LC Disbursements or other unpaid drawings under letters of credit, (iii) Capital Lease Obligations (other than Capital Lease Obligations that are cash collateralized in connection with the IDB Closing Distribution) or purchase money debt, (iv) debt obligations evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, (v) outstandings under any Permitted Securitization Financing (but excluding intercompany obligations owed by a Special Purpose Securitization Subsidiary to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in connection therewith), or, (vi) to the extent the same would be reflected as a liability on a consolidated balance sheet of the U.S. Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries prepared in accordance with GAAP, any letters of credit supporting, or any Guarantees of, any of the foregoing which is the primary obligation of a third party (other than guarantee obligations that are cash collateralized in connection with the IDB Closing Distribution).

 

Continuing Director ” means, at any date, an individual (a) who is a member of the board of directors of the U.S. Borrower on the Initial Funding Date, (b) who, as at such date, has been a member of such board of directors for at least the 12 preceding months, or (c) who has been nominated to be a member of such board of directors, or whose election to such board of directors has been approved by, by a majority of the other Continuing Directors then in office.

 

Control ” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies, or the dismissal or appointment of the management, of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise.  “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.

 

Converted Restricted Subsidiary ” has the meaning provided in the definition of the term “Consolidated EBITDA.”

 

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Converted Unrestricted Subsidiary ” has the meaning provided in the definition of the term “Consolidated EBITDA.”

 

Corrective Extension Amendment ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.22(e).

 

Corresponding Obligations ” means all Belgian Obligations as they may exist from time to time, other than the Parallel Debt.

 

Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness ” means any unsecured Indebtedness or Permitted Junior Lien Secured Indebtedness; provided that (a) substantially concurrently with the incurrence of such Indebtedness, the net proceeds thereof shall be utilized to repay or prepay then outstanding Term Borrowings of one or more Classes, together with accrued and unpaid interest thereon, (b) such Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness shall comply with the Required Debt Parameters, (c) to the extent such Indebtedness is Permitted Junior Lien Secured Indebtedness, the administrative agent, collateral agent, trustee and/or any similar representative acting on behalf of the holders of such Indebtedness shall have become a party to a Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement providing that the Liens on the Collateral securing such Indebtedness shall rank junior in priority to the Liens on the Collateral securing the Obligations.

 

Credit Party ” means the Administrative Agent, each Issuing Bank, the Swingline Lender and each other Lender.

 

Default ” means any event or condition that constitutes, or upon notice, lapse of time or both would constitute, an Event of Default.

 

Defaulting Lender ” means any Revolving Lender that (a) has failed, within two Business Days of the date required to be funded or paid, (i) to fund any portion of its Loans, (ii) to fund any portion of its participations in Letters of Credit or Swingline Loans or (iii) to pay to any Credit Party any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder, unless, in the case of clause (i) above, such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent in writing that such failure is the result of such Lender’s good faith determination that a condition precedent to funding (specifically identified in such writing, including, if applicable, by reference to a specific Default) has not been satisfied, (b) has notified the U.S. Borrower or any Credit Party in writing, or has made a public statement, to the effect that it does not intend or expect to comply with any of its funding obligations under this Agreement (unless such writing or public statement indicates that such position is based on such Lender’s good-faith determination that a condition precedent (specifically identified in such writing, including, if applicable, by reference to a specific Default) to funding a Loan cannot be satisfied) or generally under other agreements in which it commits to extend credit, (c) has failed, within three Business Days after request by the U.S. Borrower or a Credit Party made in good faith to provide a certification in writing from an authorized officer of such Lender that it will comply with its obligations (and is financially able to meet such obligations) to fund prospective Loans and participations in then outstanding Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans; provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c) upon the U.S. Borrower’s or such Credit Party’s (as applicable) receipt of such certification in form and substance satisfactory to it and the Administrative Agent, or (d) has become the subject of a Lender-Related Distress Event.

 

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Designated Subsidiary ” means each Subsidiary that is not an Excluded Subsidiary.

 

Disposed EBITDA ” means, with respect to any Sold Entity or Business or Converted Unrestricted Subsidiary for any period, the amount for such period of Consolidated EBITDA of such Sold Entity or Business or Converted Unrestricted Subsidiary (determined as if references to the U.S. Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries in the definition of the term “Consolidated EBITDA” were references to such Sold Entity or Business or Converted Unrestricted Subsidiary and its subsidiaries), all as determined on a consolidated basis for such Sold Entity or Business or Converted Unrestricted Subsidiary.

 

Disposition ” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.05.

 

Disqualified Equity Interest ” means, with respect to any Person, any Equity Interest in such Person that requires the payment of any dividend (other than dividends payable solely in Qualified Equity Interests) or that by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable, either mandatorily or at the option of the holder thereof), or upon the happening of any event or condition:

 

(a)          matures or is mandatorily redeemable (other than solely for Equity Interests in such Person that do not constitute Disqualified Equity Interests and cash in lieu of fractional shares of such Equity Interests), whether pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise;

 

(b)          is convertible or exchangeable, either mandatorily or at the option of the holder thereof, for Indebtedness or Equity Interests (other than solely for Equity Interests in such Person that do not constitute Disqualified Equity Interests and cash in lieu of fractional shares of such Equity Interests); or

 

(c)          is redeemable (other than solely for Equity Interests in such Person that do not constitute Disqualified Equity Interests and cash in lieu of fractional shares of such Equity Interests) or is required to be repurchased by the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, in whole or in part, at the option of the holder thereof;

 

in each case, on or prior to the date 91 days after the latest Maturity Date (determined as of the date of issuance thereof or, in the case of any such Equity Interests outstanding on the Initial Funding Date, the Initial Funding Date); provided , however , that (i) an Equity Interest in any Person that would not constitute a Disqualified Equity Interest but for terms thereof giving holders thereof the right to require such Person to redeem or purchase such Equity Interest upon the occurrence of an “asset sale,” “casualty/condemnation” or a “change of control” (or similar event, however denominated) shall not constitute a Disqualified Equity Interest if any such requirement is subject to the prior or concurrent repayment in full of all the Loans and all other Loan Document Obligations (other than contingent or indemnification obligations not then due) that are accrued and payable, the cancellation or expiration of all Letters of Credit and the termination or expiration of the Commitments and (ii) an Equity Interest in any Person that is issued to any employee or to any plan for the benefit of employees or by any such plan to such employees

 

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shall not constitute a Disqualified Equity Interest solely because it may be required to be repurchased by such Person or any of its subsidiaries in order to satisfy applicable statutory or regulatory obligations or as a result of such employee’s termination, death or disability.

 

Disqualified Lender ” means (a) each bank, financial institution and other institutional lender or investor that has been separately identified in writing by the U.S. Borrower to the Arrangers prior to the date hereof, (b) bona fide Competitors of the U.S. Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries that are separately identified in writing by the U.S. Borrower to the Administrative Agent from time to time and (c) any Affiliates of any of the foregoing (which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall not include any bona fide debt investment funds that are Affiliates of any Person referenced in clause (b) above) that are either (i) identified in writing by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent from time to time or (ii) clearly identifiable by the Administrative Agent as such on the basis of their names; provided that any supplements to the Disqualified Lender list shall not apply to retroactively disqualify any Persons that have previously acquired an interest in respect of the Loans or Commitments hereunder.  The list of Disqualified Lenders shall be made available to any Lender upon request to the Administrative Agent.

 

Dividend ” means the dividend, distribution paid, purchase price paid or other cash transfer made by the U.S. Borrower on the Spin-Off Date to WestRock or any of its subsidiaries in connection with the Spin-Off (including in consideration of the Belgian Borrower and its Subsidiaries) in an amount not to exceed $500,000,000.

 

Documentation Agent ” means each of Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania, KeyBank National Association, The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd., SunTrust Bank and U .S. B ank National Association, in its capacity as the documentation agent for the credit facilities provided for herein.

 

Dollar Equivalent ” means, on any date of determination, (a) with respect to any amount in Dollars, such amount, and (b) with respect to any amount in any Alternative Currency, the equivalent in Dollars of such amount, determined by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 1.07 using the Exchange Rate with respect to such Alternative Currency at the time in effect under the provisions of such Section (except as otherwise expressly provided herein).

 

Dollars ” or “ $ ” refers to lawful money of the United States of America.

 

Domestic Subsidiary ” means any Restricted Subsidiary incorporated or organized under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia.

 

EEA Financial Institution ” means (a) any credit institution or investment firm established in any EEA Member Country which is subject to the supervision of an EEA Resolution Authority, (b) any entity established in an EEA Member Country which is a parent of an institution described in clause (a) of this definition, or (c) any financial institution established in an EEA Member Country which is a subsidiary of an institution described in clauses (a) or (b) of this definition and is subject to consolidated supervision with its parent.

 

EEA Member Country ” means any of the member states of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

 

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EEA Resolution Authority ” means any public administrative authority or any person entrusted with public administrative authority of any EEA Member Country (including any delegee) having responsibility for the resolution of any EEA Financial Institution.

 

Eligible Assignee ” means (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender, (c) an Approved Fund and (d) any other Person, other than, in each case, a natural person, a Disqualified Lender or, except to the extent permitted under Section 2.23 the U.S. Borrower, any Subsidiary or any other Affiliate of the U.S. Borrower.

 

Engagement Letter ” means the Engagement Letter dated December 9, 2015, among the U.S. Borrower, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., and Bank of America, N.A.

 

Environmental Laws ” means all rules, regulations, codes, ordinances, judgments, orders, decrees and other laws, and all injunctions, notices or binding agreements, issued, promulgated or entered into by any Governmental Authority and relating in any way to the environment, to preservation or reclamation of natural resources, to the management, Release or threatened Release of any Hazardous Material or to the extent related to human exposure to Hazardous Materials, health or safety matters.

 

Environmental Liability ” means any liability, obligation, loss, claim, action, order or cost, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties and indemnities), directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) human exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the Release or threatened Release of any Hazardous Materials or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.

 

Equity Interests ” means shares of capital stock, partnership interests, membership interests, beneficial interests or other ownership interests, whether voting or nonvoting, in, or interests in the income or profits of, a Person, and any warrants, options or other rights entitling the holder thereof to purchase or acquire any of the foregoing.

 

ERISA ” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.

 

ERISA Affiliate ” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that, together with the U.S. Borrower, is treated as a single employer under Section 414(b) or 414(c) of the Code or, solely for purposes of Section 302 of ERISA and Section 412 of the Code, is treated as a single employer under Section 414(m) or 414(o) of the Code.

 

ERISA Event ” means (a) any “reportable event,” as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA or the regulations issued thereunder with respect to a Plan (other than an event for which the 30-day notice period is waived), (b) any failure by any Plan to satisfy the minimum funding standard (within the meaning of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA) applicable to such Plan, in each case whether or not waived, (c) the filing pursuant to Section 412(c) of the Code or Section 302(c) of ERISA, of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with respect to any Plan, (d) a determination by the U.S. Borrower that any Plan is, or is expected to be, in “at-risk” status (as defined in Section 303(i)(4) of ERISA or Section 430(i)(4) of the

 

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Code), (e) the incurrence by the U.S. Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of any Plan, (f) the receipt by the U.S. Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates from the PBGC or a plan administrator of any notice relating to an intention to terminate any Plan or Plans or to appoint a trustee to administer any Plan, (g) the incurrence by the U.S. Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability with respect to the withdrawal or partial withdrawal from any Plan or Multiemployer Plan or (h) the receipt by the U.S. Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any notice, or the receipt by any Multiemployer Plan from the U.S. Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any notice, concerning the imposition of Withdrawal Liability or a determination by the U.S. Borrower that a Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, insolvent or in reorganization, within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA or in “endangered” or “critical” status, within the meaning of Section 305 of ERISA or Section 432 of the Code.

 

EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule ” means the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule published by the Loan Market Association (or any successor person), as in effect from time to time.

 

Euro ” and “ ” means the lawful currency of the European Union as constituted by the Treaty of Rome which established the European Community, as such treaty may be amended from time to time and as referred to in the European Monetary Union legislation.

 

Euro Sublimit ” means an amount equal to the lesser of (a) the equivalent in Euro of $100,000,000, as determined by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 1.07 using the Exchange Rate with respect to Euro at the time in effect under the provisions of such Section, and (b) the Aggregate Revolving Commitments.

 

Eurocurrency Rate ” means:

 

(a)          with respect to any Borrowing:

 

(i)          denominated in Dollars, the Adjusted LIBO Rate; and

 

(ii)         denominated in a LIBOR Quoted Currency, the rate per annum equal to the London Interbank Offered Rate (“ LIBOR ”) or a comparable or successor rate which rate is approved by the Administrative Agent, as published on the applicable Bloomberg screen page (or such other commercially available source providing such quotations as may be designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, for deposits in the relevant currency (for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period) with a term equivalent to such Interest Period; and

 

(b)          for any rate calculation with respect to an ABR Loan on any date, the rate per annum equal to LIBOR, at or about 11:00 a.m., London time determined two Business Days prior to such date for U.S. Dollar deposits with a term of one month commencing that day;

 

provided that to the extent a comparable or successor rate is approved by the Administrative Agent in connection with any rate set forth in this definition, the approved rate shall be applied in

 

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a manner consistent with market practice; provided , further , that to the extent such market practice is not administratively feasible for the Administrative Agent, such approved rate shall be applied in a manner as otherwise reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent; and if the Eurocurrency Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed zero for purposes of this Agreement.

 

Eurocurrency Rate Loan ” means a Loan that bears interest at a rate based on clause (a) of the definition of “Eurocurrency Rate.” Eurocurrency Rate Loans may be denominated in Dollars or in an Alternative Currency.  All Loans denominated in an Alternative Currency must be Eurocurrency Rate Loans.

 

Event of Default ” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.01.

 

Exchange Act ” means the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

 

Exchange Rate ” means, on any day, for purposes of determining the Dollar Equivalent of any currency other than Dollars, the rate at which such other currency may be exchanged into Dollars at the time of determination on such day on the Reuters WRLD Page for such currency.  In the event that such rate does not appear on any Reuters WRLD Page, the Exchange Rate shall be determined by reference to such other publicly available service for displaying exchange rates as may be agreed upon by the Administrative Agent and the U.S. Borrower, or, in the absence of such an agreement, such Exchange Rate shall instead be the arithmetic average of the spot rates of exchange of the Administrative Agent in the market where its foreign currency exchange operations in respect of such currency are then being conducted, at or about such time as the Administrative Agent shall elect after determining that such rates shall be the basis for determining the Exchange Rate, on such date for the purchase of Dollars for delivery two Business Days later, provided that if at the time of any such determination, for any reason, no such spot rate is being quoted, the Administrative Agent may use any method it reasonably deems appropriate to determine such rate.

 

Excluded Assets ” means (a) any fee-owned real property and any leasehold interests in real property, (b) any Excluded Equity Interests, (c) any asset if, to the extent and for so long as the grant of a Lien thereon to secure the Loan Document Obligations is effectively prohibited by any Requirements of Law, (d) any lease, license or other agreement or contract or any property subject to a purchase money security interest, Capital Lease Obligation or similar arrangement to the extent that a grant of a security interest therein would violate or invalidate such lease, license or agreement or contract or purchase money, capital lease or similar arrangement or create a right of termination in favor of any other party thereto (other than the U.S. Borrower or any wholly-owned Restricted Subsidiary) after giving effect to the applicable anti-assignment provisions of the Uniform Commercial Code or other similar applicable law, other than proceeds and receivables thereof, the assignment of which is expressly deemed effective under the Uniform Commercial Code or other similar applicable law notwithstanding such prohibition, (e) any governmental licenses or state or local franchises, charters and authorizations, if, to the extent, and for so long as, the grant of a security interest in any such licenses, franchises charters or authorizations would be prohibited or restricted by such license, franchise, charter or authorization (after giving effect to the anti-assignment provisions of the Uniform Commercial Code of any applicable jurisdiction or other applicable law), (f) any trademark application filed in the United States Patent

 

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and Trademark Office on the basis of an “intent-to-use” such trademark, unless and until acceptable evidence of use of the trademark has been filed with and accepted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office pursuant to Section 1(c) or Section 1(d) of the Lanham Act (15 U.S.C. §§1051, et seq .), if, to the extent, and for so long as, granting a security interest or other Lien in such trademark application prior to such filing could reasonably be expected to adversely affect the enforceability or validity of such trademark application, (g) in each case if the contract or other agreement pursuant to which such Lien is granted or created (or the documentation providing for such Indebtedness) effectively prohibits the creation of any other Lien on such property, any property subject to a Lien permitted by Sections 6.02 (iv), (v), (ix) and (xx), (h) motor vehicles and other assets subject to certificates of title to the extent a Lien thereon cannot be perfected by the filing of a UCC financing statement, (i) assets as to which the Administrative Agent and the U.S. Borrower shall have agreed in writing that the cost of obtaining such a security interest or perfection thereof (including adverse tax consequences) is excessive in relation to the benefit to the Lenders of the security to be afforded thereby and (j) Securitization Assets sold to any Special Purpose Securitization Subsidiary or otherwise pledged, factored, transferred or sold in connection with any Permitted Securitization Financing.

 

Excluded Equity Interests ” means (a) with respect to any Loans made to the U.S. Borrower, any Equity Interests that consist of voting stock of a Subsidiary that is a CFC or a FSHCO in excess of 65% of the outstanding voting stock of such Subsidiary, (b) any Equity Interests if, to the extent, and for so long as, the grant of a Lien thereon to secure the Loan Document Obligations is effectively prohibited by any Requirements of Law; provided that such Equity Interest shall cease to be an Excluded Equity Interest at such time as such prohibition ceases to be in effect (unless another clause of this definition applies), (c) margin stock, (d) any Equity Interests in any Person other than a wholly-owned Restricted Subsidiary if, to the extent, and for so long as, after giving effect to the applicable anti-assignment provisions in the Uniform Commercial Code and applicable Law, the grant of a Lien thereon is prohibited by the Organizational Documents of or any shareholder or similar agreement applicable to such Person, or would create an enforceable right of termination in favor of any other party thereto (other than the U.S. Borrower or any wholly-owned Restricted Subsidiary) under the terms of any such document or agreement; provided that such Equity Interest shall cease to be an Excluded Equity Interest at such time as such prohibition or right of termination ceases to exist or be in effect (unless another clause of this definition applies), (e) any Equity Interest of any Unrestricted Subsidiary and (f) any Equity Interest if, to the extent, and for so long as, the Administrative Agent and the U.S. Borrower shall have agreed in writing to treat such Equity Interest as an Excluded Equity Interest on account of the cost of pledging such Equity Interest hereunder (taking into account any adverse tax consequences to the U.S. Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries (including the imposition of withholding or other material taxes)), being excessive in view of the benefits to be obtained by the Lenders therefrom.

 

Excluded Subsidiary ” means (a) any Subsidiary that is not a wholly-owned Restricted Subsidiary of the U.S. Borrower (including any Unrestricted Subsidiary), (b) (i) with respect to any Loans made to the U.S. Borrower, any Subsidiary that is a CFC or a FSHCO and (ii) with respect to any Loans made to the Belgian Borrower, any Subsidiary other than a Subsidiary of the U.S. Borrower organized in Belgium or the United States, (c) any Subsidiary that is prohibited by any Requirement of Law from guaranteeing the Loan Document Obligations, (d) any Subsidiary that

 

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is prohibited by any contractual obligation existing on the Signing Date or on the date such Subsidiary is acquired (but not entered into in contemplation of the Transactions or such acquisition) from guaranteeing the Loan Document Obligations, (e) any Subsidiary (i) the assets of which constitute less than 2.5% of the Consolidated Total Assets of the U.S. Borrower or (ii) the gross revenues of which constitute less than 2.5% of the consolidated gross revenues of the U.S. Borrower, in each case as of the end of the Test Period most recently ended; provided that if at the end of or for any Test Period during the term of this Agreement, the aggregate assets or aggregate gross revenues of all Restricted Subsidiaries that under clauses (e)(i) and (e)(ii) above would constitute Excluded Subsidiaries shall exceed 5% of the Consolidated Total Assets of the U.S. Borrower or 5% of the consolidated gross revenues of the U.S. Borrower, then one or more of such Excluded Subsidiaries designated by the U.S. Borrower shall for all purposes of this Agreement cease to be Excluded Subsidiaries to the extent required to eliminate such excess; provided , further , that, for purposes of this definition, the Consolidated Total Assets and consolidated gross revenues of the U.S. Borrower as of any date prior to, or for any period that commenced prior to, the Initial Funding Date shall be determined on a Pro Forma Basis to give effect to the Transactions, (f) any Special Purpose Securitization Subsidiary and (g) any other Subsidiary excused from becoming a Loan Party pursuant to the last paragraph of the definition of the term “Collateral and Guarantee Requirement”; provided that any Subsidiary shall cease to be an Excluded Subsidiary at such time as it is a wholly-owned Restricted Subsidiary of the U.S. Borrower and none of clauses (b) through (g) above apply to it.

 

Excluded Taxes ” means, with respect to any payment made by or on behalf of any Loan Party under this Agreement or any other Loan Document, any of the following Taxes imposed on or with respect to a Credit Party: (a) income or franchise Taxes imposed on (or measured by) net income by any jurisdiction as a result of such Credit Party being organized or having its principal office located in or, in the case of any Lender, having its applicable lending office located in such jurisdiction, (b) any branch profits Taxes (or similar Taxes) imposed by any jurisdiction referred to in clause (a) above, (c) any income or franchise Taxes imposed on (or measured by) net income or branch profits Taxes (or similar Taxes) that are Other Connection Taxes, (d) in the case of a Lender (other than an assignee pursuant to a request by the U.S. Borrower under Section 2.19(b)), any U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed in respect of a Loan to the U.S. Borrower (x) resulting from any law in effect on the date such Lender becomes a party to this Agreement (or designates a new lending office), except to the extent that such Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, immediately prior to the designation of a new lending office (or assignment), to receive additional amounts from the U.S. Borrower with respect to such withholding Taxes pursuant to Section 2.17(a) or (y) that are attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with Section 2.17(e) and (e) any U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed by reason of FATCA.

 

Existing Class ” means an Existing Term Loan Class or Existing Revolving Class, as applicable.

 

Existing Letters of Credit ” means the letters of credit listed on Schedule 1.01, as such schedule may be amended, supplemented, updated or otherwise modified prior to the Initial Funding Date in a manner acceptable to the Administrative Agent.

 

Existing Revolving Class ” has the meaning as set forth in Section 2.22(a)(ii).

 

Existing Revolving Commitment ” has the meaning as set forth in Section 2.22(a)(ii).

 

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Existing Revolving Loans ” has the meaning as set forth in Section 2.22(a)(ii).

 

Existing Term Loan Class ” has the meaning as set forth in Section 2.22(a)(i).

 

Existing Term Loans ” has the meaning as set forth in Section 2.22(a)(i).

 

Extended Revolving Class ” has the meaning as set forth in Section 2.22(a)(ii).

 

Extended Revolving Commitments ” has the meaning as set forth in Section 2.22(a)(ii).

 

Extended Revolving Loans ” has the meaning as set forth in Section 2.22(a)(ii).

 

Extended Term Loans ” has the meaning as set forth in Section 2.22(a)(i).

 

Extending Lender ” has the meaning as set forth in Section 2.22(b).

 

Extension Amendment ” has the meaning as set forth in Section 2.22(c).

 

Extension Election ” has the meaning as set forth in Section 2.22(b).

 

Extension Request ” means Term Loan Extension Requests and Revolving Extension Requests.

 

Extension Series ” means all Extended Term Loans, Extended Revolving Loans and Extended Revolving Commitments that are established pursuant to the same Extension Amendment (or any subsequent Extension Amendment to the extent such Extension Amendment expressly provides that the Extended Term Loans, Extended Revolving Loans or Extended Revolving Commitments, as applicable, provided for therein are intended to be a part of any previously established Extension Series) and that provide for the same interest margins, extension fees, if any, and amortization schedule.

 

FATCA ” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, as of the Signing Date (including any amended or successor version thereof that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with), and any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof and any agreements entered into pursuant to current Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code (or any amended or successor version described above) and any intergovernmental agreements implementing the foregoing.

 

Federal Funds Effective Rate ” means, for any day, the weighted average of the rates on overnight federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by federal funds brokers, as published on the next succeeding Business Day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or, if such rate is not so published for any day that is a Business Day, the average of the quotations for such day for such transactions received by the Administrative Agent from three federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by it.

 

Financial Maintenance Covenant ” means, at any time, (a) the covenant set forth in Section 6.12(a), (b) the covenant set forth in Section 6.12(b) and (c) any Previously Absent Financial Maintenance Covenant if such Previously Absent Financial Maintenance Covenant is operative at such time and has been included in this Agreement for the benefit of all Lenders.

 

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Financial Officer ” means, with respect to any Person, the chief financial officer, principal accounting officer, treasurer or controller of such Person.

 

Financing Transactions ” means the execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of the Loan Documents to which it is to be a party, the borrowing of Loans, the use of the proceeds of the Loans and the issuance of Letters of Credit hereunder.

 

Foreign Lender ” means any Lender that is not a U.S. Person.

 

Foreign Source Prepayment ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.11(h).

 

Foreign Subsidiary ” means any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Domestic Subsidiary.

 

FSHCO ” means any Domestic Subsidiary that has no material assets other than Equity Interests of one or more Foreign Subsidiaries that are CFCs or Domestic Subsidiaries that are described in this definition.

 

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

 

Governmental Approvals ” means all authorizations, consents, approvals, permits, licenses and exemptions of, registrations and filings with, and reports to, Governmental Authorities (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank).

 

Governmental Authority ” means the government of the United States of America, any other nation or any political subdivision thereof, whether state, local, provincial or otherwise, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government (including any supra-national body exercising such powers or functions, such as the European Union or the European Central Bank).

 

Guarantee ” of or by any Person (the “ guarantor ”) means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of the guarantor guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person (the “ primary obligor ”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of the guarantor, direct or indirect, (a) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation or to purchase (or to advance or supply funds for the purchase of) any security for the payment thereof, (b) to purchase or lease property, securities or services primarily for the purpose of assuring the owner of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment thereof, (c) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation or (d) as an account party in respect of any letter of credit or letter of guaranty issued to support such Indebtedness or other obligation; provided that the term “Guarantee” shall not include reasonable and customary indemnity obligations in effect on the Initial Funding Date or entered into in connection with any acquisition or disposition of assets permitted under the Loan Documents (other than with respect to Indebtedness), or endorsements of instruments for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business.  The amount, as of any date of determination, of any Guarantee shall be the principal amount outstanding on such date of Indebtedness

 

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or other obligation guaranteed thereby (or, in the case of (i) any Guarantee the terms of which limit the monetary exposure of the guarantor, the maximum monetary exposure or (ii) any Guarantee of an obligation that does not have a principal amount, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability, in each case, as of such date of the guarantor under such Guarantee (as determined, in the case of clause (i), pursuant to such terms or, in the case of clause (ii), in good faith by the U.S. Borrower)); provided further that all “Guarantees” of Obligations shall be guarantees of payment and not of collection.

 

Hazardous Materials ” means all explosive, radioactive, hazardous or toxic substances, wastes or other pollutants, including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas, infectious or medical wastes and all other substances or wastes that are regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law.

 

Hedge Bank ” means any counterparty to a Hedging Agreement that is a Lender, Agent or Arranger or any Affiliate thereof.

 

Hedging Agreement ” means any agreement with respect to any swap, forward, future or derivative transaction, or any option or similar agreement, involving, or settled by reference to, one or more rates, currencies, commodities, prices of equity or debt securities or instruments, or economic, financial or pricing indices or measures of economic, financial or pricing risk or value, or any similar transaction or combination of the foregoing transactions; provided that no phantom stock or similar plan providing for payments only on account of services provided by current or former directors, officers, employees or consultants of the U.S. Borrower or the Subsidiaries shall be a Hedging Agreement.

 

Hedging Obligations ” means obligations owed by a Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to any Hedge Bank in connection with, or in respect of, any Hedging Agreement.

 

IDB Closing Distribution ” means the payment into an escrow account by the Borrowers on or about the Initial Funding Date of an amount not to exceed $80,000,001 to secure guarantee obligations by the U.S. Borrower (and/or its Subsidiaries) relating to IDBs retained by WestRock (and/or its Affiliates).

 

Incremental Base Amount ” means, as of any date of determination, (a) $225,000,000 minus (b) the aggregate then outstanding principal amount of any Incremental Term Loans, and the aggregate amount of Incremental Revolving Commitment Increases then in effect, in each case that have been initially incurred or established pursuant to Section 2.21(a); provided that, to the extent any of the Loans, Commitments or Indebtedness referred to in clause (b) have been extended pursuant to Section 2.22, such Loans, Commitments or Indebtedness shall be deemed to continue to be outstanding and/or in effect, as applicable, for purposes of determining the Incremental Base Amount minus (c) the aggregate principal amount of Permitted Junior Lien Secured Indebtedness incurred pursuant to Section 6.02(i)(B).

 

Incremental Facility Agreement ” means an Incremental Facility Agreement among the applicable Borrower, the Administrative Agent and one or more Incremental Lenders, establishing Incremental Term Commitments of any Series or Incremental Revolving Commitment Increases

 

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and effecting such other amendments hereto and to the other Loan Documents as are contemplated by Section 2.21.

 

Incremental Lender ” means any Lender providing an Incremental Revolving Commitment Increase or an Incremental Term Lender.

 

Incremental Revolving Commitment Increase ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.21(a).

 

Incremental Term Commitment ” means, with respect to any Lender, the commitment, if any, of such Lender, established pursuant an Incremental Facility Agreement and Section 2.21, to make Incremental Term Loans of any Series hereunder, expressed as an amount representing the maximum principal amount of the Incremental Term Loans of such Series to be made by such Lender.

 

Incremental Term Lender ” means a Lender with an Incremental Term Commitment or an outstanding Incremental Term Loan.

 

Incremental Term Loan ” means a Loan made by an Incremental Term Lender to the U.S. Borrower in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.21.

 

Indebtedness ” of any Person means, without duplication, (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, (c) all obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to property acquired by such Person (excluding trade accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business), (d) all obligations of such Person in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (including payments in respect of non-competition agreements or other arrangements representing acquisition consideration, in each case entered into in connection with an acquisition, but excluding (i) current accounts payable and trade payables incurred in the ordinary course of business, (ii) deferred compensation payable to directors, officers or employees of such Person and (iii) any purchase price adjustment or earnout incurred in connection with an acquisition, until such obligation becomes a liability on the balance sheet of such Person in accordance with GAAP), (e) all Capital Lease Obligations and Synthetic Lease Obligations of such Person and all obligations of such Person under any Permitted Securitization Financing (but excluding intercompany obligations owed by a Special Purpose Securitization Subsidiary to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in connection therewith), (f) the maximum aggregate amount of all letters of credit and letters of guaranty in respect of which such Person is an account party (in each case after giving effect to any prior reductions or drawings which may have been reimbursed), (g) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of bankers’ acceptances, (h) all Disqualified Equity Interests in such Person, valued, as of the date of determination, at the greater of (i) the maximum aggregate amount that would be payable upon maturity, redemption, repayment or mandatory repurchase thereof (or of Disqualified Equity Interests or Indebtedness into which such Disqualified Equity Interests are convertible or exchangeable) and (ii) the maximum liquidation preference of such Disqualified Equity Interests, (i) all Indebtedness of others secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on property owned or acquired by such Person, whether or not the Indebtedness secured thereby has been assumed by such Person, and (j) all Guarantees by such Person of Indebtedness of others.  The

 

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Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any other Person (including any partnership in which such Person is a general partner) to the extent such Person is liable therefor as a result of such Person’s ownership interest in or other relationship with such other Person, except to the extent the terms of such Indebtedness provide that such Person is not liable therefor.  The amount of Indebtedness of any Person for purposes of clause (i) above shall (unless such Indebtedness has been assumed by such Person) be deemed to be equal to the lesser of (A) the aggregate unpaid amount of such Indebtedness and (B) the fair market value of the property encumbered thereby as determined by such Person in good faith.

 

Indemnified Institution ” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.03(b).

 

Indemnified Taxes ” means all (a) Taxes, other than Excluded Taxes, imposed on or with respect to any payment made by or on behalf of any Loan Party under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and (b) Other Taxes.

 

Indemnitee ” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.03(b).

 

Initial Funding Date ” means the date on which the conditions specified in Section 4.02 are satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 9.02).

 

Initial Term Commitment ” means, with respect to each Lender, the commitment, if any, of such Lender to make an Initial Term Loan on the Initial Funding Date, expressed as an amount representing the maximum principal amount of the Initial Term Loan to be made by such Lender, as such commitment may be (a) reduced from time to time pursuant to Section 2.08 and (b) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to Section 9.04.  The initial amount of each Lender’s Initial Term Commitment is set forth on Schedule 2.01, or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its Initial Term Commitment, as applicable.  The initial aggregate amount of the Lenders’ Initial Term Commitments is $300,000,000.

 

Initial Term Lender ” means a Lender with an Initial Term Commitment or an outstanding Initial Term Loan.

 

Initial Term Loan ” means a Loan made pursuant to clause (a) of Section 2.01.

 

Initial Term Maturity Date ” means the date that is five years after the Initial Funding Date.

 

Intellectual Property ” has the meaning set forth in the U.S. Collateral Agreement.

 

Intercompany Note ” means the Subordinated Intercompany Note, dated as of the Initial Funding Date, substantially in the form of Exhibit F hereto (or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent (acting reasonably)) and executed by the U.S. Borrower and each other Restricted Subsidiary of the U.S. Borrower.

 

Interest Coverage Ratio ” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated EBITDA as of the last day of the Test Period most recently ended on or prior to such date of determination to (b) the total for such Test Period of required payments of cash Interest Expense by the U.S. Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries.  The Interest Coverage Ratio (including all

 

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definitions used to calculate the Interest Coverage Ratio) shall, for all purposes hereunder, be determined on a Pro Forma Basis, except that, for purposes of compliance with Section 6.12, pro forma effect shall not be given to any transaction occurring after the conclusion of the applicable Test Period.  

 

Interest Election Request ” means a request by the Borrower Representative to convert or continue a Revolving Borrowing or Term Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.07, which shall be, in the case of any such written request, substantially in the form of Exhibit H or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent (acting reasonably).

 

Interest Expense ” means for any period the consolidated interest expense of the U.S. Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period (including all imputed interest on capital leases).

 

Interest Payment Date ” means (a) with respect to any ABR Loan (other than a Swingline Loan), the last day of each March, June, September and December, (b) with respect to any Eurocurrency Rate Loan, the last day of the Interest Period applicable to the Borrowing of which such Loan is a part and, in the case of a Eurocurrency Rate Loan with an Interest Period of more than three months’ duration, such day or days prior to the last day of such Interest Period as shall occur at intervals of three months’ duration after the first day of such Interest Period, and (c) with respect to any Swingline Loan, the day that such Loan is required to be repaid.

 

Interest Period ” means, with respect to any Eurocurrency Rate Loan, the period commencing on the date of such Borrowing and ending on the numerically corresponding day in the calendar month that is one, two, three or six months thereafter (or any other period if agreed to by all applicable Lenders), as the Borrower Representative may elect; provided that (a) if any Interest Period would end on a day other than a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such next succeeding Business Day would fall in the next calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day, and (b) any Interest Period that commences on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the last calendar month of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the last calendar month of such Interest Period.  For purposes hereof, the date of a Borrowing initially shall be the date on which such Borrowing is made and thereafter shall be the effective date of the most recent conversion or continuation of such Borrowing.

 

Investment ” means, as to any Person, any investment by such Person, whether by means of (a) the purchase or other acquisition of Equity Interests or debt or other securities of another Person, (b) a loan (other than the extension of trade credit in the ordinary course of business), advance or capital contribution to, Guarantee or assumption of Indebtedness of, or purchase or other acquisition of any other debt or equity participation or interest in, another Person, including any partnership or joint venture interest in such other Person or (c) the purchase or other acquisition (in one transaction or a series of transactions) of (i) all or substantially all of the property and assets or business of another Person or (ii) assets constituting a business unit, line of business, product line or division of such Person.  The amount, as of any date of determination, of (i) any Investment in the form of a loan or an advance shall be the principal amount thereof outstanding on such date, minus any cash payments actually received by such investor representing a payment or prepayment of principal of such Investment, but without any adjustment for write-downs or write-offs

 

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(including as a result of forgiveness of any portion thereof) with respect to such loan or advance after the date thereof, (ii) any Investment in the form of a Guarantee shall be 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 in good faith by the U.S. Borrower, (iii) any Investment in the form of a transfer of Equity Interests or other non-cash property by the investor to the investee, including any such transfer in the form of a capital contribution, shall be the fair market value (as determined in good faith by the U.S. Borrower) of such Equity Interests or other property as of the time of the transfer, minus any payments actually received by such investor representing a return of capital of such Investment, but without any other adjustment for increases or decreases in value of, or write-ups, write-downs or write-offs with respect to, such Investment after the date of such Investment, and (iv) any Investment (other than any Investment referred to in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above) by the specified Person in the form of a purchase or other acquisition for value of any Equity Interests, evidences of Indebtedness or other securities of any other Person shall be the original cost of such Investment (including any Indebtedness assumed in connection therewith), minus the amount of any portion of such Investment that has been repaid to the investor in cash as a repayment of principal or a return of capital, but without any other adjustment for increases or decreases in value of, or write-ups, write-downs or write-offs with respect to, such Investment after the date of such Investment.  For purposes of Section 6.04, if an Investment involves the acquisition of more than one Person, the amount of such Investment shall be allocated among the Acquired Persons in accordance with GAAP; provided that pending the final determination of the amounts to be so allocated in accordance with GAAP, such allocation shall be as reasonably determined by the U.S. Borrower.

 

IP Security Agreements ” has the meaning set forth in the U.S. Collateral Agreement.

 

IRS ” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

 

Issuing Bank ” means Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Bank of America, N.A., JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., and each Revolving Lender that shall have become an Issuing Bank hereunder as provided in Section 2.05(j) (other than any Person that shall have ceased to be an Issuing Bank as provided in Section 2.05(k)), each in its capacity as an issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder.  Each Issuing Bank may, in its discretion, arrange for one or more Letters of Credit to be issued by Affiliates of such Issuing Bank, in which case the term “Issuing Bank” shall include any such Affiliate with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such Affiliate (it being agreed that such Issuing Bank shall, or shall cause such Affiliate to, comply with the requirements of Section 2.05 with respect to such Letters of Credit).

 

Japanese Yen ” or “ ¥ ” refers to lawful money of Japan.

 

Japanese Yen Sublimit ” means an amount equal to the lesser of (a) the equivalent in Japanese Yen of $25,000,000, as determined by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 1.07 using the Exchange Rate with respect to Japanese Yen at the time in effect under the provisions of such Section, and (b) the Aggregate Revolving Commitments.

 

Junior Financing ” means any Indebtedness that is (a) unsecured, (b) Permitted Junior Lien Secured Indebtedness or (c) subordinated in right of payment to the Loan Document Obligations.

 

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Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement ” means an intercreditor agreement reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent in light of market custom pursuant to which the Liens securing any Permitted Junior Lien Secured Indebtedness shall be subordinated to the Liens securing the Obligations.

 

LC Disbursement ” means a payment made by an Issuing Bank pursuant to a Letter of Credit.

 

LC Exposure ” means, at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate amount of all Letters of Credit that remains available for drawing at such time and (b) the aggregate amount of all LC Disbursements that have not yet been reimbursed by or on behalf of the Borrowers at such time.  The LC Exposure of any Revolving Lender at any time shall be its Applicable Percentage of the total LC Exposure at such time.

 

Lender Loss Sharing Agreement ” means that certain Lender Loss Sharing Agreement entered into by each Lender as of the Signing Date substantially in the form of Exhibit O and each other Lender becoming party to this Agreement via an Assignment and Assumption or otherwise after the Signing Date.

 

Lender-Related Distress Event ” means, with respect to any Revolving Lender, that such Revolving Lender or its Revolving Lender Parent has become the subject of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding, has had a receiver, conservator, trustee, administrator, custodian, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with the reorganization or liquidation of its business appointed for it, or, in the good faith determination of the Administrative Agent, such Revolving Lender or its Revolving Lender Parent has taken any action in furtherance of, or indicating its consent to, approval of or acquiescence in, any such proceeding or appointment, or become the subject of a Bail-In Action; provided that a Lender-Related Distress Event shall not result solely by virtue of any ownership interest, or the acquisition of any ownership interest, in such Revolving Lender or its Revolving Lender Parent by a Governmental Authority; provided , however , that such ownership interest does not result in or provide such Revolving Lender or Revolving Lender Parent, as the case may be, with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States of America or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permit such Revolving Lender or Revolving Lender Parent, as the case may be (or such Governmental Authority) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any agreements made by such Revolving Lender or Revolving Lender Parent, as the case may be.

 

Lenders ” means the Persons listed on Schedule 2.01 and any other Person that shall have become a party hereto as a Lender pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption or an Incremental Facility Agreement, other than any such Person that shall have ceased to be a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption.  Unless the context otherwise requires, the term “Lenders” includes the Swingline Lender.

 

Letter of Credit ” means any letter of credit issued pursuant to this Agreement, other than any such letter of credit that shall have ceased to be a “Letter of Credit” outstanding hereunder pursuant to Section 9.05.

 

Letter of Credit Request ” means a request by the Borrower Representative for the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of a Letter of Credit in accordance with Section 2.05, which

 

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shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit C-2 or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent (acting reasonably).

 

Letter of Credit Sublimit ” means an amount equal to $75,000,000; provided that the outstanding amount of Letters of Credit of any Issuing Bank shall not exceed its Specified L/C Sublimit.

 

LIBOR ” has the meaning set forth in the definition of “Eurocurrency Rate.”

 

LIBOR Quoted Currency ” means each of the following currencies: Dollars; Euro; and Yen; in each case as long as there is a published LIBOR rate with respect thereto.

 

Lien ” means, with respect to any asset, (a) any mortgage, deed of trust, lien, pledge, hypothecation, charge, security interest or other encumbrance on, in or of such asset and (b) the interest of a vendor or a lessor under any conditional sale agreement, capital lease or Synthetic Lease or title retention agreement (or any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing) relating to such asset.  “Lien” shall not, however, include (i) any interest of a vendor in any inventory of the U.S. Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries arising out of such inventory being subject to a “sale or return” arrangement with such vendor or any consignment by any third party of any inventory to the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, or (ii) any operating lease.

 

Loan Documents ” means this Agreement, any Incremental Facility Agreement, any Extension Amendment, any Section 2.22 Additional Amendment, the Collateral Agreements, the other Security Documents, any Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement, any agreement designating an additional Issuing Bank as contemplated by Section 2.05(j) and, except for purposes of Section 9.02, any promissory notes delivered pursuant to Section 2.09(c).

 

Loan Document Obligations ” has the meaning set forth in the U.S. Collateral Agreement.

 

Loan Parties ” means the U.S. Borrower, the Belgian Borrower and each Subsidiary Loan Party.

 

Loans ” means the loans made by the Lenders to the Borrowers pursuant to this Agreement.

 

Local Time ” means (a) local time in New York City, with respect to the times for (i) the determination of “Dollar Equivalent” and (ii) the receipt and sending of notices by and to and the disbursement by or payment to the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or Lender with respect to Loans denominated in Dollars and Letters of Credit denominated in Dollars; (b) local time in London, England, with respect to the time for the receipt and sending of notices by and to the Administrative Agent or any Lender with respect to Loans denominated in Euro or Japanese Yen; (c) local time in London, England, with respect to the disbursement by or payment to the Administrative Agent or any Lender with respect to Loans denominated in Euro; (d) local time in Tokyo, Japan, with respect to the disbursement by or payment to the Administrative Agent or any Lender with respect to Loans denominated in Japanese Yen; and (e) in all other circumstances, New York, New York time.

 

Majority in Interest ,” when used in reference to Lenders of any Class, means, at any time, (a) in the case of the Revolving Lenders, Lenders having Revolving Exposures and unused Revolving Commitments representing more than 50% of the sum of the Aggregate Revolving Exposures

 

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and the unused Aggregate Revolving Commitment at such time, and (b) in the case of the Lenders of Term Loans of any Class, Lenders holding outstanding Term Loans of such Class representing more than 50% of all Term Loans of such Class outstanding at such time.

 

Material Acquisition ” means any acquisition, or a series of related acquisitions, of (a) Equity Interests in any Person if, after giving effect thereto, such Person will become a Restricted Subsidiary or (b) assets comprising all or substantially all the assets of (or the assets constituting a business unit, division, product line or line of business of) any Person by a Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided that the aggregate consideration therefor (including Indebtedness assumed in connection therewith, all obligations in respect of deferred purchase price (including obligations under any purchase price adjustment but excluding earnout or similar payments) and all other consideration payable in connection therewith (including payment obligations in respect of noncompetition agreements or other arrangements representing acquisition consideration)) exceeds $5,000,000.

 

Material Adverse Effect ” means a circumstance or condition that has materially adversely affected or would reasonably be expected to materially adversely affect (a) the business, assets, operations or financial condition of the U.S. Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (b) the ability of the Loan Parties, taken as a whole, to perform their payment obligations under the Loan Documents or (c) the rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders under the Loan Documents.

 

Material Disposition ” means any Disposition, or a series of related Dispositions, of (a) all or substantially all the issued and outstanding Equity Interests in any Person that are owned by a Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or (b) assets comprising all or substantially all the assets of (or the assets constituting a business unit, division, product line or line of business of) a Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided that the aggregate consideration therefor (including Indebtedness assumed by the transferee in connection therewith, all obligations in respect of deferred purchase price (including obligations under any purchase price adjustment but excluding earnout or similar payments) and all other consideration payable in connection therewith (including payment obligations in respect of noncompetition agreements or other arrangements representing acquisition consideration)) exceeds $5,000,000.

 

Material Indebtedness ” means Indebtedness (other than the Loans, Letters of Credit and Guarantees under the Loan Documents), or Hedging Obligations, of any one or more of the Borrowers and the Restricted Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount of $50,000,000 or more.  For purposes of determining Material Indebtedness, the “principal amount” of any Hedging Obligation at any time shall be the maximum aggregate amount (giving effect to any netting agreements) that such Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary would be required to pay if the applicable Hedging Agreement were terminated at such time.

 

Material Permitted Acquisition ” means any Permitted Acquisition that involves an acquisition of assets, the fair market value of which assets exceeds $200,000,000.

 

Maturity Date ” means the Initial Term Maturity Date, any maturity date related to any Series of Incremental Term Loans, any maturity date related to any Extension Series of Extended Term

 

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Loans or related to any Extension Series of Extended Revolving Commitments or the Revolving Maturity Date, as the context requires.

 

MNPI ” means material information concerning the Borrowers and the Subsidiaries and their securities that has not been disseminated in a manner making it available to investors generally, within the meaning of Regulation FD under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.

 

Moody’s ” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., and any successor to its rating agency business.

 

Multiemployer Plan ” means a multiemployer plan as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.

 

Net Proceeds ” means, with respect to any event, (a) the cash (which term, for purposes of this definition, shall include Cash Equivalents) proceeds (including, in the case of any casualty, condemnation or similar proceeding, insurance, condemnation or similar proceeds) actually received in respect of such event, including any cash received in respect of any noncash proceeds, but, in each case, only as and when received, net of (b) the sum, without duplication, of (i) all fees, commissions, issuance costs, discounts and out-of-pocket expenses (including attorney’s fees, investment banking fees, survey costs, title insurance premiums and search and recording charges, transfer taxes and deed or mortgage recording taxes) paid in connection with such event by the U.S. Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries, (ii) in the case of a Disposition (including pursuant to a Sale/Leaseback Transaction or a casualty or a condemnation or similar proceeding) of an asset, (A) the amount of all payments required to be made by the U.S. Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries as a result of such event to repay Indebtedness (other than Loans) secured by such asset and (B) the pro rata portion of net cash proceeds thereof (calculated without regard to this clause (B)) attributable to minority interests and not available for distribution to or for the account of the U.S. Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries as a result thereof and (iii) the amount of all taxes paid (or reasonably estimated to be payable) by the U.S. Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries, and the amount of any reserves established by the U.S. Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP to fund purchase price adjustment, indemnification and similar contingent liabilities (other than any earnout obligations) reasonably estimated to be payable and that are directly attributable to the occurrence of such event (as determined reasonably and in good faith by the U.S. Borrower).  For purposes of this definition, in the event any contingent liability reserve established with respect to any event as described in clause (b)(iii) above shall be reduced, the amount of such reduction shall, except to the extent such reduction is made as a result of a payment having been made in respect of the contingent liabilities with respect to which such reserve has been established, be deemed to be receipt, on the date of such reduction, of cash proceeds in respect of such event.

 

Non-Cash Charges ” means any noncash charges, including (a) any write-off for impairment of long lived assets including goodwill, intangible assets and fixed assets such as property, plant and equipment, and investments in debt and equity securities pursuant to GAAP, (b) non-cash expenses resulting from the grant of stock options, restricted stock awards or other equity-based incentives or stock-based compensation to any director, officer or employee of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, any cash payments of income taxes made for the benefit of any such Person in consideration of the surrender of any portion of such options, stock or other incentives upon the exercise or vesting thereof), (c) any

 

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non-cash charges resulting from (i) the application of purchase accounting or (ii) investments in minority interests in a Person, to the extent that such investments are subject to the equity method of accounting; provided that Non-Cash Charges shall not include additions to bad debt reserves or bad debt expense and any noncash charge that results from the write-down or write-off of accounts receivable, and (d) the non-cash impact of accounting changes or restatements.

 

Non-Defaulting Lender ” means, at any time, any Revolving Lender that is not a Defaulting Lender at such time.

 

Obligations ” has the meaning set forth in the U.S. Collateral Agreement.  For the avoidance of doubt, Obligations shall not include any liabilities of Unrestricted Subsidiaries.

 

Organizational Documents ” means (a) with respect to any corporation, the certificate or articles of incorporation and the bylaws (or equivalent or comparable constitutive documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction), (b) with respect to any limited liability company, the certificate or articles of formation or organization and operating agreement, (c) with respect to any partnership, joint venture, trust or other form of business entity, the partnership, joint venture or other applicable agreement of formation or organization and, if applicable, any agreement, instrument, filing or notice with respect thereto filed in connection with its formation or organization with the applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction of its formation or organization and, if applicable, any certificate or articles of formation or organization of such entity and (d) with respect to any Belgian Loan Party, the instrument of incorporation ( oprichtingsakte / acte de constitution ), the latest consolidated articles of association ( statuten / statuts ) and extract from the Crossroad Bank for Enterprises ( Kruispuntbank voor Ondernemingen / Banque Carrefour des Entreprises ).

 

Other Connection Taxes ” means, with respect to any Credit Party, Taxes imposed as a result of a present or former connection between such Credit Party and the jurisdiction imposing such Taxes (other than a connection arising from such Credit Party having executed, delivered, enforced, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction pursuant to, or enforced, this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or sold or assigned an interest in any Loan or Loan Document).

 

Other Taxes ” means any present or future stamp, court, documentary, intangible, recording, filing or similar excise or property Taxes that arise from any payment made under, from the execution, delivery, performance, enforcement or registration of, or from the registration, receipt or perfection of a security interest under, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document, except any such Taxes that are Other Connection Taxes imposed with respect to an assignment (other than an assignment under Section 2.19(b)).

 

Parallel Debt ” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.02.

 

Participant Register ” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.04(c).

 

Participants ” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.04(c).

 

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PBGC ” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation referred to and defined in ERISA and any successor entity performing similar functions.

 

Perfection Certificate ” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit J or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent (acting reasonably).

 

Permitted Acquisition ” means the purchase or other acquisition by the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Equity Interests in, or all or substantially all the assets of (or assets constituting a business unit, division, product line or line of business of), any Person if (a) in the case of any purchase or other acquisition of Equity Interests in a Person, each of such Person and its subsidiaries (each, an “ Acquired Person ”) shall be or become a Restricted Subsidiary of the U.S. Borrower and, to the extent required by the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement and within the time period set forth in Section 5.03, shall become a Subsidiary Loan Party or (b) in the case of any purchase or other acquisition of other assets, such assets will be owned by the U.S. Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary and, to the extent required by the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement, shall become Collateral; provided that (i) such purchase or other acquisition is consummated in all material respects in accordance with all Requirements of Law and (ii) after giving effect to such purchase or other acquisition, the U.S. Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries shall be in compliance with Section 6.03(b), (c) with respect to each such purchase or other acquisition, all actions, if any, required to be taken with respect to each newly created or acquired Subsidiary or assets in order to satisfy the requirements set forth in the definition of the term “Collateral and Guarantee Requirement” shall have been taken (or arrangements for the taking of such actions reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent shall have been made), (d) after giving effect to such acquisition, the Borrowers shall have on a Pro Forma Basis a Total Leverage Ratio of at least 0.25x less than the maximum Total Leverage Ratio set forth in Section 6.12(a) at such time (giving effect to any applicable Increase Period in connection with such acquisition) and (e) at the time of and immediately after giving effect to any such purchase or other acquisition, no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result therefrom.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Permitted Acquisition may include the direct or indirect acquisition of Subsidiaries that are non-Loan Parties if and only to the extent that the aggregate consideration in respect of all such acquisitions shall not exceed (X) the greater of $200,000,000 and 20% of Consolidated Total Assets plus (Y) (A) an amount equal to any returns (in the form of dividends or other distributions or net sale proceeds) received by any Loan Party in respect of any assets not owned directly by Loan Parties or Equity Interests in persons that are not Loan Parties or do not become Loan Parties that were acquired in such Permitted Acquisitions in reliance on the basket in clause (X) above and (B) any amounts in excess thereof that can be, and are, permitted as Investments (and treated as Investments) made under Section 6.04 (c), (d)(iii), (q), (r), (s), (t) and (u).

 

Permitted Encumbrances ” means:

 

(a)          Liens imposed by law for Taxes that are not yet due or are being contested in compliance with Section 5.06;

 

(b)          carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s and other like Liens imposed by law (other than any Lien imposed pursuant to Section 430(k)

 

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of the Code or Section 303(k) of ERISA or a violation of Section 436 of the Code), arising in the ordinary course of business and securing obligations that are not overdue by more than 30 days or are being contested in compliance with Section 5.06;

 

(c)          Liens incurred or pledges and deposits made (i) in the ordinary course of business in compliance with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security laws, Environmental Laws or similar legislation, (ii) to secure liabilities to insurance carriers under insurance or self-insurance arrangements in respect of obligations of the type set forth described in clause (i) above or (iii) in respect of letters of credit, bank guarantees or similar instruments issued for the account of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business supporting obligations of the type set forth in clause (i) above;

 

(d)          pledges and deposits made (i) to secure the performance of bids, tenders, trade contracts, leases, statutory obligations, surety, stay, customs and appeal bonds, performance and return-of-money bonds, government contracts, trade contracts (other than for Indebtedness) and other obligations of a like nature, in each case in the ordinary course of business and (ii) in respect of letters of credit, bank guarantees or similar instruments issued for the account of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business supporting obligations of the type set forth in clause (i) above;

 

(e)          ground leases or subleases in respect of real property on which facilities owned or leased by the U.S. Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries are located;

 

(f)          judgment liens in respect of judgments that do not constitute an Event of Default under clause (j) of Section 7.01;

 

(g)         easements, rights-of-way, licenses, restrictions (including zoning restrictions), minor defects, exceptions or irregularities in title, encroachments, protrusions and other similar encumbrances on real property imposed by law or arising in the ordinary course of business that do not materially detract from the value of the affected real property of the U.S. Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, when taken as a whole, or interfere in any material respect with the ordinary conduct of business of the U.S. Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

 

(h)         banker’s liens, rights of setoff or similar rights and remedies as to deposit accounts or other funds maintained with depository institutions; provided that such deposit accounts or funds are not established or deposited for the purpose of providing collateral for any Indebtedness and are not subject to restrictions on access by the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in excess of those required by applicable banking regulations;

 

(i)          Liens arising by virtue of Uniform Commercial Code financing statement filings (or similar filings under applicable law) regarding operating leases entered into by the U.S. Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

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(j)          Liens representing any interest or title of a licensor, lessor or sublicensor or sublessor, or a licensee, lessee or sublicensee or sublessee, in the property subject to any lease, license or sublicense or concession agreement permitted by this Agreement;

 

(k)         Liens that are contractual rights of set-off;

 

(l)          Liens in favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure payment of customs duties in connection with the importation of goods;

 

(m)        Liens on goods or inventory the purchase, shipment or storage price of which is financed by a documentary letter of credit or bankers’ acceptance issued or created for the account of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided that such Lien secures only the obligations of the U.S. Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary in respect of such letter of credit; and

 

(n)         any zoning or similar law or right reserved to, or vested in, any Governmental Authority to control or regulate the use of any real property that does not materially interfere with the ordinary course of business of the U.S. Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

 

provided that the term “Permitted Encumbrances” shall not include any Lien securing Indebtedness for borrowed money other than Liens referred to in clause (c) above securing obligations under letters of credit or bank guarantees.

 

Permitted Holder ” means WestRock and any subsidiary thereof.

 

Permitted Junior Lien Secured Indebtedness ” means any secured Indebtedness of any Loan Party in the form of one or more series of junior lien secured notes, bonds or debentures or junior lien secured loans; provided that (a) such Indebtedness is secured by Liens on all or a portion of the Collateral on a junior priority basis to the Liens on the Collateral securing the Obligations and is not secured by any property or assets of the U.S. Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary other than the Collateral, (b) such Indebtedness is not Guaranteed by any Subsidiaries other than the Subsidiary Loan Parties and (c) the administrative agent, collateral agent, trustee and/or any similar representative acting on behalf of the holders of such Indebtedness and the applicable Loan Parties shall have become a party to a Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement providing that the Liens on the Collateral securing such Indebtedness shall rank junior in priority to the Liens on the Collateral securing the Obligations.

 

Permitted Securitization Documents ” means all documents and agreements evidencing, relating to or otherwise governing a Permitted Securitization Financing.

 

Permitted Securitization Financing ” means one or more transactions pursuant to which (i) Securitization Assets or interests therein are sold to or financed by one or more Special Purpose Securitization Subsidiaries, and (ii) such Special Purpose Securitization Subsidiaries finance their acquisition of such Securitization Assets or interests therein, or the financing thereof, by selling or borrowing against Securitization Assets and any Hedging Obligations entered into in connection with such Securitization Assets; provided , that recourse to the U.S. Borrower or any Subsidiary (other than the Special Purpose Securitization Subsidiaries) in connection with such transactions

 

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shall be limited to the extent customary (as determined by the U.S. Borrower in good faith) for similar transactions in the applicable jurisdictions (including, to the extent applicable, in a manner consistent with the delivery of a “true sale”/”absolute transfer” opinion with respect to any transfer by the U.S. Borrower or any Subsidiary (other than a Special Purpose Securitization Subsidiary).

 

Person ” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.

 

Plan ” means any “employee pension benefit plan,” as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA (other than a Multiemployer Plan), that is subject to the provisions of Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, and in respect of which the U.S. Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates is (or, if such plan were terminated, would under Section 4069 of ERISA be deemed to be) an “employer” as defined in Section 3(5) of ERISA.

 

Platform ” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.17(b).

 

Prepayment Event ” means:

 

(a)          any Disposition (including pursuant to a Sale/Leaseback Transaction or by way of merger or consolidation) of any asset of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, including any sale or issuance to a Person other than the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary of Equity Interests in any Restricted Subsidiary, other than (i) Dispositions described in clauses (a) through (j) and (l) of Section 6.05 and (ii) Dispositions resulting in aggregate Net Proceeds not exceeding (A) $10,000,000 in the case of any single transaction or series of related transactions and (B) $25,000,000 for all such transactions during any fiscal year of the U.S. Borrower; or

 

(b)          any casualty or other insured damage to, or any taking under power of eminent domain or by condemnation or similar proceeding of, any asset of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary other than any resulting in aggregate Net Proceeds not exceeding (A) $10,000,000 in the case of any single transaction or series of related transactions and (B) $25,000,000 for all such transactions during any fiscal year of the U.S. Borrower.

 

Previously Absent Financial Maintenance Covenant ” means, at any time (a) any financial maintenance covenant that is not included in this Agreement but is included in other applicable Indebtedness incurred, or proposed to be incurred, by the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, and (b) any financial maintenance covenant that is included in this Agreement but has covenant levels that are less restrictive on the U.S. Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries than the covenant levels in other applicable Indebtedness incurred, or proposed to be incurred, by the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary.

 

Prime Rate ” means the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from time to time by Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. as its prime rate in effect at its principal office in New York City.  Each change in the Prime Rate shall be effective from and including the date such change is publicly announced as being effective.

 

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Private Side Lender Representatives ” means, with respect to any Lender, representatives of such Lender that are not Public Side Lender Representatives.

 

Pro Forma Basis ,” “ Pro Forma Compliance ” and “ Pro Forma Effect ” means, with respect to any Disposition, Restricted Payment, Investment or Indebtedness for which compliance on a Pro Forma Basis is expressly required hereunder, that such Disposition, Restricted Payment, Investment or Indebtedness, as applicable, shall be deemed to have occurred or been incurred, as applicable, as of the first day of the most recent Test Period preceding the date of such transaction for which the U.S. Borrower has delivered financial statements pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b).  In connection with the foregoing, (a) with respect to any Disposition, (i) income statement items and cash flow statement items (whether positive or negative) attributable to the property disposed of shall be excluded and (ii) Indebtedness that is repaid with the proceeds of such Disposition shall be excluded from such calculations and deemed to have been repaid as of the first day of such applicable period, and (b) with respect to any Investment, income statement items attributable to the Person or property acquired shall be included to the extent relating to any period applicable in such calculations to the extent (i) such items are not otherwise included in such income statement items for the U.S. Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP or in accordance with any defined terms set forth in this Article I and (ii) Indebtedness of the Person acquired which is retired in connection with such Investment shall be excluded from such calculation and deemed to have been retired as of the first day of such applicable period.

 

Pro Forma Financial Statements ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.04(b).

 

Public Side Lender Representatives ” means, with respect to any Lender, representatives of such Lender that do not wish to receive MNPI.

 

Purchase Offer ” means an offer by the U.S. Borrower to purchase Term Loans of one or more Classes pursuant to modified Dutch auctions conducted in accordance with the Auction Procedures and otherwise in accordance with Section 2.23.

 

Qualified Equity Interests ” means Equity Interests of the U.S. Borrower other than Disqualified Equity Interests.

 

Receivables Assets ” means accounts receivable (including any bills of exchange) and related assets and property from time to time originated, acquired or otherwise owned by the U.S. Borrower or any Subsidiary.

 

Refinancing Indebtedness ” means, in respect of any Indebtedness (the “ Original Indebtedness ”), any Indebtedness issued in exchange for, or the Net Proceeds of which are used to modify, extend, refinance, renew, replace or refund (collectively, to “ Refinance ” or a “ Refinancing ” or “ Refinanced ”), such Original Indebtedness (or previous refinancing thereof constituting Refinancing Indebtedness); provided that (a) the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of any such Refinancing Indebtedness shall not exceed the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of the Original Indebtedness outstanding immediately prior to such Refinancing except by an amount equal to the unpaid accrued interest and premium thereon plus other reasonable amounts paid, and fees and expenses incurred, in connection with such Refinancing plus an amount equal to any existing commitment unutilized and letters of credit undrawn thereunder,

 

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(b) if the Indebtedness being Refinanced is Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01(a)(i), (ii), (iii) or (vii), the direct and contingent obligors with respect to such Refinancing Indebtedness shall not include any Person that was not an obligor with respect to the Original Indebtedness, (c) other than with respect to a Refinancing in respect of Indebtedness permitted pursuant to Section 6.01(a)(vi), such Refinancing Indebtedness (i) shall have a final maturity date equal to or later than the final maturity date of the Original Indebtedness and the final maturity date of such Refinancing Indebtedness shall not be subject to any conditions that could result in such final maturity date occurring on a date that precedes the final maturity date of such Original Indebtedness (except to the extent that any such conditions existed in the terms of the Original Indebtedness) and (ii) shall not be required to be repaid, prepaid, redeemed, repurchased or defeased, whether on one or more fixed dates, upon the occurrence of one or more events or at the option of any holder thereof (except, in each case, upon the occurrence of an event of default, a change in control (or similar event, however denominated), an asset sale or a casualty or condemnation event or, in the case of any term loans, excess cash flow sweeps no greater than any excess cash flow sweep then applicable to the Original Indebtedness) or as and to the extent such repayment, prepayment, redemption, repurchase or defeasance would have been required pursuant to the terms of such Original Indebtedness prior to the earlier of (A) the maturity of such Original Indebtedness and (B) the date 91 days after the latest Maturity Date in effect on the date of such Refinancing; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, scheduled amortization payments (however denominated) of such Refinancing Indebtedness shall be permitted so long as the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of such Refinancing Indebtedness shall be longer than the shorter of (x) the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of such Original Indebtedness remaining as of the date of such Refinancing and (y) the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of the Initial Term Loans remaining as of the date of such Refinancing, (d) such Refinancing Indebtedness shall not be secured by any Lien on any asset other than the assets that secured such Original Indebtedness (or would have been required to secure such Original Indebtedness pursuant to the terms thereof) or, in the event Liens securing such Original Indebtedness shall have been contractually subordinated to any Lien securing the Loan Document Obligations, by any Lien that shall not have been contractually subordinated to at least the same extent, and (e) if the Original Indebtedness being Refinanced is Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01(a)(i), (ii), (iii) or (vii), the terms and conditions of any such Refinancing Indebtedness (including, if applicable, as to collateral priority and subordination, but excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, interest rates (including through fixed interest rates), interest margins, rate floors, fees, funding discounts, original issue discounts and prepayment or redemption premiums and terms) either (1) reflect market terms and conditions (taken as a whole) at the time of incurrence of such Indebtedness (as determined by the Borrower Representative in good faith) or (2) taken as a whole, are not materially less favorable to the Lenders than the terms and conditions of the Original Indebtedness being Refinanced; provided that a certificate of an Authorized Officer of the U.S. Borrower delivered to the Administrative Agent at least five Business Days prior to such Refinancing, together with a reasonably detailed description of the material terms and conditions of such proposed Refinancing Indebtedness or drafts of the documentation relating thereto, stating that the U.S. Borrower has determined in good faith that such terms and conditions satisfy the foregoing requirement in clause (e) shall be conclusive evidence that such terms and conditions satisfy the foregoing requirement unless the Administrative Agent notifies the U.S. Borrower within such five Business Day period that it disagrees with such determination (including a reasonably detailed description of the basis upon which it disagrees).

 

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Refused Proceeds ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.11(d).

 

Register ” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.04(b)(iv).

 

Related Parties ” means, with respect to any specified Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the directors, officers, partners, trustees, employees, agents, advisors, controlling persons and other representatives of such Person and of such Person’s Affiliates.

 

Release ” means any release, spill, emission, leaking, dumping, injection, pouring, deposit, disposal, discharge, dispersal, leaching or migration into or through the environment or within or upon any building, structure, facility or fixture.

 

Required Debt Parameters ” means, in respect of any Indebtedness, that (a) such Indebtedness shall have a stated final maturity date not earlier than the date that is 91 days after the latest Maturity Date in effect at the time of incurrence of such Indebtedness and the stated final maturity date of such Indebtedness shall not be subject to any conditions that could result in such stated final maturity date occurring on a date that precedes the latest Maturity Date in effect at the time of incurrence of such Indebtedness, (b) such Indebtedness shall not be required to be repaid, prepaid, redeemed, repurchased or defeased, whether on one or more fixed dates, upon the occurrence of one or more events or at the option of any holder thereof (except for customary amortization terms and, in each case, upon the occurrence of an event of default, a change in control (or similar event, however denominated), an asset sale or a casualty or condemnation event or, in the case of any term loans, excess cash flow sweeps no greater than any excess cash flow sweep then applicable under the Loan Documents) prior to the latest Maturity Date in effect at the time of incurrence of such Indebtedness, (c) the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of such Indebtedness shall be no shorter than the longest then remaining Weighted Average Life to Maturity of any Class of Term Loans then outstanding and (d) except for any of the following that are only applicable to periods after the latest Maturity Date in effect at the time of incurrence of such Indebtedness, the terms and conditions of any such Indebtedness, taken as a whole, are not (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, interest rates (including through fixed interest rates), interest margins, rate floors, fees, funding discounts, original issue discounts and prepayment or redemption premiums and terms) materially more restrictive on the U.S. Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries than those under the Loan Documents (when taken as a whole), unless such terms and conditions reflect market terms and conditions (taken as a whole) at the time of incurrence of such Indebtedness (as determined by the Borrower Representative in good faith) ( provided , however , that notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if any such terms of such Indebtedness contain a Previously Absent Financial Maintenance Covenant, such Previously Absent Financial Maintenance Covenant shall be included for the benefit of all Lenders).

 

Required Lenders ” means, at any time, Lenders having Revolving Exposures, Term Loans and unused Commitments representing more than 50% of the sum of the Aggregate Revolving Exposure, outstanding Term Loans and unused Commitments at such time.

 

Required Reimbursement Date ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(f).

 

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Requirements of Law ” means, with respect to any Person, any statutes, laws, treaties, rules, regulations, official administrative pronouncements, orders, decrees, writs, injunctions, or determinations of any arbitrator or court or other Governmental Authority, in each case applicable to or binding upon such Person or any of its property or to which such Person or any of its property is subject.

 

Restricted Payment ” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any Equity Interests in the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancelation or termination of, or any other return of capital with respect to, any Equity Interests in the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary.

 

Restricted Subsidiary ” means any Subsidiary other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary.  Unless otherwise specified, as used herein, “Restricted Subsidiary” shall mean a “Restricted Subsidiary” of the U.S. Borrower.

 

Revolving Availability Period ” means (i) with respect to the U.S. Borrower, the period from and including the Initial Funding Date to but excluding the earlier of the Revolving Maturity Date (or, with respect to any Extended Revolving Commitment, the relevant Maturity Date for the Extension Series of such Extended Revolving Commitment) and the date of termination of the Revolving Commitments and (ii) with respect to the Belgian Borrower, the period from and including the date of satisfaction (or waiver in accordance with Section 9.02) of the obligations set forth in Section 5.13(b) to but excluding the earlier of the Revolving Maturity Date (or, with respect to any Extended Revolving Commitment, the relevant Maturity Date for the Extension Series of such Extended Revolving Commitment) and the date of termination of the Revolving Commitments.

 

Revolving Commitment ” means, with respect to each Lender, the commitment, if any, of such Lender to make Revolving Loans and to acquire participations in Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans hereunder during the Revolving Availability Period, expressed as an amount representing the maximum aggregate permitted amount of such Lender’s Revolving Exposure hereunder, as such commitment may be (a) reduced from time to time pursuant to Section 2.08, (b) increased from time to time pursuant to Section 2.21 and (c) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to Section 9.04.  The initial amount of each Lender’s Revolving Commitment is set forth on Schedule 2.01, or in the Assignment and Assumption or the Incremental Facility Agreement pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed or increased its Revolving Commitment, as applicable.  The initial aggregate amount of the Lenders’ Revolving Commitments is $400,000,000.

 

Revolving Exposure ” means, with respect to any Lender at any time, the sum of (a) the Dollar Equivalent of the outstanding principal amount of such Lender’s Revolving Loans and (b) such Lender’s LC Exposure and Swingline Exposure at such time.

 

Revolving Extension Request ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.22(a)(ii).

 

Revolving Lender ” means a Lender with a Revolving Commitment or Revolving Exposure.

 

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Revolving Lender Parent ” means, with respect to any Revolving Lender, any Person in respect of which such Lender is a subsidiary.

 

Revolving Loan ” means a Loan made pursuant to clause (b) of Section 2.01 and any Extended Revolving Loan.

 

Revolving Maturity Date ” means the date that is five years after the Initial Funding Date.

 

S&P ” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., and any successor to its rating agency business.

 

Sale/Leaseback Transaction ” means an arrangement relating to property owned by the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary whereby the U.S. Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary sells or transfers such property to any Person and the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary leases such property, or other property that it intends to use for substantially the same purpose or purposes as the property sold or transferred, from such Person or its Affiliates.

 

Sanctioned Country ” means, at any time, a country, region or territory which is the subject or target of any Sanctions.

 

Sanctioned Person ” means a person or entity that (a) is named on the list of “Specially Designated Nationals” or “Blocked Persons” on the most current list published by OFAC available at http://www.treasury.gov/‌resource-center/‌sanctions/‌SDN-List/‌Pages/‌default.aspx or as otherwise published from time to time or on the Consolidated List of Financial Sanctions Targets maintained by Her Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom or (b) is (x) an agency of the government of a country, (y) an organization controlled by a country or (z) a person resident in a country that is subject to a sanctions program identified on any list referred to in the preceding clause (a), as such program may be applicable to such agency, organization or person or (c) otherwise the subject of any current sanctions administered by the United States, the United Nations Security Council, any European Union member state or the United Kingdom.

 

Sanctions ” means economic or financial sanctions or trade embargoes imposed, administered or enforced from time to time by the U.S. government, including the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury or the U.S. Department of State, Her Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom, the United Nations Security Council or the European Union.

 

SEC ” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

SEC Filings ” means the U.S. Borrower’s Registration Statement number 001-37586 on Form 10 filed with the SEC in connection with the Spin-Off and all amendments thereto as in effect on the Signing Date, or any publicly available press releases of the U.S. Borrower or filings by the U.S. Borrower with the SEC prior to the Signing Date, together with any amendments or modifications thereto reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent or otherwise not materially adverse to the Lenders.

 

Section 2.22 Additional Amendment ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.22(c).

 

Secured Parties ” has the meaning set forth in the U.S. Collateral Agreement.

 

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Securities Act ” means the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

Securitization Assets ” means any of the following assets (or interests therein) from time to time originated, acquired or otherwise owned by the U.S. Borrower or any Subsidiary or in which the U.S. Borrower or any Subsidiary has any rights or interests, in each case, without regard to where such assets or interests are located: (a) Receivables Assets, (b) [reserved], (c) royalty and other similar payments made related to the use of trade names and other intellectual property, business support, training and other services, (d) revenues related to distribution and merchandising of the products of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, (e) rents, real estate taxes and other non-royalty amounts due from franchisees, (f) intellectual property rights relating to the generation of any of the foregoing types of assets, (g) parcels of or interests in real property, together with all easements, hereditaments and appurtenances thereto, all improvements and appurtenant fixtures and equipment, incidental to the ownership, lease or operation thereof, and (h) any other assets and property to the extent customarily included in securitization transactions of the relevant type in the applicable jurisdictions (as determined by the U.S. Borrower in good faith).

 

Security Documents ” means the Collateral Agreements, the IP Security Agreements, the Belgian Security Agreements and each other security agreement or other instrument or document executed and delivered pursuant to Sections 5.03, 5.12, 5.13 or any other Security Document to secure the Obligations.

 

Senior Secured Leverage Ratio ” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Secured Debt as of the last day of the Test Period most recently ended on or prior to such date of determination to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for such Test Period.  The Senior Secured Leverage Ratio shall, for all purposes hereunder, be determined on a Pro Forma Basis.

 

Series ” refers to Incremental Term Commitments (and any Incremental Term Loans thereunder) established pursuant to an Incremental Facility Agreement and designated pursuant to Section 2.21.

 

Signing Date ” means the date on which the conditions specified in Section 4.01 are satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 9.02).

 

Sold Entity or Business ” has the meaning set forth in the definition of the term “Consolidated EBITDA.”

 

Solvent ” means, with respect to any Person, that (a) the Fair Value and Present Fair Salable Value of the assets of such Person taken as whole exceeds its Stated Liabilities and Identified Contingent Liabilities, (b) such Person does not have Unreasonably Small Capital, and (c) such Person will be able to pay its Stated Liabilities and Identified Contingent Liabilities as they mature (with the terms “Fair Value,” “Present Fair Salable Value,” “Stated Liabilities,” “Identified Contingent Liabilities,” “will be able to pay their Stated Liabilities and Identified Contingent Liabilities as they mature” and “do not have Unreasonably Small Capital” having the meanings as defined in Exhibit K).

 

Special Purpose Securitization Subsidiary ” means (i) a direct or indirect Subsidiary of the U.S. Borrower established in connection with a Permitted Securitization Financing for the acquisition

 

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of Securitization Assets or interests therein, and (ii) any subsidiary of a Special Purpose Securitization Subsidiary.

 

Specified L/C Sublimit ” means, with respect to any Issuing Bank, the amount set forth opposite its name on Schedule 2.01 under the heading “Specified L/C Sublimit.”

 

Specified Material Contracts ” means the agreements entered into by and among the Borrowers, WestRock (and/or its Affiliates) and the other parties thereto with respect to the outstanding IDBs and/or the IDB Closing Distribution to be entered into on or around the Spin-Off Date in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.

 

Spin-Off ” means a “spin-off” or “split-off” in one or a series of transactions with respect to the U.S. Borrower such that all or a portion of the Equity Interests in the U.S. Borrower are “spun off” or “split off” or otherwise distributed by WestRock ratably to the holders of all the Equity Interests in WestRock and the U.S. Borrower becomes a public company.

 

Spin-Off Agreement ” means the Separation and Distribution Agreement, to be dated as of or prior to the Initial Funding Date, by and between the U.S. Borrower and WestRock and in form and substance consistent in all material respects with the description thereof in the SEC Filings as of the Signing Date (as amended, waived or otherwise modified pursuant to the proviso in the definition of “SEC Filings”) and reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Arrangers.

 

Spin-Off Date ” means the date on which the Spin-Off is consummated in accordance with the Spin-Off Agreement and the SEC Filings.

 

Statutory Reserve Rate ” means a fraction (expressed as a decimal), the numerator of which is the number one and the denominator of which is the number one minus the aggregate of the maximum reserve percentages (including any marginal, special, emergency or supplemental reserves), expressed as a decimal, established by the Board of Governors to which the Administrative Agent is subject for eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as “Eurocurrency Liabilities” in Regulation D of the Board of Governors).  Such reserve percentages shall include those imposed pursuant to such Regulation D.  Eurocurrency Rate Loans shall be deemed to constitute eurocurrency funding and to be subject to such reserve requirements without benefit of or credit for proration, exemptions or offsets that may be available from time to time to any Lender under such Regulation D or any comparable regulation.  The Statutory Reserve Rate shall be adjusted automatically on and as of the effective date of any change in any reserve percentage.

 

Subordinated Indebtedness ” of any Person means any Indebtedness of such Person that is subordinated in right of payment to any other Indebtedness of such Person.

 

Subsequent Maturity Date ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.05(c).

 

subsidiary ” means, with respect to any Person (the “ parent ”) at any date, any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity the accounts of which would be consolidated with those of the parent in the parent’s consolidated financial statements if such financial statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP as of such date, as well as any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity of which securities

 

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or other ownership interests representing more than 50% of the equity or more than 50% of the ordinary voting power or, in the case of a partnership, more than 50% of the general partnership interests are, as of such date, owned, controlled or held by the parent or one or more subsidiaries of the parent or by the parent and one or more subsidiaries of the parent.

 

Subsidiary ” means any subsidiary of the U.S. Borrower.

 

Subsidiary Loan Party ” means each Subsidiary that is a party to any Collateral Agreement.

 

Swingline Exposure ” means, at any time, the aggregate principal amount of all Swingline Loans outstanding at such time.  The Swingline Exposure of any Revolving Lender at any time shall be its Applicable Percentage of the total Swingline Exposure at such time.

 

Swingline Lender ” means Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., in its capacity as lender of Swingline Loans hereunder.

 

Swingline Loan ” means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.04.

 

Syndication Agent ” means each of Bank of America, N.A. and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as the syndication agent for the credit facilities provided for herein.

 

Synthetic Lease ” means, as to any Person, any lease (including leases that may be terminated by the lessee at any time) of real or personal property, or a combination thereof, (a) that is accounted for as an operating lease under GAAP and (b) in respect of which the lessee is deemed to own the property so leased for U.S. Federal income tax purposes, other than any such lease under which such Person is the lessor.

 

Synthetic Lease Obligations ” means, as to any Person, an amount equal to the capitalized amount of the remaining lease payments under any Synthetic Lease (determined, in the case of a Synthetic Lease providing for an option to purchase the leased property, as if such purchase were required at the end of the term thereof) that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared in accordance with GAAP if such obligations were accounted for as Capital Lease Obligations.  For purposes of Section 6.02, a Synthetic Lease Obligation shall be deemed to be secured by a Lien on the property being leased and such property shall be deemed to be owned by the lessee.

 

TARGET Day ” means any day on which (i) TARGET2 is open for settlement of payments in Euro and (ii) banks are open for dealings in deposits in Euro in the London interbank market.

 

TARGET2 ” means the Trans-European Automated Real-time Gross Settlement Express Transfer payment system which utilizes a single shared platform and which was launched on November 19, 2007.

 

Taxes ” means any present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings, assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.

 

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Term Commitment ” means any Initial Term Commitment and an Incremental Term Commitment, as applicable.

 

Term Loan ” means an Initial Term Loan, Extended Term Loan or an Incremental Term Loan, as applicable.

 

Term Loan Extension Request ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.22(a)(i).

 

Test Period ” means, at any date of determination, the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters of the U.S. Borrower then most recently ended.

 

Total Leverage Ratio ” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Total Debt as of the last day of the Test Period most recently ended on or prior to such date of determination to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for such Test Period.  The Total Leverage Ratio shall, for all purposes hereunder, be determined on a Pro Forma Basis, except that, for purposes of compliance with Section 6.12, Pro Forma Effect shall not be given to any transaction occurring after the conclusion of the applicable Test Period.

 

Transaction Costs ” means the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the Transactions.

 

Transactions ” means, collectively, (i) the Financing Transactions, (ii) the reorganization steps undertaken by WestRock and its subsidiaries, as disclosed to the Administrative Agent prior to the date hereof (with such changes as the Administrative Agent may approve in its reasonable discretion), in order to capitalize the U.S. Borrower and its Subsidiaries consistent with the SEC Filings and the consummation of the Spin-Off in accordance with the Spin-Off Agreement, (iii) the payment of the Transaction Costs, (iv) the payment of the Dividend, (v) the payment of the IDB Closing Distribution, (vi) the execution and delivery of the Specified Material Contracts, (vii) the acquisition, directly or indirectly, by the U.S. Borrower of the Belgian Borrower and all of the assets and entities to be owned, directly or indirectly, by the Belgian Borrower and (viii) the consummation of any other transactions connected with the foregoing.

 

Transition Services Agreement ” means the Transition Services Agreement, to be dated as of or prior to the Initial Funding Date, by and among the U.S. Borrower, WestRock and its Affiliates and in form and substance consistent in all material respects with the description thereof in the SEC Filings as of the Signing Date (as amended, waived or otherwise modified pursuant to the proviso in the definition of “SEC Filings”).

 

Type ,” when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether the rate of interest on such Loan, or on the Loans comprising such Borrowing, is determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the Alternate Base Rate.

 

Unrestricted Cash ” means, as of any date, unrestricted cash and Cash Equivalents owned by the U.S. Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries that are not, and are not presently required under the terms of any agreement or other arrangement binding on the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary on such date to be, (a) pledged to or held in one or more accounts under the control of one or more creditors of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary (other than to secure the Loan Document Obligations), (b) otherwise segregated from the general assets of the U.S. Borrower

 

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and the Restricted Subsidiaries, in one or more special accounts or otherwise, for the purpose of securing or providing a source of payment for Indebtedness or other obligations that are or from time to time may be owed to one or more creditors of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary (other than to secure the Loan Document Obligations) or (c) held by a Restricted Subsidiary that is not wholly-owned or that is subject to restrictions on its ability to pay dividends or distributions.  For the avoidance of doubt, “Unrestricted Cash” shall exclude all auction rate securities and, on each occasion when the amount of Unrestricted Cash is to be determined in respect of any transaction (other than for purposes of Section 2.01), such amount shall not include the amount of the proceeds of any Indebtedness then being issued or any cash or Cash Equivalents to be received or to be used in such transaction.

 

Unrestricted Subsidiary ” means (a) any Subsidiary of the U.S. Borrower that is designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary by the U.S. Borrower pursuant to Section 5.15 subsequent to the Signing Date and (b) any subsidiary of an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

 

U.S. Borrower ” means Ingevity Corporation, a Delaware corporation.

 

U.S. Collateral Agreement ” means the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement among the U.S. Borrower, the Subsidiary Loan Parties and the Administrative Agent, substantially in the form of Exhibit D or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent (acting reasonably), together with all supplements thereto.

 

U.S. Person ” means a “United States person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

 

U.S. Tax Certificate ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.17(e)(ii)(D)(2).

 

USA PATRIOT Act ” means the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001.

 

Weighted Average Life to Maturity ” means, when applied to any Indebtedness at any date, the number of years obtained by dividing: (a) the sum of the products obtained by multiplying (i) the amount of each then remaining installment, sinking fund, serial maturity or other required payments of principal, including payment at final maturity, in respect thereof, by (ii) the number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth) that will elapse between such date and the making of such payment; by (b) the then outstanding principal amount of such Indebtedness.

 

WestRock ” means WestRock Company, a Delaware corporation.

 

wholly-owned ,” when used in reference to a subsidiary of any Person, means that all the Equity Interests in such subsidiary (other than directors’ qualifying shares and other nominal amounts of Equity Interests that are required to be held by other Persons under applicable law) are owned, beneficially and of record, by such Person, another wholly-owned subsidiary of such Person or any combination thereof.

 

Withdrawal Liability ” means liability to a Multiemployer Plan as a result of a complete or partial withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan, as such terms are defined in Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.

 

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Withholding Agent ” means any applicable withholding agent.

 

Write-Down and Conversion Powers ” means, with respect to any EEA Resolution Authority, the write-down and conversion powers of such EEA Resolution Authority from time to time under the Bail-In Legislation for the applicable EEA Member Country, which write-down and conversion powers are described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule.

 

SECTION 1.02 Classification of Loans and Borrowings .  For purposes of this Agreement, Loans and Borrowings may be classified and referred to by Class ( e.g ., a “Revolving Loan,” “Revolving Borrowing,” “Initial Term Loan” or “Initial Term Borrowing”) or by Type ( e.g ., a “Eurocurrency Rate Loan” or “Eurocurrency Rate Borrowing”) or by Class and Type ( e.g ., a “Eurocurrency Revolving Loan” or “Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing”).

 

SECTION 1.03 Terms Generally .  The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined.  Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms.  The words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.” The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall.” The words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all real and personal, tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.  The word “law” shall be construed as referring to all statutes, rules, regulations, codes and other laws (including official rulings and interpretations thereunder having the force of law or with which affected Persons customarily comply), and all judgments, orders, writs and decrees, of all Governmental Authorities.  Unless the context requires otherwise, (a) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document (including this Agreement and the other Loan Documents) shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, restated, amended and restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, restatements, amendments and restatements, extensions, supplements or modifications set forth herein), (b) any definition of or reference to any statute, rule or regulation shall be construed as referring thereto as from time to time amended, consolidated, replaced, interpreted, supplemented or otherwise modified (including by succession of comparable successor laws), (c) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns (subject to any restrictions on assignment set forth herein) and, in the case of any Governmental Authority, any other Governmental Authority that shall have succeeded to any or all functions thereof, (d) the words “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder,” and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof and (e) all references herein to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement.

 

SECTION 1.04 Accounting Terms; GAAP; Pro Forma Calculations .

 

(a)          Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature used herein shall be construed in accordance with GAAP as in effect from time to time; provided that (i) if the Borrower Representative, by notice to the Administrative Agent,

 

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shall request an amendment to any provision hereof to eliminate the effect of any change occurring after the Signing Date in GAAP or in the application thereof on the operation of such provision (or if the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders, by notice to the Borrower Representative, shall request an amendment to any provision hereof for such purpose), regardless of whether any such notice is given before or after such change in GAAP or in the application thereof, then such provision shall be interpreted on the basis of GAAP as in effect and applied immediately before such change shall have become effective until such notice shall have been withdrawn or such provision amended in accordance herewith, (ii) notwithstanding any other provision contained herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature used herein (including without limitation Consolidated Secured Debt and Consolidated Total Debt) shall be construed, and all computations of amounts and ratios referred to herein shall be made, without giving effect to any election under Accounting Standards Codification 825-10-25, or any successor thereto (including pursuant to the Accounting Standards Codification), to value any Indebtedness of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary at “fair value,” as defined therein and (iii) whenever in this Agreement it is necessary to determine whether a lease is a capital lease or an operating lease (including without limitation for purposes of calculating Consolidated Secured Debt or Consolidated Total Debt), such determination shall be made on the basis of GAAP as in effect on the Signing Date.

 

(b)          For purposes of determining compliance with any test or covenant contained in this Agreement with respect to any period during which any Material Acquisition or Material Disposition occurs, Acquired EBITDA, Consolidated EBITDA, Disposed EBITDA, the Senior Secured Leverage Ratio and the Total Leverage Ratio shall be calculated with respect to such period and with respect to such Material Acquisition or Material Disposition on a Pro Forma Basis (without duplication of any adjustments made pursuant to the definition of the term “Consolidated EBITDA”).

 

SECTION 1.05 Times of Day .  Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references to Eastern time (daylight or standard, as applicable).

 

SECTION 1.06 Timing of Payment or Performance .  When the payment of any obligation or the performance of any covenant, duty or obligation is stated to be due or performance required on a day which is not a Business Day, the date of such payment (other than as described in the definition of “Interest Period”) or performance shall extend to the immediately succeeding Business Day, unless the context otherwise requires.

 

SECTION 1.07  Exchange Rate Calculations and Currency Equivalents Generally .  

 

(a)          Where the permissibility of a transaction depends upon compliance with, or is determined by reference to, amounts stated in Dollars, any amount stated in another currency shall be translated to Dollars at the applicable exchange rate then in effect and the permissibility of actions taken under Article VI shall not be affected by subsequent fluctuations in exchange rates.  For purposes of Section 6.12, amounts in currencies other than Dollars shall be translated to Dollars at the exchange rate used in preparing the most recently delivered financial statements pursuant to Section 5.01.

 

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(b)          The Administrative Agent shall determine the Dollar Equivalent of any Borrowing denominated in any Alternative Currency as of each date (with such date to be reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent) that is on or about the date of a Borrowing Request with respect to such Borrowing, in each case using the Exchange Rate for the applicable currency in relation to Dollars in effect on the date of determination.

 

(c)          The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrowers and the applicable Lenders of each calculation of the Dollar Equivalent of each Borrowing made in an Alternative Currency.

 

(d)          For purposes of determining compliance with any restriction on the incurrence of Indebtedness, the Dollar Equivalent of the principal amount of Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency shall be calculated based on the Exchange Rate in effect on the date such Indebtedness was incurred, in the case of term debt, or first committed, in the case of revolving credit debt; provided that if such Indebtedness is incurred to extend, replace, refund, refinance, renew or defease other Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency, and such extension, replacement, refunding, refinancing, renewal or defeasance would cause the applicable restriction to be exceeded if calculated at the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date of such extension, replacement, refunding, refinancing, renewal or defeasance, such restriction shall be deemed not to have been exceeded so long as the principal amount of such refinancing Indebtedness does not exceed the principal amount of such Indebtedness being extended, replaced, refunded, refinanced, renewed or defeased.

 

SECTION 1.08 Belgian Terms .  In this Agreement, where it relates to a Belgian Loan Party, a reference to:

 

(a)          a liquidator, trustee in bankruptcy, judicial custodian, compulsory manager, receiver, administrator receiver, administrator or similar officer shall be deemed to include any curator / curateur, vereffenaar / liquidateur, voorlopig bewindvoerder / administrateur provisoire, mandataris ad hoc / mandataire ad hoc , as applicable, ondernemingsbemiddelaar / médiateur d’entreprise ;

 

(b)          a person being unable to pay its debts is that person being in a state of cessation of payments ( staking van betaling / cessation de paiements );

 

(c)          an insolvency shall be deemed to include a gerechtelijke reorganisatie / réorganisation judiciaire, faillissement / faillite and any other concurrence between creditors ( samenloop van schuldeisers / concours des créanciers );

 

(d)          a moratorium of any indebtedness, suspension of payments or reorganisation shall be deemed to include any gerechtelijke reorganisatie / réorganisation judiciaire ;

 

(e)          winding up, administration, liquidation or dissolution includes any vereffening / liquidation, ontbinding / dissolution, faillissement / faillite and sluiting van een onderneming / fermeture d’enterprise ;

 

(f)          a composition, compromise, assignment or similar arrangement with any creditor shall be deemed to include a minnelijk akkoord met alle schuldeisers/ accord

 

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amiable avec tous les créanciers or gerechtelijke reorganisatie / réorganisation judiciaire , as applicable;

 

(g)          an attachment, sequestration, distress, execution or analogous events shall be deemed to include any uitvoerend beslag / saisie exécutoire and bewarend beslag / saisie conservatoire ;

 

(h)          an amalgamation, demerger, merger, consolidation or corporate reconstruction shall be deemed to include an overdracht van algemeenheid / transfer d’universalité , overdracht van bedrijfstak / transfert de branche d’activité , splisting / scission and fusie/fusion and assimilated transaction in accordance with Articles 676 and 677 of the Belgian Companies Code ( gelijkgestelde verrichting / opération assimilée ).

 

(i)           a security interest or security shall be deemed to include any mortgage ( hypotheek / hypothèque ), pledge ( pand / gage ), privilege ( voorrecht / privilège ), retention right ( eigendomsvoorbehoud / réserve de propriété ), any security in rem ( zakelijke zekerheid / sûreté réelle ) and any transfer by way of security ( overdracht ten titel van zekerheid / transfert à titre de garantie ) and, in general, any right in rem created for the purpose of granting security and any promise or mandate to create any of the security interest mentioned above;

 

(j)           a company organized under the laws of Belgium shall be deemed to include any company which has its main establishment ( voornaamste vestiging / établissement principal ) in Belgium;

 

(k)          a subsidiary shall be deemed to include a dochtervennootschap / filiale as defined in Article 6 of the Belgian Company Code;

 

(l)           the Belgian Civil Code means the Belgian Burgerlijk Wetboek / Code Civil as amended from time to time;

 

(m)         the Belgian Companies Code means the Belgian Wetboek van Vennootschappen / Code des Sociétés dated 7 May 1999, as amended from time to time.

 

ARTICLE II

 

The Credits

 

SECTION 2.01 Commitments .  Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender agrees (a) to make an Initial Term Loan to the U.S. Borrower on the Initial Funding Date, in Dollars, in a principal amount equal to but not exceeding its Initial Term Commitment and (b) to make Revolving Loans to the U.S. Borrower and the Belgian Borrower from time to time during the Revolving Availability Period, in Dollars or an Alternative Currency, in each case, in an aggregate principal amount that, in each case after giving effect to any simultaneous reduction of Revolving Exposure due to any application of proceeds from such Revolving Loans, will not result in (w) such Lender’s Revolving Exposure exceeding such Lender’s Revolving Commitment, (x) the Aggregate Revolving Exposure exceeding the Aggregate Revolving Commitment, (y) the

 

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Aggregate Revolving Exposure denominated in any Alternative Currency exceeding the Alternative Currency Sublimit for such currency or (z) the Aggregate Revolving Exposure attributable to Obligations of the Belgian Borrower to exceed the Belgian Borrower Sublimit.  Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrowers may borrow, prepay and reborrow Revolving Loans.  Amounts repaid or prepaid in respect of Term Loans may not be reborrowed.

 

SECTION 2.02 Loans and Borrowings .

 

(a)          Each Loan (other than a Swingline Loan) shall be made as part of a Borrowing consisting of Loans of the same Class and Type made by the Lenders ratably in accordance with their respective Commitments of the applicable Class.  The failure of any Lender to make any Loan required to be made by it shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligations hereunder; provided that the Commitments of the Lenders are several and no Lender shall be responsible for any other Lender’s failure to make Loans as required.

 

(b)          Subject to Section 2.14, each Revolving Borrowing and Term Borrowing shall be comprised entirely of ABR Loans or Eurocurrency Rate Loans as the Borrower Representative may request in accordance herewith; provided that all Borrowings made on the Initial Funding Date must be made as ABR Borrowings unless the Borrower Representative shall have given the notice required for a Eurocurrency Rate Borrowing by the time specified in Section 2.03.  Each Swingline Loan shall be an ABR Loan.  Each Lender at its option may make any Loan by causing any domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate of such Lender to make such Loan; provided that any exercise of such option shall not affect the obligation of the Borrowers to repay such Loan in accordance with the terms of this Agreement or the obligation of any Lender to make or cause any Loan to be made in accordance with this Agreement.

 

(c)          At the commencement of each Interest Period for any Eurocurrency Rate Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of the Borrowing Multiple and not less than the Borrowing Minimum; provided that a Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing may be in an aggregate amount that is equal to the entire unused balance of the Aggregate Revolving Commitment; provided , further , that a Eurocurrency Rate Borrowing that results from a continuation of an outstanding Eurocurrency Rate Borrowing may be in an aggregate amount that is equal to such outstanding Borrowing.  At the time that each ABR Borrowing is made, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of the Borrowing Multiple and not less than the Borrowing Minimum; provided that an ABR Revolving Borrowing may be in an aggregate amount that is equal to the entire unused balance of the Aggregate Revolving Commitment or that is required to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.05(f).  Each Swingline Loan shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $100,000 and not less than $500,000; provided that a Swingline Loan may be in an aggregate amount that is required to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.05(f).  Borrowings of more than one Type and Class may be outstanding at the same time; provided that there shall not at any time be more than a total of ten (or such greater number as may be agreed to by the Administrative Agent) Eurocurrency Rate Borrowings outstanding.

 

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(d)          Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Borrower Representative shall not be entitled to request, or to elect to convert to or continue, any Eurocurrency Rate Borrowing if the Interest Period requested with respect thereto would end after the Maturity Date applicable thereto.

 

SECTION 2.03 Requests for Borrowings .  To request a Revolving Borrowing or Term Borrowing, the Borrower Representative shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by telephone (a) in the case of a Eurocurrency Rate Borrowing denominated in Dollars, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, three Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing (or, in the case of any Eurocurrency Rate Loan to be made on the Initial Funding Date, such shorter period of time as may be agreed to by the Administrative Agent), (b) in the case of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the day of the proposed Borrowing or (c) in the case of a Eurocurrency Rate Borrowing denominated in an Alternative Currency, not later than 11:00 a.m., Local Time, four Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing (or, in the case of any Eurocurrency Rate Loan to be made on the Initial Funding Date, such shorter period of time as may be agreed to by the Administrative Agent).  Each such telephonic Borrowing Request shall be, in the case of Revolving Borrowings only, irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery, facsimile or other electronic delivery to the Administrative Agent of an executed written Borrowing Request.  Each such telephonic and written Borrowing Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:

 

(i)          the Borrower of such Borrowing;

 

(ii)         whether the requested Borrowing is to be comprised of Term Loans of any Class and/or Series or Revolving Loans;

 

(iii)       the aggregate amount of such Borrowing;

 

(iv)       the date of such Borrowing, which shall be a Business Day;

 

(v)        whether such Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurocurrency Rate Borrowing;

 

(vi)       in the case of a Eurocurrency Rate Borrowing, (x) the initial Interest Period to be applicable thereto, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period” and (y) the currency of such Borrowing; and

 

(vii)      the location and number of the account to which funds are to be disbursed or, in the case of any Borrowing requested to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.05(f) (other than a deemed ABR Revolving Borrowing pursuant to Section 2.05(f)), the identity of the Issuing Bank that made such LC Disbursement.

 

If no election as to the Type of Borrowing is specified, then the requested Borrowing shall be an ABR Borrowing denominated in Dollars.  If no Interest Period is specified with respect to any requested Eurocurrency Rate Borrowing, then the Borrower Representative shall be deemed to

 

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have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration.  Promptly following receipt of a Borrowing Request in accordance with this Section, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the applicable Class of the details thereof and of the amount of such Lender’s Loan to be made as part of the requested Borrowing.

 

SECTION 2.04 Swingline Loans .

 

(a)          Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Swingline Lender agrees to make Swingline Loans, in Dollars or any Alternative Currency, to the U.S. Borrower and the Belgian Borrower from time to time during the Revolving Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding that will not result in (i) the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Swingline Loans exceeding $40,000,000 or (ii) the Aggregate Revolving Exposure exceeding the Aggregate Revolving Commitment; provided that the Swingline Lender shall not be required to make a Swingline Loan to refinance an outstanding Swingline Loan.  Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the U.S. Borrower and the Belgian Borrower may borrow, prepay and reborrow Swingline Loans.

 

(b)          To request a Swingline Loan, the Borrower Representative shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by telephone not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the day of the proposed Swingline Loan.  Each such telephonic Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery, facsimile or other electronic delivery to the Administrative Agent of an executed written Borrowing Request.  Each such telephonic and written Borrowing Request shall specify the requested date (which shall be a Business Day) and the amount and currency of the requested Swingline Loan, the Borrower and the location and number of the account to which funds are to be disbursed or, in the case of any Swingline Loan requested to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.05(f), the identity of the Issuing Bank that has made such LC Disbursement.  Promptly following the receipt of a Borrowing Request in accordance with this Section, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Swingline Lender of the details thereof.  The Swingline Lender shall make each Swingline Loan available to the U.S. Borrower or the Belgian Borrower, as applicable, by means of a wire transfer to the account specified in such Borrowing Request or to the applicable Issuing Bank, as the case may be, by 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on the requested date of such Swingline Loan.

 

(c)          The Swingline Lender may by written notice given to the Administrative Agent not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on any Business Day require the Revolving Lenders to acquire participations on such Business Day in all or a portion of the Swingline Loans outstanding.  Such notice shall specify the aggregate amount and currency of the Swingline Loans in which Revolving Lenders will be required to participate.  Promptly upon receipt of such notice, the Administrative Agent will give notice thereof to each Revolving Lender, specifying in such notice such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such Swingline Loan or Swingline Loans.  Each Revolving Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees to pay, upon receipt of notice (or with respect to Swingline Loans denominated in an Alternative Currency, to the extent notice is provided after 11:00 a.m., Local Time, within one Business Day) as provided above, to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Swingline Lender, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such Swingline Loan or Swingline Loans in the currency of such Swingline Loan.  Each Revolving Lender acknowledges and agrees that, in making any Swingline Loan, the Swingline

 

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Lender shall be entitled to rely, and shall not incur any liability for relying, upon the representation and warranty of the Borrowers deemed made pursuant to Section 4.03.  Each Revolving Lender further acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations in Swingline Loans pursuant to this paragraph is absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including the occurrence and continuance of a Default or any reduction or termination of the Revolving Commitments, and that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever.  Each Revolving Lender shall comply with its obligation under this paragraph by wire transfer of immediately available funds, in the same manner as provided in Section 2.06 with respect to Loans made by such Lender (and Section 2.06 shall apply, mutatis   mutandis , to the payment obligations of the Revolving Lenders pursuant to this paragraph), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly remit to the Swingline Lender the amounts so received by it from the Revolving Lenders.  The Administrative Agent shall notify the U.S. Borrower of any participations in any Swingline Loan acquired pursuant to this paragraph, and thereafter payments in respect of such Swingline Loan shall be made to the Administrative Agent and not to the Swingline Lender.  Any amounts received by the Swingline Lender from the U.S. Borrower or the Belgian Borrower (or other Person on behalf of such Borrower) in respect of a Swingline Loan after receipt by the Swingline Lender of the proceeds of a sale of participations therein shall be promptly remitted to the Administrative Agent; any such amounts received by the Administrative Agent shall be promptly remitted by the Administrative Agent to the Revolving Lenders that shall have made their payments pursuant to this paragraph and to the Swingline Lender, as their interests may appear; provided that any such payment so remitted shall be repaid to the Swingline Lender or to the Administrative Agent, as applicable, if and to the extent such payment is required to be refunded to the U.S. Borrower or the Belgian Borrower for any reason.  The purchase of participations in a Swingline Loan pursuant to this paragraph shall not constitute a Loan and shall not relieve the applicable Borrower of its obligation to repay such Swingline Loan.

 

SECTION 2.05  Letters of Credit .

 

(a)           General .  Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, and any other terms and conditions which the applicable Issuing Bank may reasonably require, the Borrower Representative may request the issuance of Letters of Credit for its own account or, so long as the U.S. Borrower is a joint and several co-applicant with respect thereto, the account of any Restricted Subsidiary, denominated in Dollars and in a form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the applicable Issuing Bank, at any time and from time to time during the Revolving Availability Period.  The U.S. Borrower and the Belgian Borrower, jointly and severally, unconditionally and irrevocably agree that, in connection with any Letter of Credit issued for the account of any Restricted Subsidiary that is, in the case of the Belgian Borrower, a Subsidiary of the Belgian Borrower, as provided in the first sentence of this paragraph, it will be fully responsible for the reimbursement of LC Disbursements, the payment of interest thereon and the payment of fees due under Section 2.12(b) to the same extent as if it were the sole account party in respect of such Letter of Credit.  Notwithstanding anything contained in any letter of credit application furnished to any Issuing Bank in connection with the issuance of any Letter of Credit, (i) all provisions of such letter of credit application purporting to grant liens in favor of the Issuing Bank to secure obligations in respect of such Letter of Credit shall be disregarded, it being agreed that such obligations shall be secured to the extent provided in this Agreement and in the Security Documents, and (ii) in the event of any inconsistency between the terms and conditions of such

 

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letter of credit application and the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall control. Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, each Existing Letter of Credit that is outstanding on the Initial Funding Date shall, effective as of the Initial Funding Date and without any further action by the U.S. Borrower, be deemed a Letter of Credit for all purposes hereof and be subject to and governed by the terms and conditions hereof.

 

(b)           Notice of Issuance, Amendment, Renewal, Extension; Certain Conditions .  To request the issuance of a Letter of Credit or the amendment, renewal or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit, the Borrower Representative shall hand deliver or fax (or transmit by electronic communication, if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the recipient) to the applicable Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent, reasonably in advance of the requested date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension, a Letter of Credit Request requesting the issuance of a Letter of Credit, or identifying the Letter of Credit to be amended, renewed or extended, and specifying the requested date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (which shall be a Business Day), the date on which such Letter of Credit is to expire (which shall comply with paragraph (c) of this Section), the amount of such Letter of Credit, the name and address of the beneficiary thereof and such other information as shall be reasonably necessary to enable the applicable Issuing Bank to prepare, amend, renew or extend such Letter of Credit.  If requested by the applicable Issuing Bank, the Borrower Representative also shall submit a letter of credit application on such Issuing Bank’s standard form in connection with any such request.  A Letter of Credit shall be issued, amended, renewed or extended only if (and upon each issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit the applicable Borrower shall be deemed to represent and warrant that), after giving effect to such issuance, amendment, renewal or extension, (i) the LC Exposure will not exceed the Letter of Credit Sublimit, (ii) the LC Exposure of any Issuing Bank will not exceed the applicable Specified L/C Sublimit of such Issuing Bank and (iii) the Aggregate Revolving Exposure will not exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitment.  Each Issuing Bank agrees that it shall not permit any issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of a Letter of Credit to occur unless it shall have given to the Administrative Agent written notice thereof required under paragraph (l) of this Section.

 

(c)           Expiration Date .  Each Letter of Credit shall expire at or prior to the close of business on the earlier of (i) the date one year after the date of the issuance of such Letter of Credit (or, in the case of any renewal or extension thereof, one year after such renewal or extension) and (ii) the date that is five Business Days prior to the Revolving Maturity Date; provided any Letter of Credit may expire after such date with the consent of the applicable Issuing Bank and if such Letter of Credit is cash collateralized or backstopped from and after such date in a manner reasonably agreed to by the applicable Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent (it being understood that each Lender’s participation obligations with respect to any Letter of Credit shall terminate upon the latest Revolving Maturity Date applicable to such Lender unless otherwise consented to by such Lender); provided that any Letter of Credit may contain customary automatic renewal provisions agreed upon by the applicable Borrower and the applicable Issuing Bank pursuant to which the expiration date of such Letter of Credit shall automatically be extended for a period of up to 12 months (but not to a date later than the date set forth in clause (ii) above), subject to a right on the part of such Issuing Bank to prevent any such renewal from occurring by giving notice to the beneficiary in advance of any such renewal; and provided further that if there exist any Extended Revolving Commitments having a maturity date later than the Revolving Maturity Date (the “ Subsequent Maturity Date ”), then, so long as the aggregate LC

 

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Exposure in respect of Letters of Credit expiring after the Revolving Maturity Date will not exceed the lesser of the Letter of Credit Sublimit and the aggregate amount of such Extended Revolving Commitments, the Borrower Representative may request the issuance of a Letter of Credit that shall expire at or prior to the close of business on the earlier of (A) the date one year after the date of the issuance of such Letter of Credit (or, in the case of any renewal or extension thereof, one year after such renewal or extension) and (B) the date that is five Business Days prior to the Subsequent Maturity Date.

 

(d)           Participations .  By the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or an amendment to a Letter of Credit increasing the amount thereof) and without any further action on the part of the applicable Issuing Bank or any Revolving Lender, the Issuing Bank that is the issuer thereof hereby grants to each Revolving Lender, and each Revolving Lender hereby acquires from such Issuing Bank, a participation in such Letter of Credit equal to such Revolving Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the aggregate amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit.  In consideration and in furtherance of the foregoing, each Revolving Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of such Issuing Bank, such Revolving Lender’s Applicable Percentage of each LC Disbursement made by such Issuing Bank under such Letter of Credit and not reimbursed by the applicable Borrower on the date due as provided in paragraph (f) of this Section, or of any reimbursement payment required to be refunded to the applicable Borrower for any reason.  Each Revolving Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations pursuant to this paragraph in respect of Letters of Credit is absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including any amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or the occurrence and continuance of a Default or any reduction or termination of the Revolving Commitments, and that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever.  Each Revolving Lender further acknowledges and agrees that, in issuing, amending, renewing or extending any Letter of Credit, the applicable Issuing Bank shall be entitled to rely, and shall not incur any liability for relying, upon the representation and warranty of the Borrowers deemed made pursuant to Section 4.03.

 

(e)           Disbursements .  Each Issuing Bank shall, promptly following its receipt thereof, examine all documents purporting to represent a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit and shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent and the Borrower Representative by telephone (confirmed by hand delivery, facsimile or other electronic delivery) of such demand for payment and whether such Issuing Bank has made or will make an LC Disbursement thereunder; provided that any failure to give or delay in giving such notice shall not relieve the applicable Borrower of its obligation to reimburse such LC Disbursement.

 

(f)           Reimbursements .  If an Issuing Bank shall make an LC Disbursement in respect of a Letter of Credit, such Issuing Bank shall notify the applicable Borrower and the Administrative Agent of such LC Disbursement and of the date and amount thereof and the applicable Borrower shall reimburse such LC Disbursement by paying to the Administrative Agent an amount equal to such LC Disbursement not later than 2:00 p.m. on the day that is one Business Day after the day of such LC Disbursement (in each case, the “ Required Reimbursement Date ”); provided that the Borrower Representative may, subject to the conditions to borrowing set forth herein, request in accordance with Section 2.03 or 2.04 that such payment be financed with an ABR Revolving Borrowing or a Swingline Loan and, to the extent so financed, the applicable Borrower’s

 

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obligation to make such payment shall be discharged and replaced by the resulting ABR Revolving Borrowing or Swingline Loan and unless the applicable Borrower shall have, by 1:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Required Reimbursement Date, given a notice to the Administrative Agent and the applicable Issuing Bank that the applicable Borrower intends to reimburse the applicable Issuing Bank for the LC Disbursement with funds other than from the proceeds of an ABR Revolving Borrowing or a Swingline Loan, the applicable Borrower shall be deemed to have requested an ABR Borrowing in the amount of such LC Disbursement, plus interest payable thereon pursuant to Section 2.05(h).  If the applicable Borrower subsequently fails to reimburse any LC Disbursement by the time specified above, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Revolving Lender of such failure, the payment then due from the applicable Borrower in respect of the applicable LC Disbursement and such Revolving Lender’s Applicable Percentage thereof.  Promptly following receipt of such notice, each Revolving Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent its Applicable Percentage of the amount then due from the applicable Borrower, in the same manner as provided in Section 2.06 with respect to Loans made by such Lender (and Section 2.06 shall apply, mutatis   mutandis , to the payment obligations of the Revolving Lenders pursuant to this paragraph), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly remit to the applicable Issuing Bank the amounts so received by it from the Revolving Lenders.  Promptly following receipt by the Administrative Agent of any payment from the applicable Borrower pursuant to this paragraph, the Administrative Agent shall distribute such payment to the applicable Issuing Bank or, to the extent that Revolving Lenders have made payments pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse such Issuing Bank, then to such Revolving Lenders and such Issuing Bank as their interests may appear.  Any payment made by a Revolving Lender pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse an Issuing Bank for an LC Disbursement (other than the funding of an ABR Revolving Borrowing or a Swingline Loan as contemplated above) shall not constitute a Loan and shall not relieve the applicable Borrower of its obligation to reimburse such LC Disbursement.

 

(g)           Obligations Absolute .  Each Borrower’s obligation to reimburse LC Disbursements as provided in paragraph (f) of this Section is absolute, unconditional and irrevocable and shall be performed strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under any and all circumstances whatsoever and irrespective of (i) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Letter of Credit or this Agreement, or any term or provision thereof or hereof, (ii) any draft or other document presented under a Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent or invalid in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect, (iii) payment by an Issuing Bank under a Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or other document that does not comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit or (iv) any other event or circumstance whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, that might, but for the provisions of this paragraph, constitute a legal or equitable discharge of, or provide a right of setoff against, the applicable Borrower’s obligations hereunder.  None of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders, the Issuing Banks or any of their Related Parties shall have any liability or responsibility by reason of or in connection with the issuance or transfer of any Letter of Credit, any payment or failure to make any payment thereunder (irrespective of any of the circumstances referred to in the preceding sentence), any error, omission, interruption, loss or delay in transmission or delivery of any draft, notice or other communication under or relating to any Letter of Credit (including any document required to make a drawing thereunder), any error in interpretation of technical terms or any other act, failure to act or other event or circumstance; provided that the foregoing shall not be construed to excuse any Issuing Bank from liability to the applicable Borrower to the extent

 

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of any direct damages (as opposed to consequential damages, claims in respect of which are hereby waived by each Borrower to the extent permitted by applicable law) suffered by such Borrower that are caused by such Issuing Bank’s failure to exercise care when determining whether drafts and other documents presented under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms thereof.  The parties hereto expressly agree that, in the absence of gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of an Issuing Bank (as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final and nonappealable judgment), such Issuing Bank shall be deemed to have exercised care in each such determination.  In furtherance of the foregoing and without limiting the generality thereof, the parties agree that, with respect to documents presented that appear on their face to be in substantial compliance with the terms of a Letter of Credit, an Issuing Bank may, in its sole discretion, either accept and make payment upon such documents without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, or refuse to accept and make payment upon such documents if such documents are not in strict compliance with the terms of such Letter of Credit.

 

(h)           Interim Interest .  If an Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement, then, unless the applicable Borrower shall reimburse such LC Disbursement in full on the Required Reimbursement Date, the unpaid amount thereof shall bear interest, for each day from and including the Required Reimbursement Date to but excluding the date that such Borrower reimburses such LC Disbursement in full, whether with its own funds or with proceeds from a Revolving Borrowing (including any ABR Revolving Borrowing deemed requested pursuant to Section 2.05(f)) or a Swingline Loan, at the rate per annum then applicable to ABR Revolving Loans; provided that, if the Borrowers fail to reimburse such LC Disbursement when due pursuant to Section 2.05(f), then Section 2.13(c) shall apply.  Interest accrued pursuant to this paragraph shall be paid to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the applicable Issuing Bank, except that interest accrued on and after the date of payment by any Revolving Lender pursuant to paragraph (f) of this Section to reimburse such Issuing Bank shall be for the account of such Lender to the extent of such payment, and shall be payable on demand or, if no demand has been made, on the date on which the applicable Borrower reimburses the applicable LC Disbursement in full.

 

(i)           Cash Collateralization .  If any Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, on the Business Day that the Borrower Representative receives notice from the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders (or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated, a Majority in Interest of the Revolving Lenders) demanding the deposit of cash collateral pursuant to this paragraph, the applicable Borrower shall deposit in an account with the Administrative Agent, in the name of the Administrative Agent and for the benefit of the Lenders, an amount in cash equal to the LC Exposure as of such date plus any accrued and unpaid interest thereon; provided that the obligation to deposit such cash collateral shall become effective immediately, and such deposit shall become immediately due and payable, without demand or other notice of any kind, upon the occurrence of any Event of Default with respect to a Borrower described in clause (h) or (i) of Section 7.01.  The applicable Borrower also shall deposit cash collateral in accordance with this paragraph as and to the extent required by Section 2.11(b) or 2.20.  Each such deposit shall be held by the Administrative Agent as collateral for the payment and performance of the obligations of such Borrower under this Agreement.  The Administrative Agent shall have exclusive dominion and control, including the exclusive right of withdrawal, over such account.  Other than any interest earned on the investment of such deposits, which investments shall be made at the option and sole discretion of the Administrative Agent and at the applicable Borrower’s risk

 

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and expense, such deposits shall not bear interest.  Interest or profits, if any, on such investments shall accumulate in such account.  Moneys in such account shall be applied by the Administrative Agent to reimburse the Issuing Banks for LC Disbursements for which they have not been reimbursed and, to the extent not so applied, shall be held for the satisfaction of the reimbursement obligations of the applicable Borrower for the LC Exposure at such time or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated (but subject to the consent of a Majority in Interest of the Revolving Lenders), be applied to satisfy other obligations of such Borrower under this Agreement.  If the applicable Borrower is required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder as a result of the occurrence of an Event of Default, such amount (to the extent not applied as aforesaid) shall be returned to such Borrower within three Business Days after the date on which all Events of Default have been cured or waived.  If the applicable Borrower is required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder pursuant to Section 2.11(b), such amount (to the extent not applied as aforesaid) shall be returned to such Borrower as and to the extent that, after giving effect to such return, the Aggregate Revolving Exposure would not exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitment and no Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

 

(j)           Designation of Additional Issuing Banks .  The Borrower Representative may, at any time and from time to time, with the consent of the Administrative Agent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), designate as additional Issuing Banks one or more Revolving Lenders that agree to serve in such capacity as provided below.  The acceptance by a Revolving Lender of an appointment as an Issuing Bank hereunder shall be evidenced by an agreement, which shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, executed by the Borrower Representative, the Administrative Agent and such designated Revolving Lender and, from and after the effective date of such agreement, (i) such Revolving Lender shall have all the rights and obligations of an Issuing Bank under this Agreement and (ii) references herein to the term “Issuing Bank” shall be deemed to include such Revolving Lender in its capacity as an issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder.

 

(k)           Termination of an Issuing Bank .  The Borrower Representative may terminate the appointment of any Issuing Bank as an “Issuing Bank” hereunder by providing a written notice thereof to such Issuing Bank, with a copy to the Administrative Agent.  Any such termination shall become effective upon the earlier of (i) such Issuing Bank acknowledging receipt of such notice and (ii) the 10th Business Day following the date of the delivery thereof; provided that no such termination shall become effective until and unless the LC Exposure attributable to Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank (or its Affiliates) shall have been reduced to zero or such Letters of Credit have been backstopped, novated or cash collateralized in a manner that is in form and substance satisfactory to such Issuing Bank.  At the time any such termination shall become effective, the U.S. Borrower shall pay all unpaid fees accrued for the account of the terminated Issuing Bank pursuant to Section 2.12(b).  Notwithstanding the effectiveness of any such termination, the terminated Issuing Bank shall remain a party hereto and shall continue to have all the rights of an Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit issued by it prior to such termination, but shall not issue any additional Letters of Credit.

 

(l)           Issuing Bank Reports to the Administrative Agent .  Unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent, each Issuing Bank shall, in addition to its notification obligations set forth elsewhere in this Section, report in writing to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower Representative (i) periodic activity (for such period or recurrent periods as shall be requested by

 

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the Administrative Agent) in respect of Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank, including all issuances, extensions, amendments and renewals, all expirations and cancelations and all disbursements and reimbursements, (ii) reasonably prior to the time that such Issuing Bank issues, amends, renews or extends any Letter of Credit, the date of such issuance, amendment, renewal or extension, and the stated amount of the Letters of Credit issued, amended, renewed or extended by it and outstanding after giving effect to such issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (and whether the amounts thereof shall have changed), (iii) on each Business Day on which such Issuing Bank makes any LC Disbursement, the date and amount of such LC Disbursement, (iv) on any Business Day on which the applicable Borrower fails to reimburse an LC Disbursement required to be reimbursed to such Issuing Bank when due pursuant to paragraph (f) of this Section 2.05, the date of such failure and the amount of such LC Disbursement and (v) on any other Business Day, such other information as the Administrative Agent or the Borrower Representative shall reasonably request as to the Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank.

 

(m)           LC Exposure Determination .  For all purposes of this Agreement, the amount of a Letter of Credit that, by its terms or the terms of any document related thereto, provides for one or more automatic increases in the stated amount thereof shall be deemed to be the maximum stated amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all such increases, whether or not such maximum stated amount is in effect at the time of determination.

 

SECTION 2.06 Funding of Borrowings .

 

(a)          Each Lender shall make each Loan to be made by it hereunder on the proposed date thereof by wire transfer of immediately available funds by 2:00 p.m., Local Time (and, on the Initial Funding Date, by as soon as possible after 10:00 a.m. (and by no later than 12 noon, provided that all of the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 have been satisfied by such time), Local Time), to the account of the Administrative Agent most recently designated by it for such purpose by notice to the Lenders; provided that Swingline Loans shall be made as provided in Section 2.04.  The Administrative Agent will make the proceeds of all other Loans hereunder available to the U.S. Borrower or the Belgian Borrower, as applicable, by promptly remitting the amounts so received, in like funds, to an account specified by the Borrower Representative in the applicable Borrowing Request or, in the case of Revolving Loans or Swingline Loans (including any deemed ABR Revolving Loans pursuant to Section 2.05(f)) made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.05(f), to the Issuing Bank that has made such LC Disbursement.

 

(b)          Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Borrowing that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance with paragraph (a) of this Section and may, in reliance on such assumption, make available to the applicable Borrower a corresponding amount.  In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender and the applicable Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the applicable Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative

 

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Agent, at (i) in the case of a payment to be made by such Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation or (ii) in the case of a payment to be made by the Borrowers, the interest rate applicable to ABR Revolving Loans.  If such Lender pays such amount to the Administrative Agent, then such amount shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing.

 

SECTION 2.07 Interest Elections .

 

(a)          Each Revolving Borrowing and Term Borrowing initially shall be of the Type and, in the case of a Eurocurrency Rate Borrowing, shall have an initial Interest Period as specified in the applicable Borrowing Request or as otherwise provided in Section 2.03 or Section 2.05(f).  Thereafter, the Borrower Representative may elect to convert such Borrowing to a Borrowing of a different Type (in the case of Dollar denominated Borrowings) or to continue such Borrowing and, in the case of a Eurocurrency Rate Borrowing, may elect Interest Periods therefor, all as provided in this Section.  The Borrower Representative may elect different options with respect to different portions of the affected Borrowing, in which case each such portion shall be allocated ratably among the Lenders holding the Loans comprising such Borrowing, and the Loans comprising each such portion shall be considered a separate Borrowing.  This Section shall not apply to Swingline Borrowings, which may not be converted or continued.

 

(b)          To make an election pursuant to this Section, the Borrower Representative shall notify the Administrative Agent of such election by telephone by the time that a Borrowing Request would be required under Section 2.03 if the Borrower Representative were requesting a Revolving Borrowing of the Type resulting from such election to be made on the effective date of such election.  Each such telephonic Interest Election Request shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery, facsimile or other electronic delivery to the Administrative Agent of an executed written Interest Election Request.  Each telephonic and written Interest Election Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:

 

(i)          the Borrowing to which such Interest Election Request applies and, if different options are being elected with respect to different portions thereof, the portions thereof to be allocated to each resulting Borrowing (in which case the information to be specified pursuant to clauses (iii) and (iv) below shall be specified for each resulting Borrowing);

 

(ii)         the effective date of the election made pursuant to such Interest Election Request, which shall be a Business Day;

 

(iii)        whether the resulting Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurocurrency Rate Borrowing; and

 

(iv)        if the resulting Borrowing is to be a Eurocurrency Rate Borrowing, the Interest Period to be applicable thereto after giving effect to such election, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period.”

 

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If any such Interest Election Request requests a Eurocurrency Rate Borrowing but does not specify an Interest Period, then the applicable Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration.

 

(c)          Promptly following receipt of an Interest Election Request in accordance with this Section, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the applicable Class of the details thereof and of such Lender’s portion of each resulting Borrowing.

 

(d)          If the Borrower Representative fails to deliver a timely Interest Election Request with respect to a Eurocurrency Rate Borrowing prior to the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto, then, unless such Borrowing is repaid as provided herein, at the end of such Interest Period such Borrowing shall (i) in the case of a Term Borrowing or Revolving Borrowing denominated in an Alternative Currency, be continued as a Eurocurrency Rate Borrowing for an additional Interest Period of one month or (ii) in the case of a Revolving Borrowing denominated in Dollars, be converted to an ABR Borrowing.  Notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof, if an Event of Default under clause (h) or (i) of Section 7.01 has occurred and is continuing with respect to a Borrower, or if any other Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Administrative Agent, at the request of a Majority in Interest of Lenders of any Class, has notified the Borrowers of the election to give effect to this sentence on account of such other Event of Default, then, in each such case, so long as such Event of Default is continuing, (i) no outstanding Borrowing of such Class denominated in Dollars may be converted to or continued as a Eurocurrency Rate Borrowing, (ii) no outstanding Loans denominated in any currency other than Dollars may be continued for an Interest Period of more than one month’s duration and (iii) unless repaid, each Eurocurrency Rate Borrowing of such Class denominated in Dollars shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing at the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto.

 

SECTION 2.08 Termination and Reduction of Commitments .

 

(a)          Unless previously terminated, (i) the Commitments shall terminate on July 1, 2016 if the Initial Funding Date has not occurred on or prior to such date, (ii) the Initial Term Commitments shall automatically terminate at the Initial Funding Date, (iii) any Incremental Term Commitment shall terminate on the date set forth in the Incremental Facility Agreement relating thereto, (iv) except with respect to Extended Revolving Commitments, the Revolving Commitments shall automatically terminate at the Revolving Maturity Date and (v) any Extended Revolving Commitments shall automatically terminate on the relevant Maturity Date for the Extension Series of such Extended Revolving Commitments.

 

(b)          Subject to Section 2.22 in the case of any reduction or termination of Revolving Commitments, the Borrower Representative may at any time terminate, or from time to time permanently reduce, the Commitments of any Class, as determined by the Borrower Representative, in whole or in part either (i) ratably among Classes or (ii) if not inconsistent with the Extension Amendment relating to Extended Revolving Commitments, first to the Commitments with respect to any Existing Revolving Commitments and second to such Extended Revolving Commitments; provided that (i) with respect to the Revolving Commitments of any Class, any such termination or reduction shall apply ratably to reduce the Revolving Commitment of each of the Revolving Lenders of such Class, (ii) each reduction of the Commitments of any Class shall be

 

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in an amount that is an integral multiple of the Borrowing Multiple and not less than the Borrowing Minimum and (iii) the Borrower Representative shall not terminate or reduce the Revolving Commitments of any Class if, after giving effect to any concurrent prepayment of the Revolving Loans or Swingline Loans of such Class in accordance with Section 2.11, the Revolving Exposure of any Lender of such Class would exceed its Revolving Commitment of such Class.

 

(c)          The Borrower Representative shall notify the Administrative Agent of any election to terminate or reduce the Commitments under paragraph (b) of this Section at least three Business Days prior to the effective date of such termination or reduction, specifying the effective date thereof.  Promptly following receipt of any such notice, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the applicable Class of the contents thereof.  Each notice delivered by the Borrower Representative pursuant to this Section shall be irrevocable; provided that a notice of termination or reduction of the Revolving Commitments under paragraph (b) of this Section may state that such notice is conditioned upon the occurrence of one or more events specified therein, in which case such notice may be revoked by the Borrower Representative (by notice to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the specified effective date) if such condition is not satisfied.  Any termination or reduction of the Commitments of any Class shall be permanent.

 

SECTION 2.09 Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt .

 

(a)          The U.S. Borrower hereby unconditionally promises to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Revolving Loan made to the U.S. Borrower (other than an Extended Revolving Loan) of such Lender on the Revolving Maturity Date, (ii) with respect to any tranche of Incremental Term Loans, to the Administrative Agent for the account of each applicable Incremental Term Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Incremental Term Loan of such tranche of such Incremental Term Lender on the relevant Maturity Date for such tranche of Incremental Term Loans, (iii) with respect to any Extension Series of Extended Term Loans, to the Administrative Agent for the account of each applicable Extending Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Extended Term Loan of such Extension Series on the relevant Maturity Date for such Extension Series of Extended Term Loans, (iv) with respect to any Extension Series of Extended Revolving Commitments, of each Extended Revolving Loan made to the U.S. Borrower of such Extension Series on the relevant Maturity Date for such Extension Series of Extended Revolving Commitments, (v) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Initial Term Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Initial Term Loan (other than any Extended Term Loan) of such Initial Term Lender as provided in Section 2.10 and (vi) to the Swingline Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Swingline Loan made to the U.S. Borrower on the earlier of the Revolving Maturity Date and the first date after such Swingline Loan is made that is the 15th or last day of a calendar month and is at least five Business Days after such Swingline Loan is made; provided that on each date that a Revolving Borrowing is made to the U.S. Borrower, the U.S. Borrower shall repay all Swingline Loans made to the U.S. Borrower that were outstanding on the date such Borrowing was requested.  The U.S. Borrower and the Belgian Borrower, jointly and severally, hereby unconditionally promise to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Revolving Loan made to the Belgian Borrower (other than an Extended Revolving Loan) of such Lender on the Revolving Maturity Date, (ii) with respect to any Extension Series of Extended Revolving Commitments, of each Extended Revolving Loan made to the Belgian Borrower of such Extension Series on the relevant Maturity

 

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Date for such Extension Series of Extended Revolving Commitments and (iii) to the Swingline Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Swingline Loan made to the Belgian Borrower on the earlier of the Revolving Maturity Date and the first date after such Swingline Loan is made that is the 15th or last day of a calendar month and is at least five Business Days after such Swingline Loan is made; provided that on each date that a Revolving Borrowing is made to the Belgian Borrower, the U.S. Borrower and the Belgian Borrower, jointly and severally, shall repay all Swingline Loans made to the Belgian Borrower that were outstanding on the date such Borrowing was requested.

 

(b)          The records maintained by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall be prima   facie evidence of the existence and amounts of the obligations of the Borrowers in respect of the Loans, LC Disbursements, interest and fees due or accrued hereunder; provided that the failure of the Administrative Agent or any Lender to maintain such records or any error therein shall not in any manner affect the obligation of the Borrowers to pay any amounts due hereunder in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

 

(c)          Any Lender may request that Loans of any Class made by it be evidenced by a promissory note.  In such event, the applicable Borrower shall prepare, execute and deliver to such Lender a promissory note payable to such Lender or its registered assigns and in a form approved by the Administrative Agent.  Thereafter, the Loans evidenced by such promissory note and interest thereon shall at all times (including after assignment pursuant to Section 9.04) be represented by one or more promissory notes in such form payable to the payee named therein or its registered assigns.

 

SECTION 2.10 Amortization of Term Loans .

 

(a)          Subject to adjustment pursuant to paragraph (c) of this Section, the U.S. Borrower shall repay Initial Term Loans on the last day of each full fiscal quarter ending after the first anniversary of the Initial Funding Date in the principal amount of Initial Term Loans equal to (i) the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Initial Term Loans immediately after closing on the Initial Funding Date multiplied by (ii) the percentage set forth below:

 

Period   Term Loan
Repayment
Percentage Per
Quarter
 
         
The four full fiscal quarters immediately following the first anniversary of the Initial Funding Date     1.25 %
         
The four full fiscal quarters immediately following the second anniversary of the Initial Funding Date     1.25 %
         
The four full fiscal quarters immediately following the third anniversary of the Initial Funding Date     2.50 %
         
The three full fiscal quarters immediately following the fourth anniversary of the Initial Funding Date     2.50 %

 

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To the extent not previously paid, all Initial Term Loans shall be due and payable on the Initial Term Maturity Date.

 

(b)          In the event any Incremental Term Loans are made, such Incremental Term Loans shall mature and be repaid in amounts and on dates as agreed between the U.S. Borrower and the relevant Incremental Term Lenders in the applicable Incremental Facility Agreement, subject to the requirements set forth in Section 2.21.  In the event any Extended Term Loans are established, such Extended Term Loans shall mature and be repaid in the amounts and on the dates set forth in the applicable Extension Amendment, subject to the requirements set forth in Section 2.22.  

 

(c)          Any voluntary prepayment of a Term Borrowing of any Class made pursuant to Section 2.11(a) shall be applied to reduce the subsequent scheduled repayments of Term Borrowings of such Class in such order as the U.S. Borrower may determine; provided that the U.S. Borrower may not voluntarily prepay Extended Term Loans of any Extension Series pursuant to Section 2.11(a) unless such prepayment is accompanied by at least a pro rata prepayment, based upon the outstanding principal amounts owing under such Class, of Initial Term Loans of the Class of Initial Term Loans from which such Extended Term Loans were converted (or such Initial Term Loans of such Class have otherwise been repaid in full).  For the avoidance of doubt, the U.S. Borrower may voluntarily prepay Initial Term Loans of any Class pursuant to Section 2.11(a) without any requirement to prepay Extended Term Loans that were converted from the Initial Term Loans of such Class.  

 

(d)          Any mandatory prepayment of a Term Borrowing of any Class required by Section 2.11 shall be allocated to the Classes of Term Loans outstanding, pro rata, based upon the outstanding principal amounts of the Term Loans of each Class (unless any Incremental Facility Agreement contemplates that any Incremental Term Loans or Refinanced Term Loans, as applicable, established thereby shall share in any mandatory prepayments of Term Borrowings required by Section 2.11 on less than a pro rata basis with any other Term Loans, in which case such mandatory prepayment shall be allocated to such Class of Term Loans as provided in such any Incremental Facility Agreement), and shall be applied pro rata to the Lenders of each Class, based upon the outstanding principal amounts owing under each such Class of Term Loans; provided that, with respect to the allocation of such prepayments between Initial Term Loans and Extended Term Loans of the same Extension Series, the U.S. Borrower may, to the extent not inconsistent with any Extension Amendment relating to Extended Term Loans of any Extension Series, allocate such prepayments as the U.S. Borrower may specify, so long as the U.S. Borrower shall not allocate to Extended Term Loans of any Extension Series any mandatory prepayment unless such prepayment is accompanied by at least a pro rata prepayment, based upon the outstanding principal amounts owing under such Class, of Initial Term Loans of the Class of Initial Term Loans from which such Extended Term Loans were converted (or such Initial Term Loans of such Class have otherwise been repaid in full).

 

(e)          Mandatory prepayments required by Section 2.11, within any Class of Term Loans (other than Incremental Term Loans of any Series), shall be applied on a pro rata basis to reduce the subsequent scheduled repayments of the Term Borrowings of such Class.  Mandatory prepayments required by Section 2.11, within any Series of Incremental Term Loans, shall be applied to reduce the remaining subsequent scheduled repayments of Incremental Term Loans of

 

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such Series as shall be specified therefor in the applicable Incremental Facility Agreement for such Series.

 

(f)          In the event that Term Loans of any Class are purchased or acquired by the U.S. Borrower pursuant to Purchase Offers under Section 2.23, then the subsequent scheduled repayments of the Term Borrowings of such Class to be made will not be reduced or otherwise affected by such transaction (except to the extent that the final scheduled payment shall be reduced thereby).

 

SECTION 2.11 Prepayment of Loans .

 

(a)          Each Borrower shall have the right at any time and from time to time to prepay any Borrowing in whole or in part, subject to the requirements of this Section.

 

(b)          In the event and on each occasion that (i) the Aggregate Revolving Exposure exceeds the Aggregate Revolving Commitment, the applicable Borrower shall prepay Revolving Borrowings or Swingline Borrowings (or, if no such Borrowings are outstanding, deposit cash collateral in an account with the Administrative Agent in accordance with Section 2.05(i)) in an aggregate amount equal to such excess, (ii) the Aggregate Revolving Exposure denominated in any Alternative Currency exceeds the Alternative Currency Sublimit for such currency, the applicable Borrower shall, prepay Revolving Borrowings or Swingline Borrowings denominated in such Alternative Currency in an aggregate amount equal to such excess or (iii) the Aggregate Revolving Exposure attributable to Borrowings by the Belgian Borrower exceeds the Belgian Borrower Sublimit, the Belgian Borrower shall prepay Revolving Borrowings or Swingline Borrowings in an aggregate amount equal to such excess.

 

(c)          In the event and on each occasion that any Net Proceeds are received by or on behalf of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in respect of any Prepayment Event, the U.S. Borrower shall, not later than the date of prepayment required by paragraph (d) of this Section, prepay Term Borrowings in an amount equal to such Net Proceeds (or such lesser amount required by paragraph (d) of this Section); provided that, if the U.S. Borrower shall, prior to the date of the required prepayment, deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate of an Authorized Officer of the U.S. Borrower to the effect that the U.S. Borrower intends to cause the Net Proceeds from such event (or a portion thereof specified in such certificate) to be applied within one year after receipt of such Net Proceeds to be reinvested in the business of the U.S. Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries (in the case of reinvestments in assets of Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties, in accordance with the applicable limitations of Article VI), or to consummate any Permitted Acquisition permitted hereunder, then no prepayment shall be required pursuant to this paragraph in respect of the Net Proceeds from such event (or the portion of such Net Proceeds specified in such certificate, if applicable) except to the extent of any such Net Proceeds that have not been so applied by the end of such one-year period (or if by the end of such initial one-year period the U.S. Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries shall have entered into a binding agreement with a third party to reinvest, or to consummate such Permitted Acquisition, with such Net Proceeds in accordance with the applicable provisions of Article VI, such Net Proceeds have not been so applied within a period of 180 days after the date of such binding agreement), at which time a prepayment shall be required in an amount equal to the Net Proceeds that have not been so applied.

 

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(d)          With respect to each such prepayment required by Section 2.11(c) as a result of a Prepayment Event, (i) no later than five (5) Business Days after receipt of the Net Proceeds of such Prepayment Event, the U.S. Borrower will give the Administrative Agent telephonic notice thereof (promptly confirmed in writing), and the Administrative Agent will promptly provide such notice to each Lender of Term Loans, (ii) each such Lender will have the right to refuse any such prepayment by giving written notice of such refusal to the Administrative Agent within three Business Days after such Lender’s receipt of notice from the Administrative Agent of such prepayment (such refused amounts, the “ Refused Proceeds ”), and (iii) the U.S. Borrower will make all such prepayments not so refused upon the fifth Business Day after such Lenders receive first notice of repayment from the Administrative Agent, and any Refused Proceeds may be retained by the U.S. Borrower (it being understood that if no Term Loans are outstanding at the time the notice referenced in clause (i) above would otherwise be required to be delivered, such prepayment shall automatically be deemed Refused Proceeds without any further action by the U.S. Borrower for purposes of this Section 2.11(d)).

 

(e)          [Reserved].

 

(f)          Prior to any optional or mandatory prepayment of Borrowings under this Section, the Borrower Representative shall specify the Borrowing or Borrowings to be prepaid in the notice of such prepayment delivered pursuant to paragraph (g) of this Section.

 

(g)          The Borrower Representative shall notify the Administrative Agent (and, in the case of prepayment of a Swingline Loan, the Swingline Lender) by telephone (confirmed by hand delivery, facsimile or other electronic delivery) of any repayment, any optional prepayment and, to the extent practicable (and, in the case of prepayments required pursuant to Section 2.11(c), subject to Section 2.11(d)), any mandatory prepayment under Section 2.10 or 2.11, as applicable, (i) in the case of repayment or prepayment of a Eurocurrency Rate Borrowing denominated in Dollars, not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, three Business Days before the date of repayment or prepayment, (ii) in the case of repayment or prepayment of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 1:00 p.m., New York City time, one Business Day before the date of repayment or prepayment, (iii) in the case of repayment or prepayment of a Swingline Loan, not later than 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on the date of repayment or prepayment or (iv) in the case of a Eurocurrency Rate Borrowing denominated in an Alternative Currency, not later than 1:00 p.m., Local Time, three Business Days before the date or repayment or prepayment.  Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the repayment or prepayment date, the principal amount of each Borrowing or portion thereof to be repaid or prepaid and, in the case of a mandatory prepayment, to the extent practicable, a reasonably detailed calculation of the amount of such prepayment; provided that (A) if a notice of optional prepayment is given in connection with a conditional notice of termination of the Revolving Commitments as contemplated by Section 2.08, then such notice of prepayment may be revoked if such notice of termination is revoked in accordance with Section 2.08 and (B) a notice of prepayment of Term Borrowings may state that such notice is conditioned upon the occurrence of one or more events specified therein, in which case such notice may be revoked by the Borrower Representative (by notice to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the specified date of prepayment) if such condition is not satisfied.  Promptly following receipt of any such notice (other than a notice relating solely to Swingline Loans), the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the applicable Class of the contents thereof.  Each partial prepayment of any Borrowing shall be in an amount that would be

 

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permitted in the case of an advance of a Borrowing of the same Type as provided in Section 2.02, except as necessary to apply fully the required amount of a mandatory prepayment.  Repayment and prepayments shall be accompanied by accrued interest to the extent required by Section 2.13.

 

(h)          Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that any portion of any Foreign Source Prepayment attributable to any Foreign Subsidiary cannot be made when due other than with the proceeds of a dividend from such Foreign Subsidiary (or of a dividend from another Foreign Subsidiary of which the first Foreign Subsidiary is a direct or indirect subsidiary) that would result in a material adverse tax liability to the U.S. Borrower, then the requirement to make a prepayment with such portion shall be deferred until such time as such prepayment can be made with funds of the U.S. Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries that are available without resort to such a dividend.  “ Foreign Source Prepayment ” means, for any Foreign Subsidiary, any Net Proceeds arising from a Prepayment Event under paragraph (a) or (b) of the definition of Prepayment Event in respect of any asset of such Foreign Subsidiary.

 

SECTION 2.12 Fees .

 

(a)          The U.S. Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Revolving Lender a commitment fee (the “ Commitment Fee ”), which shall accrue at the Applicable Rate per annum on the daily unused amount of the Revolving Commitment of such Lender during the period from and including the Initial Funding Date to but excluding the date on which such Revolving Commitment terminates.  Accrued Commitment Fees shall be payable in arrears on the last day of March, June, September and December of each year and on the date on which the Revolving Commitments terminate, commencing on the first such date to occur after the Initial Funding Date.  All such Commitment Fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).  For purposes of computing Commitment Fees, a Revolving Commitment of a Lender shall be deemed to be used to the extent of the outstanding Revolving Loans and LC Exposure of such Lender (and the Swingline Exposure of such Lender shall be disregarded for such purpose).

 

(b)          Each Borrower agrees to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Revolving Lender a participation fee with respect to its participations in Letters of Credit, which shall accrue at the Applicable Rate used to determine the interest rate applicable to Eurocurrency Revolving Loans on the daily amount of such Lender’s LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from and including the Initial Funding Date to but excluding the later of the date on which such Lender’s Revolving Commitment terminates and the date on which such Lender ceases to have any LC Exposure, and (ii) to each Issuing Bank a fronting fee, which shall accrue at a rate of 0.125% per annum on the average daily amount of the LC Exposure attributable to Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from and including the Initial Funding Date to but excluding the later of the date of termination of the Revolving Commitments and the date on which there ceases to be any such LC Exposure, as well as such Issuing Bank’s standard fees with respect to the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or processing of drawings thereunder.  Participation fees and fronting fees accrued through and including the last day of March, June,

 

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September and December of each year shall be payable on the third Business Day following such last day, commencing on the first such date to occur after the Initial Funding Date; provided that all such fees shall be payable on the date on which the Revolving Commitments terminate and any such fees accruing after the date on which the Revolving Commitments terminate shall be payable on demand.  Any other fees payable to an Issuing Bank pursuant to this paragraph shall be payable within 10 Business Days after demand.  All participation fees and fronting fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).

 

(c)           Each Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for its own account, fees payable in the amounts and at the times separately agreed upon between such Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

 

(d)          All fees payable hereunder shall be paid on the dates due, in immediately available funds, to the Administrative Agent (or to an Issuing Bank, in the case of fees payable to it) for distribution, in the case of commitment fees and participation fees, to the Revolving Lenders entitled thereto.  Fees paid shall not be refundable under any circumstances.

 

SECTION 2.13 Interest .

 

(a)          The Loans comprising each ABR Borrowing (including such Swingline Loan) shall bear interest at the Alternate Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate.

 

(b)          The Loans comprising each Eurocurrency Rate Borrowing shall bear interest at the Eurocurrency Rate for the Interest Period in effect for such Borrowing plus the Applicable Rate.

 

(c)          Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any principal of or interest on any Loan or any fee or other amount payable by a Borrower hereunder is not paid when due, whether at stated maturity, upon acceleration or otherwise, such overdue amount shall bear interest, after as well as before judgment, at a rate per annum equal to (i) in the case of overdue principal of any Loan, 2% per annum plus the rate otherwise applicable to such Loan as provided in the preceding paragraphs of this Section or (ii) in the case of any other amount, 2% per annum plus the rate applicable to ABR Revolving Loans as provided in paragraph (a) of this Section.

 

(d)          Accrued interest on each Loan shall be payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date for such Loan and, in the case of a Revolving Loan, upon termination of the Revolving Commitments; provided that (i) interest accrued pursuant to paragraph (c) of this Section shall be payable on demand, (ii) in the event of any repayment or prepayment of any Loan (other than a prepayment of an ABR Revolving Loan prior to the end of the Revolving Availability Period), accrued interest on the principal amount repaid or prepaid shall be payable on the date of such repayment or prepayment and (iii) in the event of any conversion of a Eurocurrency Rate Loan prior to the end of the current Interest Period therefor, accrued interest on such Loan shall be payable on the effective date of such conversion.

 

(e)          All interest hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days, except that interest computed by reference to the Alternate Base Rate at times when the Alternate Base Rate is based on the Prime Rate shall be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or 366

 

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days in a leap year), and in each case shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).  The applicable Alternate Base Rate or Adjusted LIBO Rate shall be determined by the Administrative Agent, and such determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

SECTION 2.14 Alternate Rate of Interest .  If prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for a Eurocurrency Rate Loan of any Class:

 

(a)          the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) that adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the Eurocurrency Rate for such Interest Period; or

 

(b)          the Administrative Agent is advised by a Majority in Interest of the Lenders of such Class that the Eurocurrency Rate for such Interest Period will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of making or maintaining their Loans included in such Eurocurrency Rate Loan for such Interest Period or that deposits in the currency of such Eurocurrency Rate Loan are not being offered to banks in the applicable London interbank market for the applicable amount and the Interest Period of such Eurocurrency Rate Loan;

 

then the Administrative Agent shall give notice (which may be telephonic) thereof to the Borrower Representative and the Lenders of such Class as promptly as practicable.  Thereafter, the obligation of the Lenders to make Eurocurrency Rate Loans in such currency (other than outstanding Term Loans) shall be suspended until the Administrative Agent (upon the instruction of the Required Lenders) revokes such notice.  Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrower Representative may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans or, failing that, (i) in the case of Loans denominated in Dollars, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a Borrowing of ABR Loans in the amount specified therein and (ii) in the case of a Revolving Loan to be denominated in a currency other than Dollars, such Revolving Loan shall be made in Dollars in the Dollar Equivalent amount of the requested Borrowing.

 

SECTION 2.15 Increased Costs .

 

(a)          If any Change in Law shall:

 

(i)          impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan, insurance charge or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended by, any Lender or Issuing Bank (except any such reserve requirement reflected in the Eurocurrency Rate);

 

(ii)         impose on any Lender or Issuing Bank or the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense affecting this Agreement or Eurocurrency Rate Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein; or

 

(iii)        subject any Credit Party to any Taxes (other than (A) Indemnified Taxes and (B) Excluded Taxes) in respect of its loans, letters of credit, commitments or other obligations, or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto;

 

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and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender or other Credit Party of making or maintaining any Eurocurrency Rate Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan), to increase the cost to such Lender, Issuing Bank or other Credit Party of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit (or of maintaining its obligation to participate in or issue any Letter of Credit) or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender, Issuing Bank or other Credit Party hereunder (whether of principal, interest or otherwise), then, following receipt of a certificate pursuant to paragraph (c) of this Section, the applicable Borrower will pay to such Lender, Issuing Bank or other Credit Party, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender, Issuing Bank or other Credit Party, as the case may be, for such additional costs or expenses incurred or reduction suffered.

 

(b)          If any Lender or Issuing Bank reasonably determines that any Change in Law regarding capital adequacy or liquidity requirements has had or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement, the Commitments of or the Loans made by, or participations in Letters of Credit or Swingline Loans held by, such Lender, or the Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank, to a level below that which such Lender or Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy and liquidity), then, following receipt of a certificate pursuant to paragraph (c) of this Section, the applicable Borrower will pay to such Lender or Issuing Bank, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.

 

(c)          If any Lender or Issuing Bank is claiming compensation under this Section 2.15, it shall deliver to the Borrower Representative a certificate setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or Issuing Bank or its holding company, as the case may be, and the basis for the calculation thereof as specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, which certificate shall be conclusive absent manifest error.  The Borrowers shall pay such Lender or Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 Business Days after receipt thereof.

 

(d)          Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or Issuing Bank to demand compensation pursuant to this Section shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s right to demand such compensation; provided that no Borrower shall be required to compensate a Lender or Issuing Bank pursuant to this Section for any increased costs or expenses incurred or reductions suffered more than 180 days prior to the date that such Lender or Issuing Bank, as the case may be, notifies the Borrower Representative of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or expenses or reductions and of such Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s intention to claim compensation therefor; provided further that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or expenses or reductions is retroactive, then the 180-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof.

 

SECTION 2.16 Break Funding Payments .  In the event of (a) the payment of any principal of any Eurocurrency Rate Loan other than on the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto, (b) the conversion of any Eurocurrency Rate Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable

 

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thereto, (c) the failure to borrow, convert or continue any Eurocurrency Rate Loan on the date specified in any notice (including any telephonic notice) delivered or made pursuant hereto (including as a result of the revocation of any such notice), (d) the failure to prepay any Eurocurrency Rate Loan on a date specified therefor in any notice of prepayment given by the Borrower Representative (whether or not such notice may be revoked in accordance with the terms hereof) or (e) the assignment of any Eurocurrency Rate Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto as a result of a request by a Borrower pursuant to Section 2.19 or pursuant to Section 2.21(e), then, in any such event, such Borrower shall after receipt of a written request by such Lender (which request shall set forth in reasonable detail the basis for requesting such amount and, absent manifest error, the amount requested shall be conclusive) compensate each Lender for the loss, cost and expense attributable to such event, but excluding any losses of anticipated profits.  Such loss, cost or expense to any Lender shall be deemed to include an amount determined by such Lender to be the excess, if any, of (i) the amount of interest that would have accrued on the principal amount of such Loan had such event not occurred, at the Adjusted LIBO Rate that would have been applicable to such Loan (but not including the Applicable Rate applicable thereto), for the period from the date of such event to the last day of the then current Interest Period therefor (or, in the case of a failure to borrow, convert or continue, for the period that would have been the Interest Period for such Loan), over (ii) the amount of interest that would accrue on such principal amount for such period at the interest rate which such Lender would bid were it to bid, at the commencement of such period, for dollar deposits of a comparable amount and period from other banks in the London interbank market, but shall exclude any losses of anticipated profits.  A certificate of any Lender delivered to the Borrower Representative and setting forth any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to this Section shall be conclusive absent manifest error.  The applicable Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 Business Days after receipt thereof.

 

SECTION 2.17 Taxes .

 

(a)           Withholding of Taxes; Gross-Up .  Each payment by or on behalf of a Loan Party under this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be made without withholding for any Taxes, unless such withholding is required by any applicable Requirements of Law.  If any Withholding Agent determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it is so required to withhold any Taxes, then such Withholding Agent may so withhold and shall timely pay the full amount of withheld Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable Requirements of Law.  If such Taxes are Indemnified Taxes, then the amount payable by such Loan Party shall be increased as necessary so that net of such withholding (including such withholding applicable to additional amounts payable under this Section 2.17), the applicable Lender (or in the case of a payment made to the Administrative Agent for its own account, the Administrative Agent) receives the amount it would have received had no such withholding been made.

 

(b)           Payment of Other Taxes by the Borrowers .  Each Borrower shall timely pay all Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable Requirements of Law; provided that the Belgian Borrower shall not be required to pay any Other Taxes attributable to any Loans made to the U.S. Borrower.

 

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(c)           Evidence of Payment .  As soon as practicable after any payment of Taxes by a Loan Party to a Governmental Authority pursuant to this Section 2.17, such Loan Party shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

(d)           Indemnification by the Loan Parties .  The Loan Parties shall indemnify each Credit Party for any Indemnified Taxes that are paid or payable by such Credit Party (including any Indemnified Taxes imposed or asserted by any jurisdiction on amounts paid or payable under this Section 2.17) and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority; provided that the Belgian Borrower shall not be required to indemnify for any Indemnified Taxes attributable to any Loans made to the U.S. Borrower.  The indemnity under this paragraph shall be paid within 20 days after the Credit Party delivers to any Loan Party a certificate stating the amount of any Indemnified Taxes so paid or payable by such Credit Party and describing the basis for the indemnification claim.  Such certificate shall be conclusive of the amount so paid or payable absent manifest error.  Such Credit Party shall deliver a copy of such certificate to the Administrative Agent.

 

(e)           Status of Lenders .

 

(i)          Any Lender that is entitled to an exemption from, or reduction of, any applicable withholding Tax with respect to any payments under any Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent as will permit such payments to be made without, or at a reduced rate of, withholding.  In addition, any Lender, if requested by the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable Requirements of Law or reasonably requested by the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to any withholding (including backup withholding) or information reporting requirements.  Upon the reasonable request of the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent, any Lender shall update any documentation previously delivered pursuant to this Section 2.17(e).  If any documentation previously delivered pursuant to this Section 2.17(e) expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect with respect to a Lender, such Lender shall promptly (and in any event within 10 days after such expiration, obsolescence or inaccuracy) notify the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent in writing of such expiration, obsolescence or inaccuracy and update the documentation to the extent it is legally eligible to do so.

 

(ii)         Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Lender shall, to the extent it is legally eligible to do so, deliver to the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent on or prior to the date on which such Lender becomes a party hereto, two duly completed and executed copies of whichever of the following is applicable (and any additional number of copies as is reasonably requested by the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent):

 

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(A)         in the case of a Lender that is a U.S. Person, IRS Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. federal backup withholding tax;

 

(B)         in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States of America is a party, IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, as applicable, establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax;

 

(C)         in the case of a Foreign Lender for whom payments under any Loan Document constitute income that is effectively connected with such Lender’s conduct of a trade or business in the United States of America, IRS Form W-8ECI;

 

(D)         in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 881(c) of the Code, both (1) IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, as applicable, and (2) a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit L-1, Exhibit L-2, Exhibit L-3 or Exhibit L-4 (each, a “ U.S. Tax Certificate ”), as applicable, to the effect that such Lender is not (x) a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (y) a “10 percent shareholder” of the U.S. Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code or (z) a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code, and that no payments in connection with the Loan Documents are effectively connected with such Lender’s conduct of a U.S. trade or business;

 

(E)         in the case of a Foreign Lender that is not the beneficial owner of payments made under any Loan Document (including a partnership or a participating Lender), (1) IRS Form W-8IMY on behalf of itself and (2) the relevant forms prescribed in clauses (A), (B), (C), (D) and (F) of this paragraph (e)(ii) that would be required of each such beneficial owner or partner of such partnership if such beneficial owner or partner were a Lender; provided that if such Lender is a partnership (and not a participating Lender) and one or more of its partners are claiming the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 881(c) of the Code, such Lender may provide a U.S. Tax Certificate on behalf of such partners;

 

(F)         in the case that any form referred to in clauses (A) through (E) of this paragraph is succeeded by a successor form, such successor form;

 

(G)         any other form prescribed by applicable Requirements of Law as a basis for claiming exemption from, or a reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax, together with such supplementary documentation as shall be necessary to enable the Borrowers and/or the Administrative Agent to determine the amount of Tax (if any) required by law to be withheld; or

 

(H)         in respect of interest payments made by the Belgian Borrower to any Lender, in case an exemption of interest withholding tax provided by a double tax treaty concluded by Belgium and the state of residence of such Lender is relied upon, a validly executed Belgian 276 Int. Aut. Certificate.

 

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(iii)        If a payment made to a Lender under any Loan Document would be subject to U.S. federal withholding Tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to the Withholding Agent, at the time or times prescribed by applicable Requirements of Law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Withholding Agent, such documentation prescribed by applicable Requirements of Law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Withholding Agent as may be necessary for the Withholding Agent to comply with its obligations under FATCA, to determine whether such Lender has or has not complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA and, as necessary, to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment.  Solely for purposes of this Section 2.17(e)(iii), the term “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the Signing Date.

 

(iv)        Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to deliver to the Loan Parties and to any successor Administrative Agent any documentation provided by such Lender to the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section 2.17(e).

 

(v)         Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 2.17(e), a Lender shall not be required to deliver any documentation pursuant to this Section 2.17(e) that such Lender is not legally eligible to deliver.

 

(f)           Treatment of Certain Refunds .  If any Credit Party determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified pursuant to this Section 2.17 (including additional amounts paid pursuant to this Section 2.17), it shall pay to the indemnifying party an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made under this Section 2.17 with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including any Taxes) of such Credit Party and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund).  Such indemnifying party, upon the request of such Credit Party, shall repay to such Credit Party the amount paid to such Credit Party pursuant to the prior sentence (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) in the event such Credit Party is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 2.17(f), in no event will any Credit Party be required to pay any amount to any indemnifying party pursuant to this Section 2.17(f) if such payment would place such Credit Party in a less favorable position (on a net after-Tax basis) than such Credit Party would have been in if the Tax subject to indemnification and giving rise to such refund had not been deducted, withheld or otherwise imposed and the indemnification payments or additional amounts with respect to such Tax had never been paid.  This Section 2.17(f) shall not be construed to require any Credit Party to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to the indemnifying party or any other Person.

 

(g)           Defined Terms .  For purposes of this Section 2.17, for the avoidance of doubt, the term “Lender” shall include each Issuing Bank and each Swingline Lender, and the term “Requirements of Law” shall include FATCA.

 

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SECTION 2.18 Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Setoffs .

 

(a)          Each Borrower shall make each payment required to be made by it hereunder or under any other Loan Document prior to the time expressly required hereunder or under such other Loan Document for such payment (or, if no such time is expressly required, prior to 2:00 p.m., New York City time in the case of Borrowings denominated in Dollars and prior to 2:00 p.m., Local Time in the case of Borrowings denominated in an Alternative Currency), on the date when due, in immediately available funds, without any defense, setoff, recoupment or counterclaim.  Any amounts received after such time on any date may, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, be deemed to have been received on the next succeeding Business Day for purposes of calculating interest thereon.  All such payments shall be made to such account as may be specified by the Administrative Agent, except that payments required to be made directly to any Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender shall be so made, payments pursuant to Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03 shall be made directly to the Persons entitled thereto and payments pursuant to other Loan Documents shall be made to the Persons specified therein.  The Administrative Agent shall distribute any such payment received by it for the account of any other Person to the appropriate recipient promptly following receipt thereof.  If any payment under any Loan Document shall be due on a day that is not a Business Day, the date for payment shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day and, in the case of any payment accruing interest, interest thereon shall be payable for the period of such extension.  Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all payments by the Borrowers hereunder with respect to principal and interest on Loans denominated in an Alternative Currency shall be made to the Administrative Agent in such Alternative Currency and all other payments under each Loan Document shall be made in Dollars.

 

(b)          If at any time insufficient funds are received by and available to the Administrative Agent to pay fully all amounts of principal, unreimbursed LC Disbursements, interest and fees then due hereunder, such funds shall be applied towards payment of the amounts then due hereunder ratably among the parties entitled thereto, in accordance with the amounts then due to such parties.

 

(c)          Except to the extent that this Agreement provides for payments to be disproportionately allocated to or retained by a particular Lender or group of Lenders (including in connection with the payment of principal, interest or fees in different amounts or at different rates and the repayment of principal amounts of Loans at different times as a result of Extension Amendments, Incremental Facility Agreements, purchases of Term Loans pursuant to Purchase Offers under Section 2.23 or non-ratable prepayments of Classes of Loans pursuant to Section 2.10(c)), each Lender agrees that if it shall, by exercising any right of setoff or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of its Loans or participations in LC Disbursements or Swingline Loans resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a greater proportion of the aggregate amount of its Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans and accrued interest thereon than the proportion received by any other Lender, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans of other Lenders to the extent necessary so that the amount of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amounts of principal of and accrued interest on their Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans; provided that (i) if any

 

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such participations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest, and (ii) the provisions of this paragraph shall not be construed to apply to any payment made by a Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement (for the avoidance of doubt, as in effect from time to time) or any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans or participations in LC Disbursements or Swingline Loans to any Person that is an Eligible Assignee (as such term is defined from time to time).  Each Borrower consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against such Borrower rights of setoff and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of such Borrower in the amount of such participation.

 

(d)          Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower Representative prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders or Issuing Banks hereunder that the applicable Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders or Issuing Banks, as the case may be, the amount due.  In such event, if such Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders or Issuing Banks, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender or Issuing Bank with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.

 

(e)          If any Lender shall fail to make any payment required to be made by it hereunder to or for the account of the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, then the Administrative Agent may, in its discretion (notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof), (i) apply any amounts thereafter received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender to satisfy such Lender’s obligations in respect of such payment until all such unsatisfied obligations have been discharged or (ii) hold any such amounts in a segregated account as cash collateral for, and application to, any future funding obligations of such Lender pursuant to Sections 2.04(c), 2.05(d), 2.05(f), 2.06(b), 2.18(c), 2.18(d) and 9.03(c), in each case in such order as shall be determined by the Administrative Agent in its discretion.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, any amounts paid by a Loan Party for the account of a Lender that are applied or held pursuant to this Section 2.18(e) shall be deemed paid by such Loan Party to such Lender.

 

SECTION 2.19 Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders .

 

(a)          If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.15, or if the Borrowers are required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or to any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.17, then such Lender shall (at the request of either Borrower) use commercially reasonable efforts to designate a different lending office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign and delegate its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or Affiliates if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation

 

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or assignment and delegation (i) would reasonably be expected to eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 2.15 or 2.17, as the case may be, in the future and (ii) would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender.  The applicable Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment and delegation.

 

(b)          If (i) any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.15, (ii) a Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.17, (iii) any Lender has become a Defaulting Lender or (iv) any Lender has failed to consent to a proposed amendment, waiver, discharge or termination that under Section 9.02 requires the consent of all the Lenders (or all the affected Lenders or all the Lenders of the affected Class) and with respect to which the Required Lenders (or, in circumstances where Section 9.02 does not require the consent of the Required Lenders, a Majority in Interest of the Lenders of the affected Class) shall have granted their consent, then such Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in Section 9.04), all its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (or, in the case of any such assignment and delegation resulting from a failure to provide a consent, all its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as a Lender of a particular Class) to an Eligible Assignee that shall assume such obligations (which may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment and delegation); provided that (A) the Borrower Representative shall have received the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent (and, if a Revolving Commitment is being assigned, each Issuing Bank and the Swingline Lender), which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld, (B) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans and, if applicable, participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder, (if applicable, in each case only to the extent such amounts relate to its interest as a Lender of a particular Class) from the assignee (in the case of such principal and accrued interest and fees) or the applicable Borrower (in the case of all other amounts), (C) in the case of any such assignment and delegation resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 2.15 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.17, it can reasonably be expected that such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments and (D) in the case of any such assignment and delegation resulting from the failure to provide a consent, the assignee shall have given such consent.  A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment and delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver or consent by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrowers to require such assignment and delegation have ceased to apply.  Each party hereto agrees that an assignment and delegation required pursuant to this paragraph may be effected pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption executed by the applicable Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the assignee and that the Lender required to make such assignment and delegation need not be a party thereto.

 

SECTION 2.20 Defaulting Lenders .  Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, if any Revolving Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then the following provisions shall apply for so long as such Revolving Lender is a Defaulting Lender:

 

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(a)          commitment fees shall cease to accrue on the unused amount of the Revolving Commitment of such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 2.12(a);

 

(b)          the Revolving Commitment and Revolving Exposure of such Defaulting Lender shall not be included in determining whether the Required Lenders or any other requisite Lenders have taken or may take any action hereunder or under any other Loan Document (including any consent to any amendment, waiver or other modification pursuant to Section 9.02); provided that any amendment, waiver or other modification requiring the consent of all Lenders or all Lenders affected thereby shall, except as otherwise provided in Section 9.02, require the consent of such Defaulting Lender in accordance with the terms hereof;

 

(c)          if any Swingline Exposure or LC Exposure exists at the time such Revolving Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender then:

 

(i)          the Swingline Exposure and LC Exposure of such Defaulting Lender shall be reallocated among the Non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages (with the term “Applicable Percentage” meaning, with respect to any Lender for purposes of reallocations to be made pursuant to this paragraph (c), the percentage of the Aggregate Revolving Commitment represented by such Lender’s Revolving Commitment at the time of such reallocation calculated disregarding the Revolving Commitments of the Defaulting Lenders at such time) but only to the extent that such reallocation does not cause the Aggregate Revolving Exposure of any Non-Defaulting Lender to exceed such Non-Defaulting Lender’s Revolving Commitment;

 

(ii)         if the reallocation described in clause (i) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the applicable Borrower shall within one Business Day following notice by the Administrative Agent (A) first, prepay the portion of such Defaulting Lender’s Swingline Exposure that has not been reallocated and (B) second, cash collateralize for the benefit of the Issuing Banks the portion of such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure that has not been reallocated in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.05(i) for so long as such LC Exposure is outstanding;

 

(iii)        if a Borrower cash collateralizes any portion of such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure pursuant to clause (ii) above, such Borrower shall not be required to pay participation fees to such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 2.12(b) with respect to such portion of such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure for so long as such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure is cash collateralized;

 

(iv)       if any portion of the LC Exposure of such Defaulting Lender is reallocated pursuant to clause (i) above, then the fees payable to the Lenders pursuant to Sections 2.12(a) and 2.12(b) shall be adjusted to give effect to such reallocation; and

 

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(v)         if all or any portion of such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure is neither reallocated nor cash collateralized pursuant to clause (i) or (ii) above, then, without prejudice to any rights or remedies of any Issuing Bank or any other Lender hereunder, all participation fees payable under Section 2.12(b) with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure shall be payable to the Issuing Banks (and allocated among them ratably based on the amount of such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure attributable to Letters of Credit issued by each Issuing Bank) until and to the extent that such LC Exposure is reallocated and/or cash collateralized; and

 

(d)          so long as such Revolving Lender is a Defaulting Lender, the Swingline Lender shall not be required to fund any Swingline Loan and no Issuing Bank shall be required to issue, amend, renew or extend any Letter of Credit, unless in each case it is reasonably satisfied that the related exposure and the Defaulting Lender’s then outstanding Swingline Exposure or LC Exposure, as applicable, will be fully covered by the Revolving Commitments of the Non-Defaulting Lenders and/or cash collateral provided by the Borrowers in accordance with Section 2.20(c), and participating interests in any such funded Swingline Loan or in any such issued, amended, reviewed or extended Letter of Credit will be allocated among the Non-Defaulting Lenders in a manner consistent with Section 2.20(c)(i) (and such Defaulting Lender shall not participate therein).

 

In the event that the Administrative Agent, the Borrowers, the Swingline Lender and each Issuing Bank each agree in writing that a Defaulting Lender has adequately remedied all matters that caused such Lender to be a Defaulting Lender (a “ Restored Lender ”), then the Swingline Exposure and LC Exposure of the Revolving Lenders shall be reallocated in accordance with their Applicable Percentages and on such date such Restored Lender shall purchase at par such of the Revolving Loans of the other Revolving Lenders (other than Swingline Loans) as the Administrative Agent shall determine may be necessary in order for such Restored Lender to hold such Loans in accordance with its Applicable Percentage (with the term “Applicable Percentage” meaning, with respect to any Lender for purposes of reallocations to be made pursuant to this paragraph, the percentage of the Aggregate Revolving Commitment represented by such Lender’s Revolving Commitment at the time of such reallocation calculated including the Revolving Commitment of such Restored Lender but disregarding the Revolving Commitments of the Defaulting Lenders at such time).  Subject to Section 9.20, no reallocation hereunder shall constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder against a Defaulting Lender arising from that Lender having become a Defaulting Lender, including any claim of a Non-Defaulting Lender as a result of such Non-Defaulting Lender’s increased exposure following such reallocation.

 

SECTION 2.21 Incremental Facilities .

 

(a)          The Borrowers may on one or more occasions, by written notice to the Administrative Agent, request (i) one or more increases in the amount of the Revolving Commitments of any Class (each such increase, an “ Incremental Revolving Commitment Increase ”) and/or (ii) the establishment of Incremental Term Commitments for the U.S. Borrower; provided that the Dollar Equivalent of the aggregate amount of all the Incremental Revolving Commitment Increases and Incremental Term Commitments to be established hereunder on any date shall not exceed the

 

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greater of (A) the Incremental Base Amount as of such date and (B) assuming that the full amount of such Incremental Revolving Commitment Increases and/or Incremental Term Commitments, and all previously established Incremental Revolving Commitment Increases and Incremental Term Commitments then in effect, shall have been funded as Loans on such date, an additional aggregate amount, such that, after giving Pro Forma Effect to the establishment of any Incremental Revolving Commitment Increases and/or Incremental Term Commitments and the use of proceeds thereof, the Borrowers shall be in Pro Forma Compliance, recomputed as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period for which financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or 5.01(b) (or, prior to the delivery of any such financial statements, the last day of the last fiscal quarter included in the Pro Forma Financial Statements), with a Senior Secured Leverage Ratio that is no greater than 2.50:1.00.  Each such notice shall specify (A) the date on which the applicable Borrower proposes that the Incremental Revolving Commitment Increases or the Incremental Term Commitments, as applicable, shall be effective, which shall be a date not less than 10 Business Days (or such shorter period as may be agreed to by the Administrative Agent) after the date on which such notice is delivered to the Administrative Agent and (B) the amount of the Incremental Revolving Commitment Increase or Incremental Term Commitments, as applicable, being requested (it being agreed that (x) any Lender approached to provide any Incremental Revolving Commitment Increase or Incremental Term Commitment may elect or decline, in its sole discretion, to provide such Incremental Revolving Commitment Increase or Incremental Term Commitments, (y) the Borrowers shall not be required to approach existing Lenders first to provide any Incremental Revolving Commitment Increase or Incremental Term Commitment or offer any existing Lenders a right of first refusal to provide any Incremental Revolving Commitment Increase or Incremental Term Commitment and (z) any Person that the applicable Borrower proposes to become a Lender under any Incremental Term Commitment or Incremental Revolving Commitment Increase, if such Person is not then a Lender, must be an Eligible Assignee and, if any consent of the Administrative Agent would be required for an assignment of Loans or Commitment to such Lender, must be reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and, in the case of any proposed Incremental Revolving Commitment Increase, if any consent of each Issuing Bank and the Swingline Lender would be required for an assignment of Revolving Loans or a Revolving Commitment to such Lender, each Issuing Bank and the Swingline Lender).

 

(b)          The terms and conditions of any Loans and Commitments pursuant to any Incremental Revolving Commitment Increase shall be the same as those of the Revolving Commitments and Revolving Loans of the Class that is being increased and shall be treated as a single Class with such Revolving Commitments and Revolving Loans; provided that any interest margins, commitment fees, pricing and rate floors applicable to any Incremental Revolving Commitment Increase may exceed the interest margins, commitment fees, pricing and rate floors payable with respect to the Revolving Loans and/or Revolving Commitments pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, as amended through the date of such calculation, in which case the Applicable Rate and/or the fee payable pursuant to Section 2.12(a), in each case as in effect for the other Revolving Loans and Revolving Commitments, shall be automatically increased to eliminate such excess (it being understood that additional upfront or similar fees may be payable to the Lenders participating in such Incremental Revolving Commitment Increase without any requirement to pay such amounts to any existing Revolving Lenders).  The terms and conditions of any Incremental Term Commitments and the Incremental Term Loans to be made thereunder shall be set forth in the applicable Incremental Facility Agreement and shall be identical to those of the Term

 

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Commitments and the Term Loans (other than with respect to maturity, amortization, prepayment, fees and pricing, which shall be, subject to the following proviso, determined by the applicable Borrowers and the Lenders thereunder as set forth in documentation to be determined by the Borrowers and reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent); provided that (A) the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of any Incremental Term Loans shall be no shorter than the longest remaining Weighted Average Life to Maturity of any Class of Term Loans then outstanding, (B) no Incremental Term Loan Maturity Date shall be earlier than the latest Maturity Date then in effect, (C) any Incremental Term Loans may participate in any mandatory prepayment under Sections 2.11(c) and (e) on a pro rata basis (or on less than pro rata basis), but not on a greater than pro rata basis with the other Term Loans, (D) any Incremental Term Loan shall rank pari passu in right of payment and of security with the Initial Term Loans and shall be secured only by the Collateral securing the Obligations, (E) any Incremental Term Loan shall be denominated in Dollars and (F) any Previously Absent Financial Maintenance Covenant shall be permitted so long as the Administrative Agent shall be given prompt written notice thereof and this Agreement is amended to include such Previously Absent Financial Maintenance Covenant for the benefit of all Lenders.  Any Incremental Term Commitments established pursuant to an Incremental Facility Agreement that have identical terms and conditions, and any Incremental Term Loans made thereunder, may be (x) designated as a separate Series of Incremental Term Commitments and Incremental Term Loans for all purposes of this Agreement or (y) effected as an increase to an existing Class of Term Loans.

 

(c)          The Incremental Term Commitments and any Incremental Revolving Commitment Increase shall be effected pursuant to one or more Incremental Facility Agreements executed and delivered by the applicable Borrower, each Incremental Lender providing such Incremental Term Commitments or Incremental Revolving Commitment Increase, as the case may be, and the Administrative Agent; provided that no Incremental Term Commitments or Incremental Revolving Commitment Increases shall become effective unless:

 

(i)          no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of effectiveness thereof, both immediately prior to and immediately after giving effect to such Incremental Term Commitments or Incremental Revolving Commitment Increases and the making of Loans and issuance of Letters of Credit thereunder to be made on such date;

 

(ii)         on the date of effectiveness thereof, both immediately prior to and immediately after giving effect to such Incremental Term Commitments or Incremental Revolving Commitment Increases and the making of Loans and issuance of Letters of Credit thereunder to be made on such date, the representations and warranties of each Loan Party set forth in the Loan Documents shall be true and correct (A) in the case of the representations and warranties qualified as to materiality, in all respects and (B) otherwise, in all material respects, in each case on and as of such date, except in the case of any such representation and warranty that expressly relates to a prior date, in which case such representation and warranty shall be so true and correct on and as of such prior date; provided that in the case of any Incremental Term Loans or Incremental Revolving Commitment Increase used to finance an acquisition permitted hereunder and whose consummation is not conditioned upon the availability of, or on obtaining, third party financing, to the extent the Lenders participating in such Incremental Term Loans or Incremental

 

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Revolving Commitment Increase agree, this clause (ii) shall require only customary “specified representations” and “acquisition agreement representations” requested by the applicable Incremental Lenders;

 

(iii)        after giving Pro Forma Effect to the establishment of any Incremental Revolving Commitment Increase or Incremental Term Commitment, the incurrence of any Loans thereunder and the use of the proceeds thereof, and assuming that the full amount of such Incremental Revolving Commitment Increases and/or Incremental Term Commitments shall have been funded as Loans on such date, the Borrowers shall be in Pro Forma Compliance with each Financial Maintenance Covenant, recomputed as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period for which financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or 5.01(b) (or, prior to the delivery of any such financial statements, the last day of the last fiscal quarter included in the Pro Forma Financial Statements);

 

(iv)        the applicable Borrower shall make any payments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.16 in connection with such Incremental Term Commitments or Incremental Revolving Commitment Increase and the related transactions under this Section.

 

Each Incremental Facility Agreement may, without the consent of any Lender, effect such amendments to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as may be necessary or appropriate, in the opinion of the Administrative Agent, to give effect to the provisions of this Section.

 

(d)          Upon the effectiveness of an Incremental Term Commitment or Incremental Revolving Commitment Increase of any Incremental Lender, (i) such Incremental Lender shall be deemed to be a “Lender” (and a Lender in respect of Commitments and Loans of the applicable Class) hereunder, and henceforth shall be entitled to all the rights of, and benefits accruing to, Lenders (or Lenders in respect of Commitments and Loans of the applicable Class) hereunder and shall be bound by all agreements, acknowledgements and other obligations of Lenders (or Lenders in respect of Commitments and Loans of the applicable Class) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, and (ii) in the case of any Incremental Revolving Commitment Increase, (A) if the applicable Lender does not already have a Revolving Commitment, such Incremental Revolving Commitment Increase shall constitute the Revolving Commitment of such Lender as provided in the Incremental Facility Agreement applicable to such Incremental Revolving Commitment Increase, (B) if the applicable Lender already has a Revolving Commitment, the Revolving Commitment of such Lender shall be increased as provided in the Incremental Facility Agreement applicable to such Incremental Revolving Commitment Increase and (C) the Aggregate Revolving Commitment shall be increased by the amount of such Incremental Revolving Commitment Increase, in each case, subject to further increase or reduction from time to time as set forth in the definition of the term “Revolving Commitment.” For the avoidance of doubt, upon the effectiveness of any Incremental Revolving Commitment Increase, the Revolving Exposure of the Revolving Lender making such Incremental Revolving Commitment Increase, and the Applicable Percentage of all the Revolving Lenders, shall automatically be adjusted to give effect thereto.

 

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(e)          On the date of effectiveness of any Incremental Revolving Commitment Increase, each Revolving Lender shall assign to each Revolving Lender making such Incremental Revolving Commitment Increase, and each such Revolving Lender making such Incremental Revolving Commitment Increase shall purchase from each Revolving Lender, at the principal amount thereof (together with accrued interest), such interests in the Revolving Loans and participations in Letters of Credit outstanding on such date as shall be necessary in order that, after giving effect to all such assignments and purchases, such Revolving Loans and participations in Letters of Credit will be held by all the Revolving Lenders ratably in accordance with their Applicable Percentages after giving effect to the effectiveness of such Incremental Revolving Commitment Increase.

 

(f)          Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the applicable Incremental Facility Agreement, each Lender holding an Incremental Term Commitment of any Series shall make a loan to the applicable Borrower in an amount equal to such Incremental Term Commitment on the date specified in such Incremental Facility Agreement.

 

(g)         The Administrative Agent shall notify the Lenders promptly upon receipt by the Administrative Agent of any notice from the applicable Borrower referred to in Section 2.21(a) and of the effectiveness of any Incremental Term Commitments, in each case advising the Lenders of the details thereof and, in the case of effectiveness of any Incremental Revolving Commitment Increase, of the Applicable Percentages of the Revolving Lenders after giving effect thereto and of the assignments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.21(e).

 

SECTION 2.22   Extensions of Term Loans, Revolving Loans and Revolving Commitments .

 

(a)          (i) The U.S. Borrower may, subject to and in compliance with Section 2.22(b) below, request that all or a portion of each Term Loan of any Class (such Class, an “ Existing Term Loan Class ” and such Term Loans, “ Existing Term Loans ”) be converted to extend the scheduled final maturity date(s) of any payment of principal with respect to all or a portion of any principal amount of such Term Loans (any such Term Loans which have been so converted, “ Extended Term Loans ”) and to provide for other terms consistent with this Section 2.22.  Prior to entering into any Extension Amendment with respect to any Extended Term Loans, the U.S. Borrower shall provide written notice to the Administrative Agent (who shall provide a copy of such notice to each of the Lenders of the applicable Existing Term Loan Class and which such request shall be offered equally to all such Lenders) (a “ Term Loan Extension Request ”) setting forth the proposed terms of the Extended Term Loans to be established, which terms shall be identical to the Term Loans of the Existing Term Loan Class from which they are to be extended, except that (v) the scheduled final maturity date shall be extended and all or any of the scheduled amortization payments of all or a portion of any principal amount of such Extended Term Loans may be delayed to later dates than the scheduled amortization of principal of the Term Loans of such Existing Term Loan Class (with any such delay resulting in a corresponding adjustment to the scheduled amortization payments reflected in Section 2.10 or in the Incremental Facility Agreement, as the case may be, with respect to the Existing Term Loan Class from which such Extended Term Loans were extended, in each case as more particularly set forth in Section 2.22(c) below) ( provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, the Weighted Average Life to Maturity

 

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of such Extended Term Loans shall be no shorter than the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of the Term Loans of the Existing Term Loan Class from which they are to be converted), (w)(A) the interest rates (including through fixed interest rates), interest margins, rate floors, upfront fees, funding discounts, original issue discounts and premiums with respect to the Extended Term Loans may be different than those for the Term Loans of such Existing Term Loan Class and/or (B) additional fees and/or premiums may be payable to the Lenders providing such Extended Term Loans in addition to or in lieu of any of the items contemplated by the preceding clause (A), in each case, to the extent provided in the applicable Extension Amendment, (x) subject to the provisions set forth in Sections 2.10 and 2.11, the Extended Term Loans may have optional and mandatory prepayment terms (including call protection and prepayment premiums) as may be agreed between the U.S. Borrower and the Lenders thereof; provided that such mandatory prepayment terms shall not provide for greater than pro rata prepayment with the Existing Term Loans, (y) the Extension Amendment may provide for other covenants and terms that apply to any period after the latest Maturity Date and (z) the terms of any Extended Term Loans may also contain other differences from the Existing Term Loan Class from which they are to be extended as are approved by the Administrative Agent, acting reasonably, so long as such differences are not material and not adverse to the Lenders of such Existing Term Loan Class.  No Lender shall have any obligation to agree to have any of its Term Loans converted into Extended Term Loans pursuant to any Term Loan Extension Request.  Any Extended Term Loans of any Extension Series shall constitute a separate Class of Term Loans from the Existing Term Loan Class of Term Loans from which they were converted.

 

(ii)         The Borrower Representative may, subject to and in compliance with Section 2.22(b) below, request that all or a portion of the Revolving Commitments and/or Extended Revolving Commitments of any Class existing at the time of such request (each, an “ Existing Revolving Commitment ” and any related Revolving Loans under any such facility, “ Existing Revolving Loans ”; each Existing Revolving Commitment and related Existing Revolving Loans together being referred to as an “ Existing Revolving Class ”) be converted to extend the termination date thereof and the scheduled maturity date(s) of any payment of principal with respect to all or a portion of any principal amount of Loans related to such Existing Revolving Commitments (any such Existing Revolving Commitments which have been so extended, “ Extended Revolving Commitments ” and any related Loans, “ Extended Revolving Loans ”; each Extended Revolving Commitment and related Extended Revolving Loans together an “ Extended Revolving Class ”) and to provide for other terms consistent with this Section 2.22.  Prior to entering into any Extension Amendment with respect to any Extended Revolving Commitments, the Borrower Representative shall provide written notice to the Administrative Agent (who shall provide a copy of such notice to each of the Lenders of the applicable Class of Existing Revolving Commitments and which such request shall be offered equally to all such Lenders) (a “ Revolving Extension Request ”) setting forth the proposed terms of the Extended Revolving Commitments to be established thereunder, which terms shall be identical to those applicable to the Existing Revolving Commitments from which they are to be extended except that (w) all or any of the final maturity dates of such Extended Revolving Commitments may be delayed to later dates than the final maturity dates of such Existing Revolving Class, (x)(A) the interest rates, interest margins, rate floors, upfront fees, funding discounts, original issue discounts and premiums with respect to the Extended Revolving Commitments may be different than those for such Existing Revolving Class and/or (B) additional fees and/or premiums may be payable to the Lenders providing such Extended Revolving Commitments in addition to or in lieu of any of the items contemplated by

 

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the preceding clause (A), in each case, to the extent provided in the applicable Extension Amendment, (y)(A) the undrawn revolving commitment fee rate with respect to such Extended Revolving Class may be different than such rate for such Existing Revolving Class and (B) the Extension Amendment may provide for other covenants and terms that apply to any period after the latest Maturity Date and (z) the terms of any Extended Revolving Commitments may also contain other differences from the Class of Existing Revolving Commitments from which they are to be extended as are approved by the Administrative Agent, acting reasonably, so long as such differences are not material and not adverse to the Lenders of such Existing Revolving Commitment Class; provided that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 2.22 or otherwise, (1) the borrowing and repayment (other than in connection with a permanent repayment and termination of commitments, including at maturity of non-extended Revolving Commitments) of Loans with respect to any Extended Revolving Class shall be made on a pro rata basis with any borrowings and repayments of the Existing Revolving Loans of the Class of Existing Revolving Commitments from which they were extended (the mechanics for which may be implemented through the applicable Extension Amendment and may include technical changes related to the borrowing, replacement letter of credit and swingline procedures of such Existing Revolving Commitment Class), (2) assignments and participations of Extended Revolving Commitments and Extended Revolving Loans shall be governed by the same assignment and participation provisions applicable to Existing Revolving Classes set forth in Section 9.04 and (3) subject to Section 2.08(b), permanent repayments of Extended Revolving Loans (and corresponding permanent reductions in the related Extended Revolving Commitments) shall be permitted as may be agreed between the applicable Borrower and the Lenders thereof.  No Lender shall have any obligation to agree to have any of its Revolving Loans or Revolving Commitments of any Existing Revolving Class converted into Extended Revolving Loans or Extended Revolving Commitments pursuant to any Extension Request.  Any Extended Revolving Commitments of any Extension Series shall constitute a separate Class of Revolving Commitments from the Existing Revolving Commitments of the Existing Revolving Class from which they were converted and from any other Existing Revolving Commitments (together with any other Extended Revolving Commitments so established on such date).

 

(b)          The Borrower Representative shall provide the applicable Extension Request at least 15 Business Days (or such shorter period as the Administrative Agent may determine in its reasonable discretion) prior to the expected date of any Extension Amendment, and shall agree to such procedures, if any, as may be established by, or acceptable to, the Administrative Agent, in each case acting reasonably, to accomplish the purpose of this Section 2.22.  Any Lender (an “ Extending Lender ”) wishing to have all or a portion of its Existing Term Loans or Revolving Commitments (or any earlier Extended Revolving Commitments) of an Existing Revolving Class subject to such Extension Request converted into Extended Term Loans or Extended Revolving Commitments, as applicable, shall, within 10 Business Days (or such longer period as the U.S. Borrower may specify) of receipt of such Extension Request, notify the Administrative Agent (an “ Extension Election ”) of the amount of its Term Loans and/or Revolving Commitments of the Existing Class or Existing Classes subject to such Extension Request that it has elected to convert into Extended Term Loans or Extended Revolving Commitments, as applicable (subject to any minimum denomination requirements imposed by the Administrative Agent).  In the event that the aggregate amount of Term Loans or Revolving Commitments of the Existing Class subject to Extension Elections exceeds the amount of Extended Term Loans or Extended Revolving Commitments, as applicable, requested pursuant to the Extension Request, Term Loans or Revolving Commitments of the Existing Class or Existing Classes shall be converted to Extended Term Loans or Extended Revolving

 

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Commitments, as applicable, on a pro rata basis based on the amount of Term Loans or Revolving Commitments included in each such Extension Election (subject to rounding).  Notwithstanding the conversion of any Existing Revolving Commitment into an Extended Revolving Commitment, such Extended Revolving Commitment shall be treated identically to all other Revolving Commitments for purposes of the obligations of a Revolving Lender in respect of Swingline Loans under Section 2.04 and Letters of Credit under Section 2.05, except that the applicable Extension Amendment may provide that the date on which the Swingline Loan has to be repaid and/or the last day for issuing Letters of Credit may be extended and the related obligations to make Swingline Loans and issue Letters of Credit may be continued (pursuant to mechanics to be specified in the applicable Extension Amendment) so long as the applicable Swingline Lender and/or the applicable Issuing Bank, as applicable, have consented to such extensions (it being understood that no consent of any other Lender shall be required in connection with any such extension).

 

(c)          Extended Term Loans or Extended Revolving Commitments, as applicable, shall be established pursuant to an amendment (an “ Extension Amendment ”) to this Agreement (which, except to the extent expressly contemplated by the penultimate sentence of this Section 2.22(c) and notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in Section 9.02, shall not require the consent of any Lender other than the Extending Lenders with respect to the Extended Term Loans or Extended Revolving Commitments, as applicable, established thereby) executed by the Loan Parties, the Administrative Agent and the Extending Lenders.  In addition to any terms and changes required or permitted by Section 2.22(a), each Extension Amendment (i) shall amend the scheduled amortization payments pursuant to Section 2.10 or the applicable Incremental Facility Agreement with respect to the Existing Class of Term Loans from which the Extended Term Loans were converted to reduce each scheduled repayment amount for the Existing Term Loan Class in the same proportion as the amount of Term Loans of the Existing Term Loan Class is to be converted pursuant to such Extension Amendment (it being understood that the amount of any repayment amount payable with respect to any individual Term Loan of such Existing Class that is not an Extended Term Loan shall not be reduced as a result thereof) and (ii) may amend this Agreement to ensure ratable participation in Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans between Extended Revolving Commitments and Existing Revolving Commitments.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 2.22 and without limiting the generality or applicability of Section 9.02 to any Section 2.22 Additional Amendments, any Extension Amendment may provide for additional terms and/or additional amendments other than those referred to or contemplated above (any such additional amendment, a “ Section 2.22 Additional Amendment ”) to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents; provided that such Section 2.22 Additional Amendments do not become effective prior to the time that such Section 2.22 Additional Amendments have been consented to (including, pursuant to (i) consents applicable to holders of Incremental Term Loans and Incremental Revolving Commitment Increases provided for in any Incremental Facility Agreement and (ii) consents applicable to holders of any Extended Term Loans or Extended Revolving Commitments provided for in any Extension Amendment) by such of the Lenders, Loan Parties and other parties (if any) as may be required in order for such Section 2.22 Additional Amendments to become effective in accordance with Section 9.02.  It is understood and agreed that each Lender hereunder has consented, and shall at the effective time thereof be deemed to consent to each amendment to this Agreement and the other

 

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Loan Documents authorized by this Section 2.22 and the arrangements described above in connection therewith except that the foregoing shall not constitute a consent on behalf of any Lender to the terms of any Section 2.22 Additional Amendment.  In connection with any Extension Amendment, the Borrower Representative shall deliver an opinion of counsel reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent (i) as to the enforceability of such Extension Amendment, this Agreement as amended thereby, and such of the other Loan Documents (if any) as may be amended thereby (in the case of such other Loan Documents as contemplated by the immediately preceding sentence) and (ii) covering such other matters as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request in connection therewith.

 

(d)          Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, (i) on any date on which any Existing Class is converted to extend the related scheduled maturity date(s) in accordance with paragraph (a) above (an “ Extension Date ”), (x) in the case of the Existing Term Loans of each Extending Lender, the aggregate principal amount of such Existing Term Loans shall be deemed reduced by an amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of Extended Term Loans so converted by such Lender on such date, and the Extended Term Loans shall be established as a separate Class of Term Loans (together with any other Extended Term Loans so established on such date), and (y) in the case of the Existing Revolving Commitments of each Extending Lender, the aggregate principal amount of such corresponding Existing Revolving Commitments shall be deemed reduced by an amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of Extended Revolving Commitments so converted by such Lender on such date (and any related participations shall be reduced proportionately), and such Extended Revolving Commitments shall be established as a separate Class of Revolving Commitments from the corresponding Existing Revolving Commitment Class and from any other Existing Revolving Commitments (together with any other Extended Revolving Commitments so established on such date) and (ii) if, on any Extension Date, any Loans of any Extending Lender are outstanding under an applicable Extended Revolving Commitment, such Loans shall be deemed to be allocated as Extended Revolving Loans and Existing Revolving Loans in the same proportion as such Extending Lender’s Existing Revolving Commitments to Extended Revolving Commitments.

 

(e)          In the event that the Administrative Agent determines in its sole discretion that the allocation of Extended Term Loans of a given Extension Series or the Extended Revolving Commitments of a given Extension Series, in each case to a given Lender, was incorrectly determined as a result of manifest administrative error in the receipt and processing of an Extension Election timely submitted by such Lender in accordance with the procedures set forth in the applicable Extension Amendment, then the Administrative Agent, the Borrowers and such affected Lender may (and hereby are authorized to), in their sole discretion and without the consent of any other Lender, enter into an amendment to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (each, a “ Corrective Extension Amendment ”) within 15 days following the effective date of such Extension Amendment, as the case may be, which Corrective Extension Amendment shall (i) provide for the conversion and extension of Term Loans under the Existing Term Loan Class or Existing Revolving Commitments (and related Revolving Exposure), as the case may be, in such amount as is required to cause such Lender to hold Extended Term Loans or Extended Revolving Commitments (and related Revolving Exposure) of the applicable Extension Series into which such other Term Loans or Revolving Commitments were initially converted, as the case may be, in the amount such Lender would have held had such administrative error not occurred and had such Lender received the minimum allocation of the applicable Loans or Commitments to which

 

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it was entitled under the terms of such Extension Amendment, in the absence of such error, (ii) be subject to the satisfaction of such conditions as the Administrative Agent, the Borrowers and such Lender may agree (including conditions of the type required to be satisfied for the effectiveness of an Extension Amendment described in Section 2.22(c)), and (iii) effect such other amendments of the type (with appropriate reference and nomenclature changes) described in the penultimate sentence of Section 2.22(c).

 

(f)          No exchange or conversion of Loans or Commitments pursuant to any Extension Amendment in accordance with this Section 2.22 shall constitute a voluntary or mandatory payment or prepayment for purposes of this Agreement.

 

SECTION 2.23 Loan Repurchases .

 

(a)          Subject to the terms and conditions set forth or referred to below, the U.S. Borrower may from time to time, at its discretion, conduct modified Dutch auctions to make Purchase Offers, each such Purchase Offer to be managed exclusively by Wells Fargo Securities, LLC or another investment bank of recognized standing selected by the U.S. Borrower following consultation with the Administrative Agent (in such capacity, the “ Auction Manager ”), so long as the following conditions are satisfied:

 

(i)          each Purchase Offer shall be conducted in accordance with the procedures, terms and conditions set forth in this Section 2.23 and the Auction Procedures;

 

(ii)         no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of the delivery of each Auction Notice and at the time of purchase of any Term Loans in connection with any Purchase Offer;

 

(iii)        the minimum principal amount (calculated on the face amount thereof) of Term Loans that the U.S. Borrower offers to purchase in any such Purchase Offer shall be no less than $1,000,000 (unless another amount is agreed to by the Administrative Agent);

 

(iv)        the aggregate principal amount (calculated on the face amount thereof) of all Term Loans of the applicable Class or Classes so purchased by the U.S. Borrower shall automatically be cancelled and retired by the U.S. Borrower on the settlement date of the relevant purchase (and may not be resold);

 

(v)         no more than one Purchase Offer with respect to any Class may be ongoing at any one time and no more than four Purchase Offers (regardless of Class) may be made in any one year;

 

(vi)        no purchase of any Term Loans in connection with any Purchase Offer may be financed using the proceeds of any Revolving Borrowing; and

 

(vii)       at the time of each purchase of Term Loans through a Purchase Offer, the U.S. Borrower shall have delivered to the Auction Manager an officer’s certificate of a Financial Officer certifying as to compliance with preceding clause (ii).

 

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(b)          The U.S. Borrower must terminate any Purchase Offer if it fails to satisfy one or more of the conditions set forth above which are required to be met at the time which otherwise would have been the time of purchase of Term Loans pursuant to such Purchase Offer.  If the U.S. Borrower commences any Purchase Offer (and all relevant requirements set forth above which are required to be satisfied at the time of the commencement of such Purchase Offer have in fact been satisfied), and if at such time of commencement the U.S. Borrower reasonably believes that all required conditions set forth above which are required to be satisfied at the time of the consummation of such Purchase Offer shall be satisfied, then the U.S. Borrower shall have no liability to any Lender for any termination of such Purchase Offer as a result of its failure to satisfy one or more of the conditions set forth above which are required to be met at the time which otherwise would have been the time of consummation of such Purchase Offer, and any such failure shall not result in any Default or Event of Default hereunder.  With respect to all purchases of Term Loans of any Class or Classes made by the U.S. Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.23, (x) the U.S. Borrower shall pay on the settlement date of each such purchase all accrued and unpaid interest (except to the extent otherwise set forth in the relevant offering documents), if any, on the purchased Term Loans of the applicable Class or Classes up to the settlement date of such purchase and (y) such purchases (and the payments made by the U.S. Borrower and the cancellation of the purchased Loans, in each case in connection therewith) shall not constitute voluntary or mandatory payments or prepayments for purposes of Section 2.11 or any other provision hereof.

 

(c)          The Administrative Agent and the Lenders hereby consent to the Purchase Offers and the other transactions effected pursuant to and in accordance with the terms of this Section 2.23 ( provided that no Lender shall have an obligation to participate in any such Purchase Offer).  For the avoidance of doubt, it is understood and agreed that the provisions of Section 2.18 and Section 9.04 will not apply to the purchases of Term Loans pursuant to Purchase Offers made pursuant to and in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2.23.  The Auction Manager acting in its capacity as such hereunder shall be entitled to the benefits of the provisions of Article VIII and Article IX to the same extent as if each reference therein to the “Administrative Agent” were a reference to the Auction Manager, and the Administrative Agent shall cooperate with the Auction Manager as reasonably requested by the Auction Manager in order to enable it to perform its responsibilities and duties in connection with each Purchase Offer.

 

SECTION 2.24 Illegality .  If any Lender determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its applicable lending office to perform any of its obligations hereunder or make, maintain or fund or charge interest with respect to any Loan or to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurocurrency Rate, or any Governmental Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to purchase or sell, or to take deposits of, Dollars in the London interbank market, then, on notice thereof by such Lender to the Borrower Representative through the Administrative Agent, (i) any obligation of such Lender to issue, make, maintain, fund or charge interest with respect to any such Loan or continue Eurocurrency Rate Loans or to convert ABR Loans to Eurocurrency Rate Loans shall be suspended, and (ii) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender making or maintaining ABR Loans the interest rate on which is determined by reference to the Eurocurrency Rate component of the Alternate Base Rate, the interest rate on which ABR Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Eurocurrency Rate component of the Alternate

 

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Base Rate, in each case until such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower Representative that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer exist.  Upon receipt of such notice, (x) the Borrowers shall, upon demand from such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), prepay or, if applicable, convert all Eurocurrency Rate Loans of such Lender to ABR Loans (the interest rate on which ABR Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Eurocurrency Rate component of the Alternate Base Rate), either on the last day of the Interest Period therefor, if such Lender may lawfully continue to maintain such Eurocurrency Rate Loans to such day, or immediately, if such Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such Eurocurrency Rate Loans and (y) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender determining or charging interest rates based upon the Eurocurrency Rate, the Administrative Agent shall during the period of such suspension compute the Alternate Base Rate applicable to such Lender without reference to the Eurocurrency Rate component thereof until the Administrative Agent is advised in writing by such Lender that it is no longer illegal for such Lender to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurocurrency Rate.  Upon any such prepayment or conversion, the Borrowers shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so prepaid or converted.

 

ARTICLE III

 

Representations and Warranties

 

The U.S. Borrower represents and warrants to the Lenders on the Initial Funding Date and on each other date on which representations and warranties are made or deemed made hereunder that (and with respect to the representations contained in Sections 3.01 through 3.04, 3.07, 3.14, 3.18 and 3.19, the U.S. Borrower represents and warrants to the Lenders on the Signing Date that):

 

SECTION 3.01 Organization; Powers .  The U.S. Borrower and each Restricted Subsidiary is duly organized, validly existing and (to the extent the concept is applicable in such jurisdiction) in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, has all power and authority and all material Governmental Approvals required for the ownership and operation of its properties and the conduct of its business as now conducted and, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, is qualified to do business, and is in good standing, in every jurisdiction where such qualification is required.

 

SECTION 3.02 Authorization; Enforceability .  The Financing Transactions to be entered into by each Loan Party are within such Loan Party’s corporate or other organizational powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other organizational and, if required, stockholder or other equityholder action of each Loan Party.  This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the U.S. Borrower and constitutes, and each other Loan Document to which any Loan Party is to be a party, when executed and delivered by such Loan Party, will constitute, a legal, valid and binding obligation of the U.S. Borrower or such Loan Party, as the case may be, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and to general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.

 

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SECTION 3.03 Governmental Approvals; Absence of Conflicts .  The Financing Transactions (a) do not require any material consent or approval of, registration or filing with or any other action by any Governmental Authority, except (i) such as have been or substantially contemporaneously with the initial funding of Loans on the Initial Funding Date will be obtained or made and are (or will so be) in full force and effect and (ii) filings necessary to perfect Liens created under the Loan Documents, (b) will not violate any material Requirements of Law, including any material order of any Governmental Authority, (c) will not violate the Organizational Documents of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, (d) except as would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, will not violate or result (alone or with notice or lapse of time, or both) in a default under any indenture or other material agreement or material instrument binding upon the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or any of their assets, or give rise to a right thereunder to require any payment, repurchase or redemption to be made by the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, or give rise to a right of, or result in, any termination, cancellation, acceleration or right of renegotiation of any obligation thereunder, and (e) except for Liens created under the Loan Documents, will not result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any asset of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary.

 

SECTION 3.04 Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change .

 

(a)          The U.S. Borrower has heretofore furnished to the Administrative Agent consolidated balance sheets of the U.S. Borrower as at December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013 and related statements of income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the U.S. Borrower for the fiscal years ended at December 31, 2014, December 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012 audited by and accompanied by the opinion of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent registered public accounting firm.  Such financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the U.S. Borrower and its consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries as of such dates and for such periods in accordance with GAAP except as otherwise expressly noted therein.

 

(b)          The U.S. Borrower has heretofore furnished to the Administrative Agent unaudited consolidated balance sheets of the U.S. Borrower as at March 31, 2015, June 30, 2015 and September 30, 2015 and related statements of income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the U.S. Borrower for the fiscal quarters ended at March 31, 2015, June 30, 2015 and September 30, 2015.  Such financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the U.S. Borrower and its consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries as of such dates and for such periods in accordance with GAAP, except as otherwise expressly noted therein and subject to changes resulting from normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes.

 

(c)          The U.S. Borrower has heretofore furnished to the Administrative Agent a pro forma consolidated balance sheet of the U.S. Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries as at the end of, and related pro forma statements of income of the U.S. Borrower for, the period ended September 30, 2015, prepared giving effect to the Transactions as if the Transactions had occurred on such date (in the case of such balance sheet) or at the beginning of such period (in the case of such statements of income) (the “ Pro Forma Financial Statements ”).  The Pro Forma Financial Statements (i) have been prepared by the U.S. Borrower in good faith, based on assumptions

 

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believed by the U.S. Borrower on the Signing Date and the Initial Funding Date to be reasonable, (ii) are believed by the U.S. Borrower to be based on the best information reasonably available to the U.S. Borrower as of the date of delivery thereof after due inquiry, (iii) accurately reflect in all material respects all adjustments necessary to give effect to the Transactions and (iv) present fairly, in all material respects, the pro forma financial position of the U.S. Borrower and its consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries as of such date as if the Transactions had occurred on such date; provided that no representation is being made by the U.S. Borrower that the Pro Forma Financial Statement have been prepared in compliance with Regulation S-X of the Securities Act or include adjustments for purchase accounting (including adjustments of the type contemplated by Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification 805, Business Combinations (formerly SFAS 141R)).

 

(d)          Since December 31, 2014, there has been no event or condition that has resulted, or would reasonably be expected to result, in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 3.05 Properties .

 

(a)          The U.S. Borrower and each Restricted Subsidiary has good title to, or valid leasehold interests in, or easements, licenses or other limited property interests sufficient for its use thereof in, all its property material to its business (other than Intellectual Property, which is described in Section 3.05(b)), except for minor defects in title that do not interfere with its ability to conduct its business as currently conducted or to utilize such properties for their intended purposes and except where the failure to have such title, leasehold interest, easement, license or other limited property interest, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(b)          The U.S. Borrower and each Restricted Subsidiary owns or has the right to use, all patents, trademarks, copyrights, licenses, technology, software, domain names, confidential proprietary databases and other Intellectual Property that is necessary for the conduct of its business as currently conducted, except to the extent any such failure to own or have the right to use such patents, trademarks, copyrights, licenses, technology, software, domain names, confidential proprietary databases and other Intellectual Property, in each case, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; provided that this representation shall not be construed as a representation of non-infringement of Intellectual Property, which is addressed in the next sentence of this Section 3.05(b).  To the knowledge of the U.S. Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries, no patents, trademarks, copyrights, licenses, technology, software, domain names, confidential proprietary databases or other Intellectual Property used by the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in the operation of its business infringes upon the rights of any other Person, except for any such infringements that, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.  No claim or litigation regarding any patents, trademarks, copyrights, licenses, technology, software, domain names, confidential proprietary databases or other Intellectual Property owned or used by the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary is pending or, to the knowledge of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, threatened against the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary that, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.  As of the Initial Funding Date, each patent, trademark, copyright, license, technology, software, domain name, confidential proprietary database or other Intellectual Property that,

 

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individually or in the aggregate, is material to the business of the U.S. Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries (or to the business of the U.S. Borrower and the Domestic Subsidiaries) is owned by or licensed to the U.S. Borrower or another Loan Party.

 

SECTION 3.06 Litigation and Environmental Matters .

 

(a)          There are no actions, suits or proceedings by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority pending against or, to the knowledge of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, threatened against or affecting the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary that would reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect (except as set forth on Schedule 3.06(a)).

 

(b)          Except with respect to any matters that, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect or as otherwise set forth on Schedule 3.06(b), none of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary (i) has failed to comply with any Environmental Law or to obtain, maintain or comply with any permit, license or other approval required under any Environmental Law, (ii) has become subject to any Environmental Liability, (iii) has received notice of any claim with respect to any Environmental Liability or (iv) knows of any basis for any Environmental Liability.

 

SECTION 3.07 Compliance with Laws .  The U.S. Borrower and each Restricted Subsidiary is in compliance with all laws, including all orders of Governmental Authorities, applicable to it or its property, except where the failure to comply, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 3.08 Investment Company Status .  None of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary is an “investment company,” or is controlled by “investment companies,” as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the Investment Company Act of 1940.

 

SECTION 3.09 Taxes .  The U.S. Borrower and each Restricted Subsidiary has timely filed or caused to be filed all Tax returns and reports required to have been filed and has paid or caused to be paid all Taxes required to have been paid by it (including in its capacity as a withholding agent), except where (a) (i) the validity or amount thereof is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and (ii) the U.S. Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary, as applicable, has set aside on its books reserves with respect thereto to the extent required by GAAP or (b) the failure to do so would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 3.10 ERISA; Labor Matters .

 

(a)          No ERISA Events have occurred or are reasonably expected to occur that would, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.  Except as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (i) each Plan is in compliance with the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Code and other federal or state laws and, in each case, the regulations thereunder, (ii) no Plan has failed to satisfy its “minimum funding standard” (as defined in Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA), whether or not waived, (iii) neither the U.S. Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to any

 

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Plan (other than premiums due and not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA), (iv) neither the U.S. Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability (and no event has occurred which, with the giving of notice under Section 4219 of ERISA, would result in such liability) under Sections 4201 or 4243 of ERISA with respect to a Multiemployer Plan and (v) neither the U.S. Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has engaged in a transaction that could be subject to Section 4069 or 4212(c) of ERISA.  The present value of all accumulated benefit obligations under each Plan (in each case based on the assumptions used for purposes of Accounting Standards Codification Topic 715), did not, individually or in the aggregate, as of the date of the most recent financial statements reflecting such amounts, exceed the fair market value of the assets of each Plan or of all underfunded Plans (as applicable) by an amount that, if required to be paid as of such date by the U.S. Borrower or its ERISA Affiliates, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(b)          As of the Signing Date and the Initial Funding Date, there are no strikes, lockouts or slowdowns against the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary pending or, to their knowledge, threatened, that have had, or would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.  The hours worked by and payments made to employees of the U.S. Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries have not been in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act or any other applicable federal, state, local or foreign law relating to such matters, except for any violation or violations that, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  All payments due from the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, or for which any claim may be made against the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, on account of wages and employee health and welfare insurance and other benefits, have been paid or accrued as liabilities on the books of the U.S. Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary, except for any failure to pay or accrete that, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 3.11 Subsidiaries and Joint Ventures; Disqualified Equity Interests .

 

(a)          Schedule 3.11A sets forth, as of the Initial Funding Date, the name and jurisdiction of organization of, and the percentage of each class of Equity Interests owned by the U.S. Borrower or any Subsidiary in, (a) each Subsidiary and (b) each joint venture in which the U.S. Borrower or any Subsidiary owns any Equity Interests, and identifies each Excluded Subsidiary and each Unrestricted Subsidiary.  The Equity Interests in each wholly-owned Restricted Subsidiary have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable.  Except as set forth on Schedule 3.11A, as of the Initial Funding Date, there is no existing option, warrant, call, right, commitment or other agreement to which the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary is a party requiring, and there are no Equity Interests in any Restricted Subsidiary outstanding that upon exercise, conversion or exchange would require, the issuance by any Restricted Subsidiary of any additional Equity Interests or other securities exercisable for, convertible into, exchangeable for or evidencing the right to subscribe for or purchase any Equity Interests in any Restricted Subsidiary. For the avoidance of doubt, Schedule 3.11A may be amended, supplemented, updated or otherwise modified prior to or on the Initial Funding Date in a manner reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.

 

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(b)          Schedule 3.11B sets forth, as of the Initial Funding Date, all outstanding Disqualified Equity Interests, if any, in the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, including the number, date of issuance and the record holder of such Disqualified Equity Interests.

 

SECTION 3.12 Insurance .  Schedule 3.12 sets forth a description of each material policy of insurance maintained by or on behalf of the U.S. Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries as of the Initial Funding Date.

 

SECTION 3.13 Solvency .  

 

(a)          On each of the Initial Funding Date and the Spin-Off Date on a pro forma basis after giving effect to the Transactions, and giving effect to the rights of subrogation and contribution under the Collateral Agreement, the U.S. Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, are Solvent.

 

(b)          No Belgian Insolvency Event has occurred with respect to any Belgian Loan Party.

 

SECTION 3.14 Disclosure .  The written reports, financial statements, certificates and other written information furnished by or on behalf of the U.S. Borrower or any Subsidiary to the Administrative Agent, any Arranger or any Lender in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, when taken as a whole, and excluding any Projections (as defined below) and any information of a general economic or industry specific nature, do not contain any material misstatement of material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not materially misleading.  All written financial projections concerning the U.S. Borrower and its Subsidiaries that have been furnished by or on behalf of the U.S. Borrower or any Subsidiary to the Administrative Agent, any Arranger or any Lender in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document with respect to the Transactions (the “ Projections ”) were prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed by the U.S. Borrower to be reasonable at the time made and at the time so furnished, if furnished prior to the Signing Date, as of the Signing Date and if furnished between the Signing Date and the Initial Funding Date, as of the Initial Funding Date (it being understood that (i) such forecasts and projections are as to future events and are not to be viewed as facts and (ii) actual results during the period or periods covered by any such forecasts and projections may differ significantly from the projected results and such differences may be material).

 

SECTION 3.15 Collateral Matters .

 

(a)          The U.S. Collateral Agreement, upon execution and delivery thereof by the parties thereto and effectiveness thereof, will create in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the applicable Secured Parties, a valid and enforceable security interest in the Collateral described therein (subject to any limitations specified therein) and (i) when the Collateral described therein constituting certificated securities (as defined in the Uniform Commercial Code) is delivered to the Administrative Agent, together with instruments of transfer duly endorsed in blank, the security interest created under the U.S. Collateral Agreement will constitute a fully

 

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perfected security interest in all right, title and interest of the pledgors thereunder in such Collateral (subject to any limitations specified therein) to the extent perfection of such security interest can be perfected by control of securities, prior and superior in right to any other Person, but subject to Liens permitted by Section 6.02, and (ii) when financing statements in appropriate form are filed in the applicable filing offices, the security interest created under the U.S. Collateral Agreement will constitute a fully perfected security interest in all right, title and interest of the Loan Parties in the remaining Collateral described therein (subject to any limitations specified therein) to the extent perfection can be obtained by filing Uniform Commercial Code financing statements in such filing offices, prior and superior to the rights of any other Person, but subject to Liens permitted under Section 6.02.

 

(b)          [Reserved].

 

(c)          Upon the recordation of the IP Security Agreements with the United States Patent and Trademark Office or the United States Copyright Office, as applicable, and the filing of the financing statements referred to in paragraph (a) of this Section, the security interest created under the U.S. Collateral Agreement will constitute a fully perfected security interest in all right, title and interest of the Loan Parties in the Intellectual Property (as defined in the U.S. Collateral Agreement) in which a security interest may be perfected by filing or recording in the United States of America, in each case prior and superior in right to any other Person, but subject to Liens permitted under Section 6.02 (it being understood that subsequent recordings in the United States Patent and Trademark Office or the United States Copyright Office may be necessary to perfect a security interest in such Intellectual Property acquired or developed by the Loan Parties after the Initial Funding Date).

 

(d)          Each Security Document, other than any Security Document referred to in the preceding paragraphs of this Section, upon execution and delivery thereof by the parties thereto and the making of the filings and taking of the other actions provided for therein, will be effective under applicable law to create in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, a valid and enforceable Lien in the Collateral subject thereto and such Liens constitute perfected and continuing Liens on the Collateral, securing the Obligations, enforceable against the Loan Parties and all third parties, and in each case having priority over all other Liens on the Collateral except in the case of (a) Liens permitted under Section 6.02, to the extent any such Lien would have priority over the Liens in favor of the Administrative Agent pursuant to any applicable law or agreement and (b) Liens perfected only by control or possession to the extent the Administrative Agent has not obtained or does not maintain control or possession of such Collateral.

 

SECTION 3.16 Federal Reserve Regulations; Use of Proceeds .  None of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary is engaged or will engage, principally or as one of its important activities, in the business of purchasing or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U of the Board of Governors), or extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock.  No part of the proceeds of the Loans will be used, directly or indirectly, for any purpose that entails a violation (including on the part of any Lender) of any of the regulations of the Board of Governors, including Regulations U and X.  The proceeds of the Loans and Letters of Credit will be used in compliance with Section 5.11.

 

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SECTION 3.17 SME Status; Centre of Main Interests .  

 

(a)          The Belgian Borrower is not a small or medium-sized enterprise within the meaning of the Belgian Act of 21 December 2013 concerning various provisions regarding the financing of small and medium-sized enterprises, and it is not subject to the provisions of such Act.

 

(b)          For the purposes of the European Union Regulation, each Belgian Loan Party’s centre of main interests (as that term is used in Article 3(1) of the European Union Regulation) is situated in its jurisdiction of incorporation and it has no “establishment” (as that term is used in Article 2(h) of the European Union Regulation) in any other jurisdiction.

 

SECTION 3.18 Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions .  The Borrowers have implemented and maintain in effect policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure compliance by the Borrowers, their Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents while acting on behalf of the Borrowers or their Subsidiaries with Anti-Corruption Laws, the USA PATRIOT Act and other anti-money laundering rules and regulations and applicable Sanctions.  The Borrowers, their Subsidiaries and to the knowledge of the Borrowers, their respective officers, employees, directors and agents, are in compliance with (i) Anti-Corruption Laws in all material respects, (ii) the USA PATRIOT Act and, in all material respects, other anti-money laundering rules and regulations, and (iii) applicable Sanctions.  None of (a) the Borrowers, any Subsidiary or, to the knowledge of the Borrowers or such Subsidiary, any of their respective directors, officers or employees or (b) to the knowledge of the Borrowers, any agent of any Borrower or Subsidiary that will act in any capacity in connection with or benefit from the credit facility established hereby, is a Sanctioned Person.

 

SECTION 3.19 EEA Financial Institutions .  No Loan Party is an EEA Financial Institution.

 

ARTICLE IV

 

Conditions

 

SECTION 4.01 Signing Date .  This Agreement shall not become effective until the satisfaction (or waiver in accordance with Section 9.02) of the following conditions:

 

(a)          The Administrative Agent shall have received from each party hereto (other than the Belgian Borrower) either (i) a counterpart of this Agreement signed on behalf of such party or (ii) evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (which may include a facsimile transmission or other electronic transmission of a signed counterpart of this Agreement) that such party has signed a counterpart of this Agreement.

 

(b)          The Administrative Agent shall have received a completed Perfection Certificate dated the Signing Date and signed by an Authorized Officer of the U.S. Borrower, together with all attachments contemplated thereby, including the results of a search of the Uniform Commercial Code (or equivalent) filings made with respect to the Borrowers and their Designated Subsidiaries in their respective jurisdictions or organization and such other lien searches as requested by the Administrative Agent.

 

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(c)          The Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Arrangers shall have received all documentation and other information about the Loan Parties as has been reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or any Lender or Arranger in writing at least 10 days prior to the Signing Date and that they reasonably determine is required by regulatory authorities under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including without limitation the USA PATRIOT Act.

 

(d)          The Administrative Agent shall have received (i) true and complete copies of the Organizational Documents of each Person that is a Loan Party as of the Signing Date and a copy of the resolutions, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, of the Board of Directors or other governing body, as applicable, of each Person that is a Loan Party as of the Signing Date (or a duly authorized committee thereof) authorizing (A) the execution, delivery and performance of the Loan Documents (and any agreements relating thereto) to which it is a party, (B) in the case of the U.S. Borrower, the extensions of credit hereunder, together with such certificates relating to the good standing of each Person that is a Loan Party or the substantive equivalent, if any, available in the jurisdiction of organization for each Loan Party from the appropriate governmental officer in such jurisdiction as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request and (ii) a certificate of each Person that is a Loan Party as of the Signing Date, dated the Signing Date, substantially in the form of Exhibit M hereto or otherwise reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, with appropriate insertions, executed by an Authorized Officer of such Loan Party, and attaching the documents referred to in clause (i) above.         

 

SECTION 4.02 Initial Funding Date .  The obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing Banks to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall be subject to the satisfaction (or waiver in accordance with Section 9.02) of the following conditions:

 

(a)          [Reserved].

 

(b)          To the extent the Spin-Off has not occurred and will not occur substantially concurrently with the Initial Funding Date, the Administrative Agent shall have received a Guarantee from WestRock in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent (and in any event including an automatic release of such Guarantee upon consummation of the Spin-Off).

 

(c)          The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate, dated the Initial Funding Date and signed by an Authorized Officer of the U.S. Borrower, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, which (i) provides updates to information provided in the Perfection Certificate delivered on the Signing Date and (ii) confirms that, to the extent any information provided in the Perfection Certificate delivered on the Signing Date has not been updated, such information is true and correct as of the Initial Funding Date.

 

(d)          On the Initial Funding Date, the U.S. Borrower shall have a Total Leverage Ratio of no greater than 2.75 to 1.00 on a Pro Forma Basis for the Transactions, and the Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate, dated the Initial Funding Date

 

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and signed by a Financial Officer of the U.S. Borrower, certifying compliance with this Section 4.02(d) and setting forth reasonably detailed calculations demonstrating such compliance; provided that, for purposes of compliance with this Section 4.02(d), (i) Consolidated Total Debt in clause (a) of the definition of “Total Leverage Ratio” shall be calculated on a Pro Forma Basis after giving effect to the Transactions, including all incurrences of Indebtedness constituting Consolidated Total Debt to occur on the Initial Funding Date and (ii) Consolidated EBITDA in clause (b) of the definition of “Total Leverage Ratio” shall be for the latest four fiscal quarters ending at least 45 days prior to the Initial Funding Date.

 

(e)          The Administrative Agent shall have received a favorable written opinion (addressed to the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Issuing Banks as of and dated the Initial Funding Date) of (i) Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz and (ii) other local counsel reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent.

 

(f)          The Administrative Agent shall have received (i) true and complete copies of the Organizational Documents of each Person that is a Loan Party as of the Initial Funding Date (which, for the avoidance of doubt, need not include the Belgian Borrower) and a copy of the resolutions, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, of the Board of Directors or other governing body, as applicable, of each such Person that is a Loan Party as of the Initial Funding Date (or a duly authorized committee thereof) authorizing (A) the execution, delivery and performance of the Loan Documents (and any agreements relating thereto) to which it is a party, (B) in the case of the U.S. Borrower, the extensions of credit hereunder, and (C) the U.S. Borrower to act as the Borrower Representative under this Agreement, together with such certificates relating to the good standing of each Person that is a Loan Party or the substantive equivalent, if any, available in the jurisdiction of organization for each Loan Party from the appropriate governmental officer in such jurisdiction as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request and (ii) a certificate of each Person that is a Loan Party as of the Initial Funding Date, dated the Initial Funding Date, substantially in the form of Exhibit M hereto or otherwise reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, with appropriate insertions, executed by an Authorized Officer of such Loan Party, and attaching the documents referred to in clause (i) above.

 

(g)          The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate, dated the Initial Funding Date and signed by a Financial Officer of the U.S. Borrower, substantially in the form of Exhibit N hereto or otherwise reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, confirming compliance with the conditions set forth in paragraph (l) of this Section 4.02 and in paragraphs (a) and (b) of Section 4.03.

 

(h)          All fees and, to the extent invoiced at least three Business Days prior to the Initial Funding Date (except as otherwise reasonably agreed by the Borrowers), reasonable out-of-pocket expenses required to be paid on the Initial Funding Date or Spin-Off Date pursuant to the Engagement Letter, shall, upon the initial Borrowing hereunder on the Initial Funding Date, have been, or will be substantially simultaneously, paid.

 

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(i)          The Collateral and Guarantee Requirement shall have been satisfied (to the extent required on the Initial Funding Date) and each of the Lenders shall have executed and delivered a counterpart to the Lender Loss Sharing Agreement; provided that to the extent that the requirements of the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement (other than any Collateral the security interest in which may be perfected by the filing of a Uniform Commercial Code financing statement) are not completed on or prior to the Initial Funding Date after the U.S. Borrower’s use of commercially reasonable efforts to do so, to the extent reasonably agreed to in writing by the U.S. Borrower and the Administrative Agent, the completion of such requirements of the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement shall not constitute a condition precedent to the availability of the Loans on the Initial Funding Date but shall be required to be completed pursuant to Section 5.13 and Schedule 5.13 may be updated by the Administrative Agent to include such requirements.

 

(j)          The Administrative Agent shall have received evidence that the insurance required by Section 5.08 is in effect, together with endorsements naming the Secured Parties and the Administrative Agent as additional insured and the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, as loss payee thereunder, in each case as specified and to the extent required under Section 5.08 (but excluding the Belgian Borrower, as to which Section 5.13(b) shall apply); provided that to the extent that the requirements of this Section 4.02(j) are not completed on or prior to the Initial Funding Date after the U.S. Borrower’s use of commercially reasonable efforts to do so, to the extent reasonably agreed to in writing by the U.S. Borrower and the Administrative Agent, the completion of such requirements shall not constitute a condition precedent to the availability of the Loans on the Initial Funding Date but shall be required to be completed pursuant to Section 5.13 and Schedule 5.13 may be updated by the Administrative Agent to include such requirements.

 

(k)          (x) The Administrative Agent shall have received true and complete copies of any SEC Filings, it being understood that any such documents filed with the SEC shall be deemed to have been delivered to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and (y) the Spin-Off shall have been consummated or the U.S. Borrower shall have delivered a certificate signed by a Financial Officer stating that (i) the U.S. Borrower reasonably believes that the Spin-Off will be consummated within ten (10) Business Days of the initial funding of Term Loans on the Initial Funding Date and (ii) at or prior to the Initial Funding Date, the U.S. Borrower has acquired all of the assets of the business of the U.S. Borrower and its Subsidiaries as described or reflected in the SEC Filings other than the Belgian Borrower and its Subsidiaries.

 

(l)          After giving effect to the Transactions, (i) none of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary shall have outstanding any Disqualified Equity Interest or any Indebtedness for borrowed money (other than intercompany Indebtedness), other than (A) Indebtedness incurred under the Loan Documents, (B) short-term unsecured working capital facilities, Capital Lease Obligations and deferred purchase price obligations, in each case incurred in the ordinary course of business by the U.S. Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries and (C) Indebtedness set forth on Schedule 6.01.

 

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(m)          The Lenders shall have received a certificate from a Financial Officer of the U.S. Borrower, substantially in the form of Exhibit K (or other form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent) confirming the solvency of the U.S. Borrower and the Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis on the Initial Funding Date after giving effect to the Transactions.

 

(n)          The Borrowers shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent fully executed copies of the Specified Material Contracts to which the Borrowers or any of its Subsidiaries is or is contemplated to be a party as of the Initial Funding Date and no default or termination, or any waiver or amendment materially adverse to the Lenders, shall have occurred with respect thereto.

 

The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrowers and the Lenders of the Initial Funding Date, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding.  For the avoidance of doubt, the obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing Banks to issue Letters of Credit hereunder on the Initial Funding Date shall not become effective or otherwise occur unless and until each of the foregoing conditions shall have been satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 9.02).

 

SECTION 4.03 Each Credit Event .  The obligation of each Lender to make a Loan on the occasion of any Borrowing, and of each Issuing Bank to issue, amend, renew or extend any Letter of Credit, is subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions:

 

(a)          The representations and warranties of each Loan Party set forth in the Loan Documents shall be true and correct (i) in the case of the representations and warranties qualified as to materiality, in all respects and (ii) otherwise, in all material respects, in each case on and as of the date of such Borrowing or the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable, except in the case of any such representation and warranty that expressly relates to a prior date, in which case such representation and warranty shall be so true and correct on and as of such prior date; provided that in the case of any Incremental Term Loans or Incremental Revolving Commitment Increases used to finance an acquisition permitted hereunder and whose consummation is not conditioned on the availability of, or on obtaining third party financing, to the extent the Lenders participating in such Incremental Term Loans or Incremental Revolving Commitment Increases agree, this Section 4.03(a) shall require only customary “specified representations” and “acquisition agreement representations.”

 

(b)          At the time of and immediately after giving effect to any Borrowing or the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of a Letter of Credit, as applicable, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

 

(c)          The Administrative Agent, and, if applicable, the Issuing Banks or the Swingline Lender shall have received a Borrowing Request or a Letter of Credit Request, as applicable, from the Borrower Representative.

 

On the date of any Borrowing or the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit, the U.S. Borrower and, in the case of Loans or Borrowings requested by the Belgian Borrower,

 

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the Belgian Borrower, shall be deemed to have represented and warranted that the conditions specified in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section have been satisfied and that, after giving effect to such Borrowing, or such issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of a Letter of Credit, the Aggregate Revolving Exposure (or any component thereof) shall not exceed the maximum amount thereof (or the maximum amount of any such component) specified in Section 2.01, 2.04(a) or 2.05(b).

 

ARTICLE V

 

Affirmative Covenants

 

Until the Commitments shall have expired or been terminated, the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder shall have been paid in full, all Letters of Credit shall have expired or been terminated and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the U.S. Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:

 

SECTION 5.01 Financial Statements and Other Information .  The U.S. Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent, on behalf of each Lender:

 

(a)          within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year of the U.S. Borrower (or, so long as the U.S. Borrower shall be subject to periodic reporting obligations under the Exchange Act, by the date that the Annual Report on Form 10-K of the U.S. Borrower for such fiscal year would be required to be filed under the rules and regulations of the SEC, giving effect to any extension available thereunder for the filing of such form), its audited consolidated balance sheet and related statements of income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the prior fiscal year, all audited by and accompanied by the opinion of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP or another independent registered public accounting firm of recognized national standing (without a “going concern” or like qualification or exception and without any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit) to the effect that such consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the U.S. Borrower on a consolidated basis as of the end of and for such year in accordance with GAAP;

 

(b)          within 45 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the U.S. Borrower (or, so long as the U.S. Borrower shall be subject to periodic reporting obligations under the Exchange Act, by the date that the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of the U.S. Borrower for such fiscal quarter would be required to be filed under the rules and regulations of the SEC, giving effect to any extension available thereunder for the filing of such form) its consolidated balance sheet and related consolidated statements of income and cash flows as of the end of and for such fiscal quarter and the then elapsed portion of the fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding period or periods of (or, in the case of the balance sheet, as of the end of) the prior fiscal year, all certified by a Financial Officer of the U.S. Borrower as presenting fairly, in all material respects, the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the U.S. Borrower on a consolidated basis as of the end of and for such fiscal quarter and such portion of the fiscal year in accordance with GAAP, subject

 

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to changes resulting from audit and normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of certain footnotes;

 

(c)          [reserved];

 

(d)          concurrently with each delivery of financial statements under clause (a) or (b) above (beginning with the delivery of financial statements for the fiscal period ending June 30, 2016), a completed Compliance Certificate signed by a Financial Officer of the U.S. Borrower, (i) certifying as to whether a Default has occurred and, if a Default has occurred, specifying the details thereof and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto, (ii) setting forth reasonably detailed calculations demonstrating compliance with Section 6.12 as of the last day of the fiscal period covered by such financial statements, (iii) stating whether any change in GAAP or in the application thereof (that could reasonably be expected to affect, in any material respect, any financial calculations or ratios required to be determined under this Agreement) has occurred since the date of the consolidated balance sheet of the U.S. Borrower most recently theretofore delivered under clause (a) or (b) above (or, prior to the first such delivery, referred to in Section 3.04) and, if any such change has occurred, specifying the effect of such change on the financial statements (including those for the prior periods) accompanying such certificate, (iv) certifying that all notices required to be provided under Sections 5.03 and 5.04 have been provided, and (v) identifying as of the date of such Compliance Certificate each Subsidiary that (A) is (x) an Excluded Subsidiary and is not a Loan Party or a request has been made to release the Guarantee of such Subsidiary pursuant to Section 9.14 or (y) an Unrestricted Subsidiary, in each case as of such date but has not been identified as an Excluded Subsidiary or Unrestricted Subsidiary in Schedule 3.11A or in any prior Compliance Certificate or (B) has previously been identified as an Excluded Subsidiary or Unrestricted Subsidiary but has ceased to be (x) an Excluded Subsidiary (only in the event that such Subsidiary is not a Loan Party at the time of the delivery of such certificate) or (y) an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

 

(e)          concurrently with each delivery of financial statements under clause (a) above, a certificate of an Authorized Officer or a Financial Officer of the U.S. Borrower confirming that, (i) since the date of the Perfection Certificate delivered on the Signing Date, and as supplemented by the certificates delivered pursuant to Section 4.02(c) and this Section 5.01(e), there has been no change in the information set forth in Schedules 1 and 2 therein or identifying all such changes in the information set forth therein, and (ii) setting forth a complete and correct schedule, in the form of Schedule III to the U.S. Collateral Agreement, of all Intellectual Property owned by each Loan Party, including all applications filed by such Loan Party, either itself or through any agent, employee, licensee or designee, for any Patent, Trademark or Copyright (or for the registration of any Patent, Trademark or Copyright) (each as defined in the U.S. Collateral Agreement) with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, United States Copyright Office or any office or agency in any political subdivision of the United States, in existence on the date thereof and not theretofore disclosed to the Administrative Agent on Schedule III to the U.S. Collateral Agreement, as supplemented from time to time in accordance herewith;

 

(f)          [Reserved];

 

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(g)          concurrently with each delivery of financial statements under clause (a) above, a detailed consolidated budget for such fiscal year (including a projected consolidated balance sheet and related projected statements of income and cash flows as of the end of and for such fiscal year and setting forth the assumptions used for purposes of preparing such budget) in the form customarily prepared by the U.S. Borrower;

 

(h)          promptly after the same become publicly available, copies of all periodic and other reports, proxy statements and other materials filed by the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary with the SEC;

 

(i)          promptly after any request therefor by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, copies of (i) any documents described in Section 101(k)(1) of ERISA that the U.S. Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates may request with respect to any Multiemployer Plan and (ii) any notices described in Section 101(l)(1) of ERISA that the U.S. Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates may request with respect to any Multiemployer Plan; provided that if the U.S. Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates has not requested such documents or notices from the administrator or sponsor of the applicable Multiemployer Plan, the U.S. Borrower or the applicable ERISA Affiliate shall promptly make a request for such documents and notices from such administrator or sponsor and shall provide copies of such documents and notices promptly after receipt thereof; and

 

(j)          promptly after any request therefor, such other information regarding the operations, business affairs, assets, liabilities (including contingent liabilities) and financial condition of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of any Loan Document, or with the USA PATRIOT Act, as the Administrative Agent (or any Lender through the Administrative Agent) may reasonably request.

 

Information required to be delivered pursuant to clause (a), (b) or (h) of this Section or referred to in Section 3.04(a) shall be deemed to have been delivered or furnished if such information, or one or more annual or quarterly reports containing such information, shall have been posted by the Administrative Agent on an IntraLinks or similar site to which the Lenders have been granted access or shall be available on the website of the SEC at http://www.sec.gov.  Information required to be delivered pursuant to this Section may also be delivered by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent (acting reasonably).

 

SECTION 5.02 Notices of Material Events .  The U.S. Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent prompt written notice of the following, in each case after such Borrower obtains knowledge thereof:

 

(a)          the occurrence of, or receipt by either Borrower of any written notice claiming the occurrence of, any Default;

 

(b)          the filing or commencement of any action, suit or proceeding by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority against or affecting the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, or any adverse development in any such pending action, suit or

 

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proceeding not previously disclosed in writing by the U.S. Borrower to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, that in each case would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(c)          promptly after any Borrower has knowledge thereof, any material breach under any Specified Material Contract;

 

(d)          the occurrence of any ERISA Event that, alone or together with any other ERISA Events that have occurred, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and

 

(e)          any other development that has resulted, or would reasonably be expected to result, in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Each notice delivered under this Section shall be accompanied by a statement of a Financial Officer or other executive officer of the Borrower Representative setting forth the details of the event or development requiring such notice and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto.

 

SECTION 5.03 Additional Subsidiaries .  If any Restricted Subsidiary is formed or acquired after the Signing Date, or any existing Restricted Subsidiary ceases to be an Excluded Subsidiary after the Signing Date, the U.S. Borrower will, as promptly as practicable, and in any event within 30 days (or such longer period as the Administrative Agent may reasonably agree to in writing), notify the Administrative Agent thereof and cause the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement to be satisfied with respect to such newly formed or acquired Restricted Subsidiary (if it is a Designated Subsidiary), or such existing Restricted Subsidiary, as applicable, and, to the extent not already satisfied with respect to any such existing Subsidiary, with respect to any Equity Interests in or Indebtedness of such Restricted Subsidiary owned by any Loan Party; provided that the U.S. Borrower shall not be required to cause the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement to be satisfied with respect to any Restricted Subsidiary prior to the Initial Funding Date.

 

SECTION 5.04 Information Regarding Collateral .  The U.S. Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent prompt written notice of any change in (i) the legal name of any Loan Party, as set forth in its Organizational Documents, (ii) the jurisdiction of organization or the form of organization of any Loan Party (including as a result of any merger or consolidation), (iii) the location of the chief executive office of any Loan Party or (iv) the organizational identification number, if any, or, with respect to any Loan Party organized under the laws of a jurisdiction that requires such information to be set forth on the face of a Uniform Commercial Code financing statement, the Federal Taxpayer Identification Number of such Loan Party.  With respect to any change referred to in the preceding sentence, the Borrowers shall, within 30 days of such change (or such longer period as agreed to by the Administrative Agent), make all filings under the Uniform Commercial Code or otherwise reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent in order for the Administrative Agent to continue at all times following such change to have a valid, legal and perfected security interest in the applicable Collateral.  The provisions of this Section 5.04 shall apply only on and after the Signing Date (other than with respect to Uniform Commercial Code filings which shall apply after the Initial Funding Date).

 

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SECTION 5.05 Existence; Conduct of Business .

 

(a)          The U.S. Borrower will, and will cause each Restricted Subsidiary to, do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect (i) its legal existence and (ii) the rights, licenses, permits, privileges and franchises material to the conduct of its business, except to the extent that the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit any merger, consolidation, liquidation or dissolution permitted under Section 6.03 or any Disposition permitted by Section 6.05.

 

(b)          The U.S. Borrower will, and will cause each Restricted Subsidiary to, take all actions reasonably necessary in its reasonable business judgment to protect all material patents, trademarks, copyrights, licenses, technology, software, domain names, confidential proprietary databases and other Intellectual Property necessary to the conduct of its business, including (i) protecting the secrecy and confidentiality of the material confidential information and trade secrets of the U.S. Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary, (ii) taking all actions reasonably necessary to ensure that none of the material trade secrets of the U.S. Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary shall fall into the public domain and (iii) protecting the secrecy and confidentiality of the material source code of all computer software programs and applications owned or licensed by the U.S. Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary, except in each case where the failure to take any such action, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 5.06 Payment of Obligations .  The U.S. Borrower will, and will cause each Restricted Subsidiary to, pay its obligations (other than obligations with respect to Indebtedness), including Tax liabilities, before the same shall become delinquent or in default, except where (a) the failure to make payment could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect or (b) the validity or amount of such obligation is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and the U.S. Borrower or Restricted Subsidiary, as applicable, has set aside on its books reserves with respect thereto to the extent required by GAAP.

 

SECTION 5.07 Maintenance of Properties .  The U.S. Borrower will, and will cause each Restricted Subsidiary to, keep and maintain all property material to the conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted, except where the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 5.08 Insurance .  The U.S. Borrower will, and will cause each Restricted Subsidiary to, maintain, with financially sound and reputable insurance companies (as determined in good faith by the U.S. Borrower), insurance in such amounts (with no greater risk retention) and against such risks as are customarily maintained by companies of established repute engaged in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations (as determined in good faith by the U.S. Borrower).  On and after the Initial Funding Date, each such policy of liability or property insurance maintained by or on behalf of Loan Parties shall (a) in the case of each liability insurance policy, name the Administrative Agent, on behalf of the Secured Parties, as additional insured thereunder and (b) in the case of each property insurance policy, contain a loss

 

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payable clause or endorsement that names the Administrative Agent, on behalf of the Secured Parties, as the additional loss payee thereunder.  On and after the Initial Funding Date, the Borrowers shall use commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that each such policy provides for at least 30 days’ (or such shorter number of days as may be agreed to by the Administrative Agent) prior written notice to the Administrative Agent of any cancellation of such policy.  

 

SECTION 5.09 Books and Records; Inspection and Audit Rights .  The U.S. Borrower will, and will cause each of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, keep proper books of record and account in which full, true and correct entries in all material respects are made of all dealings and transactions in relation to its business and activities.  The U.S. Borrower will, and will cause each Restricted Subsidiary to, permit the Administrative Agent (and Lenders acting in conjunction with the Administrative Agent) and any agent designated by any of the foregoing, upon reasonable prior notice during regular business hours (in each case to the extent it is within the U.S. Borrower’s or such Restricted Subsidiary’s, as applicable, control to so permit), (a) to visit and inspect its properties, (b) to examine and make extracts from its books and records and (c) to discuss its operations, business affairs, assets, liabilities (including contingent liabilities) and financial condition with its officers and independent accountants, all at such reasonable times and as often as reasonably requested provided that (a) no such discussion with any such independent accountants shall be permitted unless the U.S. Borrower shall have received reasonable notice thereof and a reasonable opportunity to participate therein and (b) unless an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Lenders, coordinating through the Administrative Agent, shall exercise such rights only once during any calendar year, at the U.S. Borrower’s expense.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section or in Section 5.01(j), none of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary will be required to disclose, permit the inspection, examination or making copies of abstracts of, or discussion of, any document, information or other matter (i) that constitutes non-financial trade secrets or non-financial proprietary information, (ii) in respect of which disclosure to the Administrative Agent or any Lender (or their respective representatives or contractors) is prohibited by any Requirement of Law or any binding agreement or (iii) that is subject to attorney-client or similar privilege or constitutes attorney work product.

 

SECTION 5.10 Compliance with Laws .  The Borrowers and each other Restricted Subsidiary will comply with (i) all Requirements of Law, including, without limitation, the USA PATRIOT Act, Anti-Corruption Laws, “know your customer” and other anti-money laundering rules and regulations, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect and (ii) in all material respects, applicable Sanctions.  The Borrowers will maintain in effect and enforce policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance by the Borrowers, their Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions.

 

SECTION 5.11 Use of Proceeds and Letters of Credit .

 

(a)          The proceeds of the Initial Term Loans and the Revolving Loans, together with cash on hand of the U.S. Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, will be used prior to or substantially concurrently with the Spin-Off Date in accordance with Section 6.14 and for general corporate purposes.

 

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(b)          The proceeds of the Revolving Loans and Swingline Loans will be used on or after the Initial Funding Date solely for working capital and other general corporate purposes of the U.S. Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries (including, without limitation, distributions permitted under Section 6.08 and Permitted Acquisitions).

 

(c)          Letters of Credit will be used by the U.S. Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries on or after the Initial Funding Date for general corporate purposes.

 

(d)          The proceeds of any Incremental Term Loans will be used for the purpose or purposes set forth in the applicable Incremental Facility Agreement.  

 

(e)          The Borrowers will not request any Borrowing or Letter of Credit, and the Borrowers shall not use, and shall procure that their Subsidiaries and its or their respective directors, officers, employees and agents shall not use, the proceeds of any Borrowing or Letter of Credit (i) for the purpose of offering, paying, promising to pay, or authorizing the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any Person in violation of any Anti-Corruption Laws, (ii) for the purpose of funding, financing or facilitating any activities, business or transaction of or with any Sanctioned Person, or in any Sanctioned Country, to the extent such activities, business or transaction would be prohibited by Sanctions if conducted by a corporation incorporated in the United States or in a European Union member state, (iii) in any manner that would result in the violation of any Sanctions applicable to any party hereto or (iv) otherwise in a manner that would result in the violation of any other anti-terrorism laws or other anti-money laundering rules or regulations.

 

SECTION 5.12 Further Assurances .  On and after the Initial Funding Date, subject to any applicable limitations set forth in the Security Documents and in the definition of the term “Collateral and Guarantee Requirement,” the U.S. Borrower will, and will cause each other Loan Party to, execute any and all further documents, financing statements, agreements and instruments, and take all such further actions (including the filing and recording of financing statements and other documents), that may be required under any applicable law, or that the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders may reasonably request, in order to grant, preserve, protect and perfect the validity and priority of the security interests created or intended to be created by the Security Documents and to cause the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement to be and remain satisfied at all times or otherwise to effectuate the provisions of the Loan Documents, all at the expense of the U.S. Borrower and the other Loan Parties.  The U.S. Borrower will provide to the Administrative Agent, from time to time upon request, evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent as to the perfection and priority of the Liens created or intended to be created by the Security Documents.  Subject to any applicable limitations set forth in the Security Documents and in the definition of the term “Collateral and Guarantee Requirement,” if any assets (to the extent a Lien thereon cannot be perfected by the filing of a UCC financing statement) with a fair market value (determined in good faith by the U.S. Borrower at the time of acquisition of such assets) in excess of $10,000,000 (individually) are acquired by the U.S. Borrower or any other Loan Party after the Initial Funding Date (other than assets constituting Excluded Assets and other assets constituting Collateral under the Collateral Agreement that become subject to the Lien of the Collateral Agreement upon acquisition thereof), the U.S. Borrower will notify the Administrative Agent (who shall notify the Lenders) thereof and will promptly cause such assets to be subjected to a Lien securing the applicable Obligations and will take, and cause the

 

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other Loan Parties to take, such actions as shall be necessary or reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to grant and perfect such Liens consistent with the applicable requirements of the Security Documents, including actions described in the definition of the term “Collateral and Guarantee Requirement,” all at the expense of the U.S. Borrower and the other Loan Parties.

 

SECTION 5.13 Certain Post-Closing Collateral Obligations and Delivery of Schedule 5.13 .  

 

(a)          As promptly as practicable after the Initial Funding Date, and in any event within the time period after the Initial Funding Date set forth therefor in Schedule 5.13, the Borrowers and each other Loan Party will satisfy all requirements set forth on Schedule 5.13, in each case except to the extent otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion. For the avoidance of doubt, Schedule 5.13 may be amended, supplemented, updated or otherwise modified prior to or on the Initial Funding Date in accordance with the provisos to Section 4.02(i) and Section 4.02(j), and such modified Schedule 5.13 shall be provided by the Administrative Agent to the Lenders prior to the Initial Funding Date.

 

(b)          Each of the applicable Loan Parties agrees that it will complete each of the actions described below substantially concurrently with the Spin-Off Date or such later date as the Administrative Agent may reasonably agree (subject to the last paragraph of the definition of “Collateral and Guarantee Requirement”):

 

(i)          the Belgian Borrower shall have delivered a duly executed Belgian Borrower Joinder to the Administrative Agent;

 

(ii)         the Administrative Agent shall have received from the U.S. Borrower and each Designated Subsidiary with respect to Loan Parties as of the Spin-Off Date, (A) in the case of the U.S. Borrower, a counterpart of the applicable Belgian Collateral Documents duly executed and delivered on behalf of such Person and (B) in the case of a Belgian Loan Party, a counterpart of each Belgian Collateral Document;

 

(iii)        all Equity Interests in any Subsidiary owned by any Loan Party and not delivered on the Initial Funding Date, other than any Excluded Equity Interests, shall have been pledged pursuant to the applicable Collateral Agreement and the Administrative Agent shall, to the extent required by the applicable Collateral Agreement, have received certificates or other instruments representing all such Equity Interests, together with undated stock powers or other instruments of transfer with respect thereto endorsed in blank;

 

(iv)        the Belgian Borrower shall become party to the Intercompany Note pledged to the Administrative Agent pursuant to the Collateral Agreements;

 

(v)         all documents and instruments, including Uniform Commercial Code financing statements, required by Requirements of Law or reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to be delivered, filed, registered or recorded to create the Liens intended to be created by the Security Documents and perfect such Liens to the extent required by, and with the priority required by, the Security Documents and the other provisions

 

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of the term “Collateral and Guarantee Requirement,” shall have been filed, registered or recorded or delivered to the Administrative Agent for filing, registration or recording;

 

(vi)        the Administrative Agent shall have received a favorable written opinion (addressed to the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Issuing Banks as of and dated the Initial Funding Date) of Loyens & Loeff and NautaDutilh, as to matters of Belgian law;

 

(vii)       the Administrative Agent shall have received (i) true and complete copies of the Organizational Documents of the Belgian Borrower and a copy of the resolutions, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, of the Board of Directors or other governing body, as applicable, of the Belgian Borrower (or a duly authorized committee thereof) authorizing (A) the execution, delivery and performance of the Loan Documents (and any agreements relating thereto) to which it is a party, (B) specified person or persons, on its behalf, to sign the Belgian Borrower Joinder and to sign and/or dispatch all other documents and notices to be signed and/or dispatched by it under or in connection with this Agreement and (C) the U.S. Borrower to act as the Borrower Representative under this Agreement, together with such certificates relating to the good standing of the Belgian Borrower or the substantive equivalent, if any, available from the appropriate governmental officer in Belgium as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request and (ii) a certificate of the Belgian Borrower, dated the Spin-Off Date, substantially in the form of Exhibit M hereto or otherwise reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, with appropriate insertions, executed by an Authorized Officer of the Belgian Borrower, and attaching the documents referred to in clause (i) above; and

 

(viii)      the Administrative Agent shall have received evidence that the insurance required by Section 5.08 is in effect with respect to the Belgian Borrower, together with endorsements naming the Secured Parties and the Administrative Agent as additional insured and the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, as loss payee thereunder, in each case as specified and to the extent required under Section 5.08.

 

SECTION 5.14 Compliance with Specified Material Contracts .  The U.S. Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries shall comply with the terms and conditions of all Specified Material Contracts and enforce its rights under each such Specified Material Contract, except to the extent non-compliance or non-enforcement could not reasonably be expected to be materially adverse to the Lenders (and, in any event, the U.S. Borrower and Restricted Subsidiaries shall be permitted to terminate any Specified Material Contract).

 

SECTION 5.15 Designation of Subsidiaries .  The U.S. Borrower may at any time designate any Restricted Subsidiary (other than the Belgian Borrower) as an Unrestricted Subsidiary or any Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary by delivering to the Administrative Agent a certificate of an Authorized Officer of the U.S. Borrower specifying such designation and certifying that the conditions to such designation set forth in this Section 5.15 are satisfied; provided that:

 

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(a)          both immediately before and immediately after any such designation, no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing;

 

(b)          after giving Pro Forma Effect to such designation, the Borrowers shall be in Pro Forma Compliance with each Financial Maintenance Covenant, in each case recomputed as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period for which financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or 5.01(b) (or, prior to the delivery of any such financial statements, the last day of the last fiscal quarter included in the Pro Forma Financial Statements); and

 

(c)          no Restricted Subsidiary may be designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary if it is a “restricted subsidiary” pursuant to the terms of any Material Indebtedness of the U.S. Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries.

 

The designation of any Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary after the Signing Date shall constitute an Investment by the U.S. Borrower in such Subsidiary on the date of designation in an amount equal to the fair market value of the U.S. Borrower’s Investment therein (as determined reasonably and in good faith by a Financial Officer of the U.S. Borrower).  The designation of any Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary shall constitute the incurrence at the time of designation of any Investment, Indebtedness or Liens of such Subsidiary existing at such time.

 

SECTION 5.16 Financial Assistance .  Each Belgian Loan Party and its Subsidiaries shall comply in all material respects with applicable legislation governing financial assistance and/or capital maintenance under the laws of the jurisdiction of organization of such party, including in relation to the execution of the Security Documents of each Belgian Loan Party and payments of amounts due under this Agreement.

 

SECTION 5.17 Spin-Off .  The Spin-Off shall occur within ten (10) Business Days of the Initial Funding Date.

 

ARTICLE VI

 

Negative Covenants

 

Until the Commitments shall have expired or been terminated, the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder shall have been paid in full, all Letters of Credit shall have expired or been terminated and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, each Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:

 

SECTION 6.01 Indebtedness; Certain Equity Securities .

 

(a)          None of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary will create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Indebtedness, except:

 

(i)          (A) Indebtedness created under the Loan Documents, (B) any Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness and (C) Refinancing Indebtedness in respect of any such Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness;

 

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(ii)         (A) any Indebtedness of any Loan Party; provided , that at the time of the incurrence thereof, (1) no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, both immediately prior to and immediately after giving effect to the incurrence of such Indebtedness, (2) such Indebtedness shall comply with the Required Debt Parameters, (3) after giving Pro Forma Effect to the incurrence of such Indebtedness and the use of proceeds thereof, the U.S. Borrower shall be in Pro Forma Compliance with each Financial Maintenance Covenant, in each case recomputed as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period for which financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or 5.01(b) (or, prior to the delivery of any such financial statements, the last day of the last fiscal quarter included in the Pro Forma Financial Statements) and (4) in the case of Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount greater than or equal to $25,000,000, the Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of an Authorized Officer of the U.S. Borrower, dated the date of incurrence of such Indebtedness, confirming compliance with the conditions set forth in the proviso to this clause (ii)(A) and setting forth reasonably detailed calculations in support thereof and (B) any Refinancing Indebtedness in respect of any Indebtedness permitted under clause (A) above or under this clause (B);

 

(iii)        Indebtedness existing on the Signing Date and set forth on Schedule 6.01 and Refinancing Indebtedness in respect thereof;

 

(iv)        Indebtedness of (A) the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to the U.S. Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary; provided that any such Indebtedness owing by any Loan Party to any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party shall be unsecured, (B) any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party owing to any other Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party and (C) to the extent permitted by Section 6.04, any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party owing to any Loan Party; provided that any such Indebtedness shall be evidenced by the Intercompany Note;

 

(v)         Guarantees incurred in compliance with Section 6.04;

 

(vi)        Indebtedness (including Capital Lease Obligations and Synthetic Lease Obligations) of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary (A) incurred to finance the acquisition, construction, repair, replacement, expansion or improvement of any fixed or capital assets; provided that such Indebtedness is incurred prior to or within 270 days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction, repair, replacement, expansion or improvement and the principal amount of such Indebtedness does not exceed the cost of acquiring, constructing, repairing, replacing, expanding or improving such fixed or capital assets (it being understood that property subject to a Capital Lease Obligation not entered into as part of a Sale/Leaseback Transaction will be deemed acquired at the time such Capital Lease Obligation becomes effective) or (B) assumed in connection with the acquisition of any fixed or capital assets, and Refinancing Indebtedness in respect of any of the foregoing; provided that, immediately after the incurrence or assumption of such Indebtedness, the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness (including Capital Lease Obligations and Synthetic Lease Obligations and Refinancing Indebtedness) incurred in reliance on and then outstanding under this clause (vi) shall not exceed the greater of $25,000,000 or 2.5% of Consolidated Total Assets;

 

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(vii)       (1) Indebtedness of any Person that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary (or of any Person not previously a Restricted Subsidiary that is merged or consolidated with or into a Restricted Subsidiary) in a transaction permitted under this Agreement, (2) Indebtedness of any Person that is assumed by the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in connection with an acquisition of assets by the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in a Permitted Acquisition or other similar Investment permitted by Section 6.04 or (3) Refinancing Indebtedness of any of the foregoing; provided that, in the case of Indebtedness referred to in clauses (1) and (2) above:

 

(A)         both immediately before and immediately after giving effect thereto, no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing;

 

(B)         after giving Pro Forma Effect to the incurrence or assumption of such Indebtedness, the U.S. Borrower shall be in Pro Forma Compliance with each Financial Maintenance Covenant, in each case recomputed as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period for which financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or 5.01(b) (or, prior to the delivery of any such financial statements, the last day of the last fiscal quarter included in the Pro Forma Financial Statements);

 

(C)         with respect to any Indebtedness of any Person that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary (or of any Person not previously a Restricted Subsidiary that is merged or consolidated with or into a Restricted Subsidiary) or Indebtedness of any Person that is assumed by the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in connection with the acquisition of assets by the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, such Indebtedness existed at the time such Person became a Restricted Subsidiary or at the time such assets were acquired and, in each case, was not created in contemplation thereof or in connection therewith;

 

(D)         the aggregate principal amount of all Indebtedness incurred and outstanding under this Section 6.01(a)(vii) by Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties, when aggregated with the aggregate principal amount of all Indebtedness of Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties incurred and outstanding under Section 6.01(a)(xii), shall not at any time exceed the greater of $75,000,000 and 7.5% Consolidated Total Assets, calculated on a Pro Forma Basis giving effect to the application of proceeds of the applicable Indebtedness, as of the last day of the then most recently ended Test Period for which financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or 5.01(b) (or, prior to the delivery of any such financial statements, the last day of the last fiscal quarter included in the Pro Forma Financial Statements); and

 

(E)         the Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of an Authorized Officer of the U.S. Borrower, dated the date of incurrence or assumption of such Indebtedness, confirming compliance with the conditions set forth in clauses (A), (B), (C) and (D), and setting forth reasonably detailed calculations in support thereof.

 

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(viii)      Cash Management Obligations and other Indebtedness in respect of netting services, automatic clearing house arrangements, employees’ credit or purchase cards, overdraft protections and similar arrangements, in each case incurred in the ordinary course of business; provided that such Indebtedness (other than with respect to credit or purchase cards) shall be repaid in full within ten Business Days of the incurrence thereof;

 

(ix)         Indebtedness in respect of (A) letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances, bank guarantees or similar instruments or facilities issued for the account of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business supporting obligations under workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security laws and (B) bids, trade contracts, leases, statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business and not in connection with the borrowing of money;

 

(x)          Indebtedness of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in the form of indemnifications, purchase price adjustments, earn-outs, non-competition agreements or other arrangements representing acquisition consideration or deferred payments of a similar nature incurred in connection with any Permitted Acquisition or other Investment permitted by Section 6.04;

 

(xi)         [reserved];

 

(xii)        Indebtedness of any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Subsidiary Loan Party in an aggregate principal amount, when aggregated with the aggregate principal amount of all Indebtedness of Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties incurred and outstanding under Section 6.01(a)(vii), not exceeding the greater of $75,000,000 and 7.5% Consolidated Total Assets at any time outstanding;

 

(xiii)       other Indebtedness of the Loan Parties in an aggregate principal amount not exceeding the greater of $100,000,000 and 10% Consolidated Total Assets at any time outstanding;

 

(xiv)       unsecured Indebtedness in respect of (A) obligations of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to pay the deferred purchase price of goods or services or progress payments in connection with such goods and services; provided that such obligations are incurred in connection with open accounts extended by suppliers on customary trade terms in the ordinary course of business and not in connection with the borrowing of money and (B) intercompany obligations of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in respect of accounts payable incurred in connection with goods sold or services rendered in the ordinary course of business and not in connection with the borrowing of money;

 

(xv)        obligations of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to pay insurance premiums arising in the ordinary course of business and not in connection with the borrowing of money;

 

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(xvi)      unsecured Indebtedness consisting of promissory notes issued by any Loan Party to current or former officers, managers, consultants, directors and employees (or their spouses, former spouses, successors, executors, administrators, heirs, legatees or distributees) to finance the purchase or redemption of Equity Interests of the U.S. Borrower, in each case to the extent permitted by Section 6.08;

 

(xvii)     to the extent constituting Indebtedness, Hedging Obligations pursuant to Hedging Agreements entered into to hedge or mitigate risks to which the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary has actual exposure (other than in respect of Equity Interests or the credit risk associated with Indebtedness of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary), including without limitation to effectively cap, collar or exchange interest rates (from fixed to floating rates, from one floating rate to another floating rate or otherwise) or currencies with respect to any interest-bearing liability or investment of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(xviii)    (x) Indebtedness incurred in connection with Permitted Securitization Financings in an aggregate principal amount outstanding that, immediately after giving effect to the incurrence of such Indebtedness and the use of proceeds thereof, together with the aggregate principal amount of any other Indebtedness outstanding pursuant to this Section 6.01(a)(xviii) would not exceed the greater of $50,000,000 and 5.0% of Consolidated Total Assets when incurred, created or assumed and (y) any Refinancing Indebtedness in respect thereof; and

 

(xix)       all premiums (if any), interest (including post-petition interest), fees, expenses, charges and additional or contingent interest on obligations described in clauses (i) through (xviii) above.

 

SECTION 6.02 Liens .  None of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary will create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on any asset now owned or hereafter acquired by it, except:

 

(i)          (A) Liens created under the Loan Documents and (B) Liens securing Permitted Junior Lien Secured Indebtedness constituting (1) any Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness or any Refinancing Indebtedness in respect thereof or (2) any other Indebtedness that satisfies the Required Debt Parameters; provided , that with respect to Liens incurred under this clause (B)(2), (x) after giving Pro Forma Effect to the incurrence or assumption of such Indebtedness and the use of proceeds thereof, the U.S. Borrower shall have a Senior Secured Leverage Ratio of not greater than 3.50 to 1.00, or, if an Increase Period shall be in effect (or take effect upon incurrence of such Indebtedness) 4.00 to 1.00 and shall be in Pro Forma Compliance with each Financial Maintenance Covenant, (y) the aggregate amount of Permitted Junior Lien Secured Indebtedness incurred under this Section 6.02(i)(B), together with the aggregate amount of Incremental Term Loans and Incremental Revolving Commitment Increases then in effect, shall not exceed $300,000,000 at any time and (z) no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, both immediately prior to and immediately after giving effect to the incurrence of such Indebtedness.

 

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(ii)         Permitted Encumbrances;

 

(iii)        any Lien on any asset of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary existing on the Signing Date and set forth on Schedule 6.02; provided that (A) such Lien shall not attach to any other asset of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary other than after-acquired property that is affixed or incorporated into the property covered by such Lien and the proceeds and products thereof and (B) such Lien shall secure only those obligations that it secures on the Signing Date and any extensions, renewals and refinancings thereof that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof and, in the case of any such obligations constituting Indebtedness, that are permitted under Section 6.01 as Refinancing Indebtedness in respect thereof;

 

(iv)        any Lien existing on any asset prior to the acquisition thereof by the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary or existing on any asset of any Person that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary (or of any Person not previously a Restricted Subsidiary that is merged or consolidated with or into a Restricted Subsidiary in a transaction permitted hereunder) after the Initial Funding Date prior to the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary (or is so merged or consolidated); provided that (A) such Lien is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition or such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary (or such merger or consolidation), (B) such Lien shall not attach to any other asset of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary other than (x) after-acquired property that is affixed or incorporated into the property covered by such Lien, (y) after-acquired property subject to a Lien securing Indebtedness permitted under Section 6.01(a)(vii), the terms of which Indebtedness require or include a pledge of after-acquired property (it being understood that such requirement shall not be permitted to apply to any property to which such requirement would not have applied but for such acquisition) and (z) the proceeds and products thereof, and (C) such Lien shall secure only those obligations (or, in the case of any such obligations constituting Indebtedness, any Refinancing Indebtedness in respect thereof permitted by Section 6.01) that it secures on the date of such acquisition or the date such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary (or is so merged or consolidated);

 

(v)         Liens securing Capital Lease Obligations and Liens on fixed or capital assets acquired, constructed, repaired, replaced, expanded or improved by the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided that (A) such Liens secure only Indebtedness (including Capital Lease Obligations and Synthetic Lease Obligations) permitted by Section 6.01(a)(vi) and obligations relating thereto not constituting Indebtedness and (B) such Liens shall not attach to any asset of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary other than the assets financed by such Indebtedness, accessions thereto and the proceeds and products thereof; provided , further , that in the event purchase money obligations are owed to any Person with respect to financing of more than one purchase of any fixed or capital assets, such Liens may secure all such purchase money obligations and may apply to all such fixed or capital assets financed by such Person;

 

(vi)        in connection with the sale or transfer of any Equity Interests or other assets in a transaction permitted under Section 6.05, customary rights and restrictions contained in agreements relating to such sale or transfer pending the completion thereof;

 

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(vii)       any agreement to sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of any property in a transaction permitted under Section 6.05;

 

(viii)      in the case of (A) any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a wholly-owned Restricted Subsidiary or (B) the Equity Interests in any Person that is not a Restricted Subsidiary, any encumbrance or restriction, including any put and call arrangements, related to Equity Interests in such Restricted Subsidiary or such other Person set forth in the Organizational Documents of such Restricted Subsidiary or such other Person or any related joint venture, shareholders’ or similar agreement;

 

(ix)        Liens solely on any cash earnest money deposits, escrow arrangements or similar arrangements made by the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in connection with any letter of intent or purchase agreement for a Permitted Acquisition or other transaction permitted hereunder;

 

(x)         ground leases in respect of real property on which facilities owned or leased by any of the Restricted Subsidiaries are located;

 

(xi)        any interest or title of a lessor under leases (other than leases constituting Capital Lease Obligations) entered into by any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;

 

(xii)       Liens on insurance policies and the proceeds thereof securing the financing of the premiums with respect thereto;

 

(xiii)      Liens deemed to exist in connection with Investments in repurchase agreements under clause (f) of the definition of the term “Cash Equivalents”;

 

(xiv)      Liens in favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure payment of customs duties in connection with the importation of goods;

 

(xv)       Liens (A) of a collection bank arising under Section 4-210 of the Uniform Commercial Code on items in the course of collection and (B) in favor of a banking institution arising as a matter of law or pursuant to terms and conditions generally imposed by such banking institution on its customers encumbering deposits (including the right of set-off) and which are within the general parameters customary in the banking industry;

 

(xvi)      Liens on property of any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party, which Liens secure Indebtedness of such Restricted Subsidiary permitted under Section 6.01;

 

(xvii)     Liens arising out of conditional sale, title retention, consignment or similar arrangements for sale of goods by any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;

 

(xviii)    Liens in respect of Permitted Securitization Financings that extend only to the assets subject thereto;

 

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(xix)       other Liens securing Indebtedness or other obligations in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed the greater of $50,000,000 and 5.0% of Consolidated Total Assets at any time outstanding;

 

(xx)        Liens on cash and Cash Equivalents used to satisfy or discharge Indebtedness, if such satisfaction or discharge is permitted hereunder; and

 

(xxi)      Liens on the cash comprising the IDB Closing Distribution in an amount not to exceed the amount set forth in the definition thereof.

 

SECTION 6.03 Fundamental Changes; Business Activities .

 

(a)          None of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary will merge into or consolidate with any other Person, or permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it, or liquidate or dissolve, except that, (i) any Person may merge into the U.S. Borrower or the Belgian Borrower in a transaction in which the U.S. Borrower or the Belgian Borrower is the surviving corporation, respectively, (ii) any Restricted Subsidiary or any other Person (other than any Borrower) may be merged or consolidated with or into any one of more Restricted Subsidiaries; provided that, in the case of any merger or consolidation involving one or more Restricted Subsidiaries that are Loan Parties, (A) a Restricted Subsidiary that is a Loan Party shall be the continuing or surviving corporation, (B) if the Restricted Subsidiary formed by or surviving any such merger or consolidation is a Designated Subsidiary and not then a Loan Party, the U.S. Borrower shall as promptly as practicable, and in any event within 30 days (or such longer period as the Administrative Agent may reasonably agree to), take all steps necessary to cause such Restricted Subsidiary to comply with the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement, to the extent applicable to such Designated Subsidiary and (C) if the Restricted Subsidiary formed by or surviving any such merger or consolidation is not a Designated Subsidiary or does not thereby become a Loan Party, such merger or consolidation shall be deemed to be an “Investment” and shall be permitted only if it is also permitted under Section 6.04, (iii) any Restricted Subsidiary may merge into or consolidate with any Person in a transaction permitted under Section 6.05 (other than clause (g) thereof) in which, after giving effect to such transaction, the surviving entity is not a Restricted Subsidiary, (iv) the Spin-Off and related Transactions may be consummated and (v) any Restricted Subsidiary may liquidate or dissolve if the U.S. Borrower determines in good faith that such liquidation or dissolution is in the best interests of the U.S. Borrower and is not materially disadvantageous to the Lenders; provided that any merger or consolidation involving a Person that is not the U.S. Borrower or a wholly-owned Restricted Subsidiary immediately prior thereto shall not be permitted unless at the time thereof and immediately after giving effect thereto no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.  

 

(b)          The Borrowers and the Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, will not fundamentally and substantively alter the character of their business, taken as a whole, from the business conducted by the Borrowers and the Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, on the Signing Date and other business activities reasonably related, incidental, complementary or ancillary thereto and, in the case of a Special Purpose Securitization Subsidiary, Permitted Securitization Financings.

 

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(c)          The U.S. Borrower will not permit any Person other than the U.S. Borrower, or one or more of its Restricted Subsidiaries that is not a CFC, to own any Equity Interests in any Domestic Subsidiary (other than as a result of an acquisition permitted under Section 6.04 of a CFC that owns Equity Interests in a Domestic Subsidiary and such ownership structure is not established in contemplation of such acquisition).

 

SECTION 6.04 Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions .  None of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary will purchase, hold, acquire (including pursuant to any merger or consolidation with any Person that was not a wholly-owned Restricted Subsidiary prior thereto), make or otherwise permit to exist any Investment in any other Person, or purchase or otherwise acquire (in one transaction or a series of transactions) all or substantially all the assets of any other Person or of a business unit, division, product line or line of business of any other Person, or assets acquired other than in the ordinary course of business that, following the acquisition thereof, would constitute a substantial portion of the assets of the U.S. Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except:

 

(a)          Investments in connection with the Transactions;

 

(b)          Investments constituting Cash Equivalents at the time such Investments are made;

 

(c)          Investments (i) existing or contemplated on the Initial Funding Date and set forth on Schedule 6.04 (as such schedule may be amended, supplemented, updated or otherwise modified prior to the Initial Funding Date in a manner acceptable to the Administrative Agent), (ii) existing on the Signing Date, or effectuated on or prior to the Initial Funding Date consistent with the SEC Filings to effectuate the Transactions, of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in the U.S. Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary; and (iii) in the case of each of clauses (i) and (ii), any modification, renewal or extension thereof, so long as the aggregate amount of all Investments pursuant to clause (i) or (ii), as applicable, of this Section 6.04(c) is not increased at any time above the amount of such Investments under clause (i) or (ii), as applicable, existing on the Initial Funding Date, except pursuant to the terms of any such Investment under clause (i) existing as of the Initial Funding Date and set forth on Schedule 6.04 or as otherwise permitted by this Section 6.04 and the terms of any Investment are not otherwise modified from the terms that are in effect on the Initial Funding Date in a manner that is materially adverse to the Lenders;

 

(d)          Investments (including pursuant to any merger or consolidation) (i) in any Loan Party, (ii) made by a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party in another Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party and (iii) made by a Loan Party in any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party or to acquire a Restricted Subsidiary that will not be a Loan Party; provided that, immediately after any such Investment is made, the aggregate amount of all Investments in non-Loan Parties pursuant to this clause (d)(iii) shall not exceed $50,000,000;

 

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(e)          loans or advances made by the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to any Restricted Subsidiary; provided that (i) the Indebtedness resulting therefrom is permitted by clause (iv) of Section 6.01(a) and (ii) the amount of such loans and advances made by the Loan Parties to Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties shall be subject to the limitation set forth in clause (d) above;

 

(f)          Guarantees by the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary of Indebtedness or other obligations of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary (including any such Guarantees arising as a result of any such Person being a joint and several co-applicant with respect to any Letter of Credit or any other letter of credit or letter of guaranty); provided that (i) a Restricted Subsidiary shall not Guarantee any Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness of a Foreign Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party) unless such Restricted Subsidiary has Guaranteed the Obligations pursuant to the Collateral Agreement, (ii) such Guarantee of Subordinated Indebtedness is subordinated to the Loan Document Obligations on terms no less favorable to the Lenders than those of the Subordinated Indebtedness, (iii) [reserved], and (iv) the aggregate amount of Indebtedness and other obligations of Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties that is Guaranteed by any Loan Party pursuant to this clause (f) shall be subject to the limitation set forth in clause (d)(iii) above;

 

(g)          Investments to the extent that the consideration for such Investments is made solely with the Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Equity Interests) of the U.S. Borrower or of an Unrestricted Subsidiary;

 

(h)          Investments received (i) in connection with the bankruptcy or reorganization of, or settlement of delinquent accounts and disputes with, customers and suppliers, in each case in the ordinary course of business, or (ii) upon foreclosure (or transfer of title in lieu of foreclosure) with respect to any secured Investment in a Person other than the U.S. Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary and that, in each case, was made without contemplation of such foreclosure (or transfer of title in lieu of foreclosure);

 

(i)          Investments made as a result of the receipt of noncash consideration from a Disposition of any asset in compliance with Section 6.05;

 

(j)          Investments by the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary that result solely from the receipt by the U.S. Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary from any of its subsidiaries of a dividend or other Restricted Payment in the form of Equity Interests, evidences of Indebtedness or other securities (but not any additions thereto made after the date of the receipt thereof);

 

(k)          Investments in the form of Hedging Agreements;

 

(l)          payroll, travel, business entertainment and similar advances to officers, directors, employees and consultants of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to cover matters that are expected at the time of such advances to be treated as expenses of the U.S. Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary for accounting purposes and that are made in the ordinary course of business;

 

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(m)          Investments consisting of extensions of trade credit in the ordinary course of business;

 

(n)          Investments in the ordinary course of business consisting of Article 3 endorsements for collection or deposit and Article 4 customary trade arrangements with customers consistent with past practices;

 

(o)          loans and advances to officers, directors and employees of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary for purposes not contemplated by clause (l) above; provided that the aggregate amount of such loans and advances outstanding at any time shall not exceed $2,500,000;

 

(p)          Permitted Acquisitions;

 

(q)          Investments held by any Person acquired by the U.S. Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary after the Initial Funding Date or of any Person merged or consolidated into the U.S. Borrower or merged or consolidated with a Restricted Subsidiary in accordance with Section 6.03 after the Initial Funding Date, in each case to the extent that such Investments were not made in contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition, merger or consolidation and were in existence on the date of such acquisition, merger or consolidation;

 

(r)          Investments by the U.S. Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries in joint ventures; provided that the aggregate amount of all Investments made under this Section 6.04(r) shall not exceed $50,000,000;

 

(s)          (i) Investments by the U.S. Borrower and any other Loan Party in non-Loan Parties so long as such Investments are part of a series of transactions that result in the proceeds of such Investments ultimately being invested in (or distributed to) the U.S. Borrower or any other Loan Party within 30 days of the initiation of the first applicable Investment in the applicable series of transactions, (ii) intercompany Investments, reorganizations and related activities related to tax planning and reorganization (A) contemplated as of the Signing Date and described in reasonable detail in a certificate of an Authorized Officer delivered by the U.S. Borrower to the Administrative Agent within 30 days of the Signing Date or (B) so long as after giving effect thereto, the security interest of the Lenders in the Collateral, taken as a whole, is not impaired in any material respect (it being understood that the contribution of the Equity Interests of one or more “first-tier” Foreign Subsidiaries to a newly created “first-tier” Foreign Subsidiary shall be permitted) and (iii) intercompany loans, advances or Indebtedness having a term not exceeding 364 days (inclusive of any rollover or extension of terms) and made in the ordinary course of business;

 

(t)          additional Investments by the U.S. Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries; provided that the aggregate amount of all Investments made under this Section 6.04(t) shall not exceed $25,000,000 outstanding at any one time;

 

(u)          additional Investments so long as (i) both immediately prior and immediately after such Investment, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be

 

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continuing and (ii) after giving Pro Forma Effect to such Investment, the Borrowers shall be in Pro Forma Compliance with a Total Leverage Ratio, recomputed as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period for which financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or 5.01(b) (or, prior to the delivery of any such financial statements, the last day of the last fiscal quarter included in the Pro Forma Financial Statements), that is not greater than 0.25x less than the maximum Total Leverage Ratio set forth in Section 6.12(a) at such time; and

 

(v)         Investments consisting of Securitization Assets or arising as a result of Permitted Securitization Financings.

 

SECTION 6.05 Asset Sales .  None of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary will (other than as required to effectuate the Transactions) assign or sell any income or revenues (including accounts receivable and royalties) or rights in respect of any thereof (except to the extent assigned or sold in connection with a Disposition of the assets to which such income, revenues or rights relate and which is otherwise permitted under this Agreement) or sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of, or exclusively license outside the ordinary course of business, any asset, including any Equity Interest owned by it, nor will any Restricted Subsidiary issue any additional Equity Interest in any Restricted Subsidiary (other than to the U.S. Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary in compliance with Section 6.04, and other than directors’ qualifying shares and other nominal amounts of Equity Interests that are required to be held by other Persons under Requirements of Law) (any such transaction, a “ Disposition ”), except:

 

(a)          Dispositions of the following in the ordinary course of business: (i) obsolete, worn-out, used or surplus assets to the extent such assets are no longer used or useful or necessary for the operation of the U.S. Borrower’s and the Restricted Subsidiaries’ business (including allowing any registrations or any applications for registration of any immaterial Intellectual Property to expire, lapse or be abandoned), (ii) inventory and goods held for sale or other immaterial assets, and (iii) cash and Cash Equivalents;

 

(b)          leases, subleases, licenses or sublicenses of any real or personal property in the ordinary course of business;

 

(c)          Dispositions to the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided that any such Disposition involving a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party, (i) to the extent such Disposition constitutes an Investment, shall be made in compliance with Section 6.04 and (ii) otherwise, shall be made in compliance with Section 6.09;

 

(d)          Dispositions of accounts receivable in connection with the compromise or collection thereof in the ordinary course of business and not as part of any accounts receivables financing transaction;

 

(e)          Dispositions of assets subject to any casualty or condemnation proceeding (including in lieu thereof);

 

(f)          Dispositions of property to the extent that (i) such property is exchanged for credit against the purchase price of similar replacement property or (ii) the proceeds

 

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of such disposition are promptly applied to the purchase price of such replacement property;

 

(g)         Liens permitted by Section 6.02, Dispositions permitted by Section 6.03, Investments permitted by Section 6.04 and Restricted Payments permitted by Section 6.08;

 

(h)         Dispositions of Investments in joint ventures to the extent required by, or made pursuant to customary buy/sell arrangements between, the joint venture parties set forth in joint venture arrangements and similar binding arrangements;

 

(i)          [reserved];

 

(j)          Dispositions of the Equity Interest in, Indebtedness of, or other securities issued by, an Unrestricted Subsidiary;

 

(k)         Dispositions of assets that are not permitted by any other clause of this Section; provided that (i) no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing both immediately prior to and immediately after such Disposition, (ii) the aggregate fair value of all assets sold, transferred, leased or otherwise disposed of in reliance on this clause shall not exceed 15% of Consolidated Total Assets of the U.S. Borrower in any fiscal year (measured as of the last day of the immediately preceding fiscal year for which financial information has been delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a), or, prior thereto, as set forth in the Pro Forma Financial Statements); provided that unused amounts under this clause (ii) may be used in the following fiscal year so long as the aggregate fair value of all assets sold, transferred, leased or otherwise disposed of do not exceed 20% of Consolidated Total Assets of the U.S. Borrower in any fiscal year (measured as of the last day of the immediately preceding fiscal year for which financial information has been delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a), or, prior thereto, as set forth in the Pro Forma Financial Statements) and (iii) all Dispositions made in reliance on this clause shall be for fair value and, other than Dispositions of assets having a fair value not in excess of $20,000,000 for any individual Disposition or $75,000,000 in the aggregate for all such Dispositions during the term of this Agreement, shall be made for at least 75% Cash Consideration; and

 

(l)          Dispositions of Securitization Assets including pursuant to Permitted Securitization Financings.

 

Cash Consideration ” means, in respect of any Disposition by the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, (a) cash or Cash Equivalents received by it in consideration of such Disposition, (b) any liabilities (as shown on the most recent balance sheet of the U.S. Borrower provided hereunder or in the footnotes thereto) of the U.S. Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary, other than liabilities that are by their terms subordinated in right of payment to the Loan Document Obligations, that are assumed by the transferee with respect to the applicable Disposition and for which the U.S. Borrower and all of the Restricted Subsidiaries shall have been validly released by all applicable creditors in writing, and (c) any securities received by the U.S. Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary from such transferee that are converted by the U.S. Borrower or such

 

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Restricted Subsidiary into cash or Cash Equivalents (to the extent of the cash or Cash Equivalents received) within 180 days following the closing of the applicable Disposition.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, no such Disposition of any Equity Interests in any Restricted Subsidiary shall be permitted unless (x) such Equity Interests constitute a majority of the Equity Interests in such Restricted Subsidiary held by the U.S. Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries, (y) such Disposition is of a portion of the Equity Interests of a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party or (z) such Disposition is of a portion of the Equity Interests of a Restricted Subsidiary that is a Loan Party and such Restricted Subsidiary will continue to be a Loan Party following such Disposition and, in each case, such Disposition is permitted and utilizes capacity under Section 6.04.

 

SECTION 6.06 Sale/Leaseback Transactions .  None of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary will enter into any Sale/Leaseback Transaction, except for any such sale of any fixed or capital assets by a Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary that is made for cash consideration in an amount not less than the fair value of such fixed or capital asset; provided that (a) the sale or transfer of the property thereunder is permitted under Section 6.05, (b) any Capital Lease Obligations and Synthetic Lease Obligations arising in connection therewith are permitted under Section 6.01 and (c) any Liens arising in connection therewith (including Liens deemed to arise in connection with any such Capital Lease Obligations and Synthetic Lease Obligations) are permitted under Section 6.02.

 

SECTION 6.07 [ Reserved ].  

 

SECTION 6.08 Restricted Payments; Certain Payments of Indebtedness .

 

(a)          None of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary will declare or make any Restricted Payment, except that:

 

(i)          the U.S. Borrower may declare and make any Restricted Payments with respect to its Equity Interests payable solely in additional Equity Interests permitted hereunder;

 

(ii)         any Restricted Subsidiary may declare and make any Restricted Payments in respect of its Equity Interests, in each case ratably to the holders of such Equity Interests;

 

(iii)        the U.S. Borrower may redeem in whole or in part any of its Qualified Equity Interests in exchange for another class of Qualified Equity Interests or rights to acquire its Qualified Equity Interests or with proceeds from substantially concurrent equity contributions or issuances of new shares of its Qualified Equity Interests; provided that the terms and provisions material to the interests of the Lenders, when taken as a whole, contained in such other class of Qualified Equity Interests are at least as favorable to the Lenders as those contained in the Qualified Equity Interests redeemed thereby;

 

(iv)        the U.S. Borrower may repurchase Equity Interests upon the exercise of stock options or warrants if such Equity Interests represent all or a portion of the exercise price of such options or warrants;

 

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(v)         the U.S. Borrower may make cash payments in lieu of the issuance of fractional shares representing insignificant interests in the U.S. Borrower in connection with the exercise of warrants, options or other securities convertible into or exchangeable for Equity Interests in the U.S. Borrower;

 

(vi)        so long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred, is continuing or would result therefrom, the U.S. Borrower may redeem, acquire, retire or repurchase (including through the issuance of promissory notes by the U.S. Borrower or any other Loan Party pursuant to Section 6.01(a)(xvi)) its Equity Interests (or any options or warrants or stock appreciation or similar rights issued with respect to any of such Equity Interests) held by current or former officers, managers, consultants, directors and employees (or their respective spouses, former spouses, successors, executors, administrators, heirs, legatees or distributees) of the U.S. Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries upon the death, disability, retirement or termination of employment of any such Person or otherwise in accordance with any stock option or stock appreciation or similar rights plan, any management, director and/or employee stock ownership or incentive plan, stock subscription plan, employment termination agreement or any other employment agreements or equity holders’ agreement; provided that, except with respect to non-discretionary repurchases, acquisitions, retirements or redemptions pursuant to the terms of any stock option or stock appreciation rights plan, any management, director and/or employee stock ownership or incentive plan, stock subscription plan, employment termination agreement or any other employment agreement or equity holders’ agreement, the aggregate amount of all cash and Cash Equivalents paid in respect of all such Equity Interests (or any options or warrants or stock appreciation or similar rights issued with respect to any of such Equity Interests) so redeemed, acquired, retired or repurchased in any calendar year does not exceed the sum of (w) $5,000,000 plus (x) all Net Proceeds obtained by the U.S. Borrower during such calendar year from the sale of such Equity Interests to other present or former officers, consultants, employees and directors in connection with any permitted compensation and incentive arrangements plus (y) all net cash proceeds obtained from any key-man life insurance policies received during such calendar year;

 

(vii)       the U.S. Borrower may make Restricted Payments in an amount equal to withholding or similar taxes payable or expected to be payable by any present or former employee, director, manager or consultant (or their respective Affiliates, estates or immediate family members) in connection with the exercise of stock options and the vesting of restricted stock and may redeem, acquire, retire or repurchase (including through deemed repurchases) its Equity Interests from such Persons; provided that all payments made under this clause (vii) shall not exceed $10,000,000 in any calendar year;

 

(viii)      any Restricted Payment made in connection with the Transactions;

 

(ix)        so long as no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result therefrom, the U.S. Borrower may declare and make any Restricted Payments, in an amount not to exceed, when aggregated with the amount of all payments of or in respect of Junior Financing made under Section 6.08(b)(vi), $50,000,000 in any calendar year; and

 

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(x)          any additional Restricted Payments, so long as (A) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result therefrom and (B) after giving Pro Forma Effect to such Restricted Payment, the U.S. Borrower shall be in Pro Forma Compliance with a Total Leverage Ratio, recomputed as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period for which financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or 5.01(b) (or, prior to the delivery of any such financial statements, the last day of the last fiscal quarter included in the Pro Forma Financial Statements), that is no greater than 0.25x less than the maximum Total Leverage Ratio under Section 6.12(a) at such time.

 

(b)          None of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary will make any payment or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) of or in respect of principal of or interest on any Junior Financing, or any payment of or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, defeasance, cancelation or termination of any Junior Financing, except:

 

(i)          regularly scheduled interest and principal payments as and when due in respect of any Junior Financing, other than payments in respect of Junior Financing prohibited by the subordination provisions thereof, if any;

 

(ii)         refinancings of any Junior Financing to the extent permitted under Section 6.01;

 

(iii)        the conversion of any Junior Financing to Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Equity Interests) of the U.S. Borrower;

 

(iv)        payments of secured Junior Financing that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the assets securing such Junior Financing in transactions permitted hereunder;

 

(v)         payments of or in respect of Junior Financing made solely with Equity Interests in the U.S. Borrower (other than Disqualified Equity Interests);

 

(vi)       other payments of or in respect of Junior Financing, in an amount not to exceed, when aggregated with the aggregate amount of all Restricted Payments made under Section 6.08(a)(ix), $40,000,000 in any calendar year; and

 

(vii)      any additional payments or other distributions in respect of any Junior Financing, so long as (A) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result therefrom and (B) after giving Pro Forma Effect to such payment or other distribution, the U.S. Borrower shall be in Pro Forma Compliance with a Total Leverage Ratio, recomputed as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period for which financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or 5.01(b) (or, prior to the delivery of any such financial statements, the last day of the last fiscal quarter included in the Pro Forma Financial Statements), that is no greater than 0.25x less than the maximum Total Leverage Ratio under Section 6.12(a) at such time.

 

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Notwithstanding the foregoing and for the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this Section 6.08(b) shall prohibit the repayment or prepayment of intercompany subordinated Indebtedness in accordance with the provisions of the Intercompany Note.

 

SECTION 6.09 Transactions with Affiliates .  None of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary will sell, lease, license or otherwise transfer any assets to, or purchase, lease, license or otherwise acquire any assets from, or otherwise engage in any other transactions with, any of its Affiliates, except (a) transactions that are at prices and on terms and conditions substantially as favorable to the U.S. Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary as those that would prevail at such time in comparable arm’s-length transactions with unrelated third parties, (b) transactions between or among the Loan Parties not involving any other Affiliate and transactions between or among Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties not involving any other Affiliate, (c) transactions between or among the U.S. Borrower and a Restricted Subsidiary or among Restricted Subsidiaries and not involving any other Affiliate consisting of (i) transactions with a value of $5,000,000 or less (individually), (ii) the transfer or other Disposition by a Loan Party to any Foreign Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party of any Equity Interests in a Foreign Subsidiary directly owned by such Loan Party in connection with a reorganization of the ownership structure of such Foreign Subsidiary, in each case, to the extent permitted under Section 6.04, and provided that such Equity Interests, after giving effect to such transfer, are owned directly or indirectly through one or more Restricted Subsidiaries by a Foreign Subsidiary the Equity Interests of which have been pledged by a Loan Party in accordance with the Collateral and Guarantee Requirements (subject to the applicable limitations on the pledge of voting Equity Interests of such Foreign Subsidiary), (iii) any Investment to the extent permitted by Section 6.04 (it being understood that, if so provided in this Agreement, any such Investment shall be taken into account in computing compliance with any basket amounts or other limitations under this Agreement), (iv) intercompany transactions, including the (A) provision of management services and other corporate overhead services, (B) provision of personnel to other locations within the U.S. Borrower’s consolidated group on a temporary basis and (C) provision, purchase or lease of services, operational support, assets, equipment, data, information and technology, that, in the case of any such intercompany transaction referred to in this clause (iv), are subject to reasonable reimbursement or cost-sharing arrangements (as determined in good faith by the U.S. Borrower), which reimbursement or cost-sharing arrangements may be effected through transfers of cash or other assets or through book-entry credits or debits made on the ledgers of each involved Restricted Subsidiary; provided that any such intercompany transaction is either (1) entered into in the ordinary course of business or (2) otherwise entered into pursuant to the reasonable requirements of the business of the U.S. Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries, (v) ordinary course business transactions (other than transactions of the type described in clause (iv) above) that (A) do not involve the sale, transfer or other Disposition of operations or assets and (B) do not adversely affect the Lenders, and (vi) transactions pursuant to agreements in existence on the Signing Date and set forth on Schedule 6.09 or any amendment thereto to the extent such amendment is not adverse, taken as a whole, to the Lenders in any material respect, (d) any Restricted Payment permitted under Section 6.08, (e) issuances by the U.S. Borrower of Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Equity Interests), and receipt by the U.S. Borrower of capital contributions, (f) compensation, expense reimbursement and indemnification of, and other employment arrangements with, directors, officers and employees of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary entered in the ordinary course of business, (g) loans and advances permitted under

 

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clauses (l), (m) and (o) of Section 6.04, (h) the payment of Transaction Costs and the consummation of the Transactions, (i) the payment of customary fees and reasonable out of pocket costs to, and indemnities provided on behalf of, directors, managers, consultants, officers and employees of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business to the extent attributable to the ownership or operation of the U.S. Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiaries, (j) loans and Guarantees among the U.S. Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries to the extent permitted under Article VI, (k) employment and severance arrangements and health, disability and similar insurance or benefit plans between the U.S. Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and their respective directors, officers, employees, on the other hand (including management and employee benefit plans or agreements, subscription agreements or similar agreements pertaining to the repurchase of Equity Interests pursuant to put/call rights or similar rights with current or former employees, officers or directors and stock option or incentive plans and other compensation arrangements) in the ordinary course of business or as otherwise approved by the board of directors of the U.S. Borrower, (l) payments by any Restricted Subsidiary to the U.S. Borrower (either directly or indirectly through such Restricted Subsidiary’s parent entity or entities) made to permit the U.S. Borrower to pay any Taxes imposed on it as the common parent of a group filing a consolidated, combined, unitary or affiliated tax return of which the U.S. Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries are members, in such amounts as required by the U.S. Borrower to pay the tax liability in respect of such tax return to the extent such liability is directly attributable to the income of such Restricted Subsidiaries or the U.S. Borrower; provided that such payments by the Restricted Subsidiaries to the U.S. Borrower shall not exceed the amount owed to any Governmental Authority pursuant to such consolidated, combined, unitary or affiliated tax return, (m) transactions pursuant to the Transition Services Agreement and (n) transactions pursuant to any Permitted Securitization Financing.

 

SECTION 6.10 Restrictive Agreements .  None of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary will enter into, incur or permit to exist any agreement or other arrangement that restricts (a) the ability of a Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to create, incur or permit to exist any Lien upon any of its assets (including real property) to secure any Obligations, (b) the ability of a Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to Guarantee any Obligations or (c) the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party to pay dividends or make other distributions with respect to its Equity Interests or to make or repay loans or advances to the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided that (i) the foregoing shall not apply to (A) restrictions and conditions imposed by Requirements of Law, by any Loan Document or the terms of any Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness, in the case of such Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness, not materially more restrictive than the Indebtedness being refinanced, (B) restrictions and conditions existing on the Signing Date and identified on Schedule 6.10 but shall apply to any amendment or modification expanding the scope of, any such restriction or condition which makes such restrictions and conditions, taken as a whole, materially more restrictive and, if such restrictions and conditions relate to any Indebtedness, restrictions under any Refinancing Indebtedness of such Indebtedness, if such restrictions and conditions are not, taken as a whole, materially more restrictive, (C) in the case of any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a wholly-owned Restricted Subsidiary, restrictions and conditions imposed by its Organizational Documents or contained in any shareholders’ or similar agreement; provided that such restrictions and conditions apply only to such Restricted Subsidiary and to any Equity Interests in such Restricted Subsidiary, (D) restrictions and conditions imposed on any Restricted Subsidiary in existence at the time such Restricted Subsidiary became a Restricted Subsidiary (but shall apply to any amendment or

 

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modification expanding the scope of any such restriction or condition which makes such restrictions and conditions, taken as a whole, materially more restrictive); provided that such restrictions and conditions apply only to such Restricted Subsidiary, (E) customary provisions contained in leases, sub-leases, licenses, sub-licenses or similar agreements, including with respect to Intellectual Property and other agreements, in each case entered into in the ordinary course of business; provided that such provisions apply only to the assets that are the subject of such lease, sub-lease, license, sub-license or other agreement and shall not apply to any other assets of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, (F) any restriction on a Subsidiary, or an asset, imposed pursuant to an agreement entered into for the permitted sale or disposition of the Equity Interests or assets of such Subsidiary, or of such asset, pending the closing of such sale or disposition, (G) any restrictions imposed by any agreement relating to a Lien permitted by Section 6.02(iv) or (v) of this Agreement to the extent that such restrictions apply only to the property or assets subject to such Lien (which in any event do not restrict the granting of Liens on the Collateral not included in such property or assets), (H) restrictions in agreements representing Indebtedness permitted to be incurred under Section 6.01 of a Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party and not relating to any Loan Party, and (I) restrictions contained in any Permitted Securitization Document with respect to any Special Purpose Securitization Subsidiary, (ii) clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions on pledging joint venture interests included in customary provisions in joint venture agreements or arrangements and other agreements and other similar agreements applicable to joint ventures, (iii) clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to (A) restrictions or conditions imposed by any agreement relating to secured Indebtedness permitted by clause (vi) or (vii)(2) or (vii)(3) of Section 6.01(a) if such restrictions or conditions apply only to the assets securing such Indebtedness, (B) restrictions on conditions on pledges or deposits constituting Permitted Encumbrances if such restrictions on conditions apply only to such pledges or deposits, (C) customary provisions in leases, licenses and other agreements restricting the assignment thereof, and (D) restrictions or conditions contained in any trading, netting, operating, construction, service, supply, purchase or sale agreement to which the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary is a party entered into in the ordinary course of business; provided that such agreement prohibits the encumbrance solely of the property or assets of the U.S. Borrower or the Restricted Subsidiary that are the subject of such agreement, the payment rights arising thereunder or the proceeds thereof and does not extend to any other asset or property and (iv) clauses (b) and (c) of the foregoing shall not apply to (A) customary restrictions and conditions contained in agreements relating to the sale of a Restricted Subsidiary, or a business unit, division, product line or line of business, that are applicable solely pending such sale; provided that such restrictions and conditions apply only to the Restricted Subsidiary, or the business unit, division, product line or line of business, that is to be sold and such sale is permitted hereunder, (B) restrictions and conditions imposed by agreements relating to Indebtedness of any Restricted Subsidiary in existence at the time such Restricted Subsidiary became a Restricted Subsidiary and otherwise permitted by clause (vii)(2) or (vii)(3) of Section 6.01(a) (but shall apply to any amendment or modification expanding the scope of, any such restriction or condition); provided that such restrictions and conditions apply only to such Restricted Subsidiary, (C) restrictions on cash or other deposits or net worth imposed by customers under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business, and (D) restrictions and conditions imposed by agreements relating to Indebtedness of Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties permitted under Section 6.01(a); provided that such restrictions and conditions apply only to such Restricted Subsidiaries.  Nothing in this paragraph shall be deemed to modify the requirements set forth in the definition

 

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of the term “Collateral and Guarantee Requirement” or the obligations of the Loan Parties under Sections 5.03, 5.04 or 5.12 or under the Security Documents.

 

SECTION 6.11 Amendment of Material Documents .

 

(a)          None of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary will amend, modify or waive any of its rights under (x) any agreement or instrument governing or evidencing any Junior Financing other than such amendments, modifications or waivers acceptable to the Administrative Agent, or (y) its Organizational Documents, in each case to the extent such amendment, modification or waiver could reasonably be expected to be adverse in any material respect to the Lenders.

 

(b)          The U.S. Borrower shall not, and shall not cause or permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, amend or modify or grant any waiver or release under any Specified Material Contract, if such amendment, modification, waiver or release would be adverse in any material respect to the Lenders (including by affecting the assignability of any such contract or agreement in a manner that would have a material and adverse effect on the rights of the Secured Parties in the Collateral (including in such agreement as Collateral)); provided that amendments, waivers and consents under multiple Specified Material Contracts entered into substantially contemporaneously shall be viewed taken as a whole and, in any event, the U.S. Borrower shall be permitted to terminate any Specified Material Contract.

 

SECTION 6.12 Financial Covenants .

 

(a)          Commencing with the first full fiscal quarter ending after the Initial Funding Date, the U.S. Borrower will not permit the Total Leverage Ratio for any Test Period to be greater than 3.75 to 1.00.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon the Borrowing of Incremental Term Loans or Incremental Revolving Commitment Increases or the issuance of any other Indebtedness permitted under Section 6.01, in each case, to fund a Material Permitted Acquisition and until the end of the fourth full fiscal quarter thereafter (the “ Increase Period ”), the maximum permitted Total Leverage Ratio shall be increased to 4.25 to 1.00 (the “ Step-Up ”) during such Increase Period; provided that an Increase Period may not immediately follow another Increase Period (that is, following an Increase Period, there shall be at least one fiscal quarter as of the end of which the Total Leverage Ratio has been complied with, without giving effect to the Step-Up).

 

(b)          Commencing with the first full fiscal quarter ending after the Initial Funding Date, the Borrowers will not permit the Interest Coverage Ratio for any Test Period to be less than 3.00 to 1.00.

 

SECTION 6.13 Fiscal Year .  The Borrowers will not, and the Borrowers will not permit any other Loan Party to, change its fiscal year to end on a date other than December 31; provided , that the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries may change their fiscal year end one or more times, subject to such adjustments to this Agreement as the Borrowers and Administrative Agent shall reasonably agree are necessary or appropriate in connection with such change (and the parties hereto hereby authorize the Borrower and the Administrative Agent to make any such amendments to this Agreement as they jointly deem necessary to give effect to the foregoing).

 

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SECTION 6.14 Actions Prior to Spin-Off .  The Borrowers will not permit the Spin-Off to occur prior to the acquisition, directly or indirectly, by the U.S. Borrower of the Belgian Borrower and all of the assets and entities to be owned, directly or indirectly, by the Belgian Borrower as described or reflected in the SEC Filings.  The Borrowers will cause any amounts borrowed under this Agreement prior to the Spin-Off Date to be held in an account of the U.S. Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary, and such amounts shall, until the Spin-Off shall have occurred, be used solely to fund the acquisition by the U.S. Borrower of the Belgian Borrower and all of the assets and entities to be owned, directly or indirectly, by the Belgian Borrower and described or reflected in the SEC Filings, the payment of the Transaction Costs, the payment of the Dividend and the payment of the IDB Closing Distribution.

 

ARTICLE VII

 

Events of Default

 

SECTION 7.01 Events of Default .  If any of the following events (“ Events of Default ”) shall occur:

 

(a)          any Borrower shall fail to pay any principal of any Loan or any reimbursement obligation in respect of any LC Disbursement when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at the due date thereof or at a date fixed for prepayment thereof or otherwise;

 

(b)          any Borrower shall fail to pay any interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount (other than an amount referenced in clause (a) of this Article) payable under this Agreement or any other Loan Document, when and as the same shall become due and payable, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of five or more days;

 

(c)          any representation or warranty made or deemed made by or on behalf of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in or in connection with any Loan Document or any amendment or modification thereof or waiver thereunder, or in any written report, certificate, financial statement or other written statement or document furnished pursuant to or in connection with any Loan Document or any amendment or modification thereof or waiver thereunder, shall prove to have been incorrect in any material respect when made or deemed made;

 

(d)          any Borrower shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in Section 5.02(a), 5.05 (with respect to the existence of any Borrower) or 5.11(e) or in Article VI;

 

(e)          any Loan Party shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in any Loan Document (other than those specified in clause (a), (b) or (d) of this Article), and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of 30 days

 

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after receipt of written notice thereof by the Borrower Representative from the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders (with a copy to the Administrative Agent in the case of any such notice from the Required Lenders);

 

(f)          the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary shall (x) fail to make any payment (whether of principal, interest, termination payment or other payment obligation and regardless of amount) in respect of any Material Indebtedness, when and as the same shall become due and payable and such failure shall continue beyond the period of grace, if any, provided in the agreement or instrument under which such Material Indebtedness was created, or (y) fail to observe or perform, within any applicable grace period, any covenants or agreements contained in any agreements or instruments relating to any Material Indebtedness to the extent that such failure results in any Material Indebtedness becoming due prior to its scheduled maturity or enables or permits the holder or holders of any Material Indebtedness or any trustee or agent on its or their behalf, or, in the case of any Hedging Agreement, the applicable counterparty, to cause such Material Indebtedness to become due, or to require the prepayment, repurchase, redemption or defeasance thereof, prior to its scheduled maturity or, in the case of any Hedging Agreement, to cause the termination thereof; provided that this clause (f) shall not apply to (A) Material Indebtedness outstanding under any Hedging Agreement that becomes due pursuant to the occurrence of a termination event or equivalent event under the terms of such Hedging Agreement, in each case, other than as a result of the occurrence of a default or event of default under, or breach of the terms of, such Hedging Agreement, (B) any secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the voluntary Disposition of, or any casualty or other insured damage to, or any taking under power of eminent domain or by condemnation or similar proceeding of, any of the assets securing such Indebtedness, or (C) any Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of a refinancing thereof permitted under Section 6.01;

 

(g)          one or more ERISA Events shall have occurred that would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(h)          (i) an involuntary proceeding shall be commenced or an involuntary petition shall be filed seeking (A) liquidation, reorganization or other relief in respect of any Borrower or any Designated Subsidiary or its debts, or of a substantial part of its assets, under any federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect or (B) the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for any Borrower or a Designated Subsidiary or for a substantial part of its assets, and, in any such case referenced to in clause (A) or (B) above, such proceeding or petition shall continue undismissed for 60 days or an order or decree approving or ordering any of the foregoing shall be entered, or (ii) a Belgian Insolvency Event shall occur in respect of any Belgian Loan Party;

 

(i)          the U.S. Borrower or any Designated Subsidiary shall (i) voluntarily commence any proceeding or file any petition seeking liquidation (other than any liquidation permitted by clause (v) of Section 6.03(a)), reorganization or other relief under any federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect, (ii) consent to the institution of, or fail to contest in a timely and appropriate

 

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manner, any proceeding or petition described in clause (i) of this Article, (iii) apply for or consent to the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for the U.S. Borrower or any Designated Subsidiary or for a substantial part of its assets, (iv) file an answer admitting the material allegations of a petition filed against it in any such proceeding or (v) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the board of directors (or similar governing body) of the U.S. Borrower or any Designated Subsidiary (or any committee thereof) shall adopt any resolution or otherwise authorize any action to approve any of the actions referred to above in this clause (i) or clause (j) of this Article;

 

(j)          one or more judgments for the payment of money in an aggregate amount in excess of $25,000,000 (other than any such judgment covered by insurance (other than under a self-insurance program) to the extent a claim therefor has been made in writing and liability therefor has not been denied by the insurer), shall be rendered against the U.S. Borrower, any Restricted Subsidiary or any combination thereof and the same shall remain undischarged for a period of 60 consecutive days during which execution shall not be effectively satisfied, vacated, discharged, stayed or bonded pending appeal, or any action shall be legally taken by a judgment creditor to attach or levy upon any assets of the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to enforce any such judgment;

 

(k)         on or after the Initial Funding Date, any Lien purported to be created under any Security Document shall cease to be, or shall be asserted by any Loan Party not to be, a valid and (to the extent required under the Loan Documents) perfected Lien on any Collateral having, individually or in the aggregate, a fair market value in excess of $10,000,000, with the priority required by the applicable Security Document, except as a result of (i) a disposition of the applicable Collateral in a transaction permitted under the Loan Documents or other release or termination of such Lien in accordance with the Loan Documents, (ii) the Administrative Agent’s failure to maintain possession of any stock certificate, promissory note or other instrument delivered to it under the Collateral Agreements or to file or record any document delivered to it for filing or recording or (iii) the willful misconduct of the Administrative Agent;

 

(l)          on or after the Initial Funding Date, any Guarantee or co-Borrower obligation of the U.S. Borrower, the Belgian Borrower or any other Loan Party under any Loan Document shall cease to be, or shall be asserted by any Loan Party not to be, in full force and effect, except upon the consummation of any transaction permitted under this Agreement as a result of which the Subsidiary Loan Party providing such Guarantee ceases to be a Restricted Subsidiary or upon the termination of such Loan Document in accordance with its terms;

 

(m)        a Change in Control shall occur; or

 

(n)         any termination of any Specified Material Contract shall occur that would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; provided that no Event of Default shall exist with respect to the termination of such Specified Material Contract (a) for the 90 days after such termination so long as the U.S. Borrower is using commercially reasonable efforts to replace such Specified Material Contract or (b) if such Specified

 

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Material Contract is replaced within 90 days after such termination with a Specified Material Contract that is not materially less favorable (taken as a whole) to the Borrowers and its Subsidiaries or the Lenders than the Specified Material Contract that was terminated;

 

then, and in every such event (other than an event with respect to the U.S. Borrower or the Belgian Borrower described in clause (h) or (i) of this Section 7.01), and at any time after the occurrence of the Signing Date and thereafter during the continuance of such event, the Administrative Agent may, and at the request of the Required Lenders shall, by notice to the Borrower Representative, take any or all of the following actions, at the same or different times: (i) terminate the Commitments, and thereupon the Commitments shall terminate immediately, (ii) declare the Loans then outstanding to be due and payable in whole (or in part (but ratably as among the Classes of Loans and the Loans of each Class at the time outstanding), in which case any principal not so declared to be due and payable may thereafter be declared to be due and payable), and thereupon the principal of the Loans so declared to be due and payable, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other obligations of the Borrowers hereunder, shall become due and payable immediately, and (iii) require the deposit of cash collateral in respect of LC Exposure as provided in Section 2.05(i), in each case without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrowers; and in the case of any event with respect to either Borrower of the type described in clause (h) or (i) of this Article, the Commitments shall automatically terminate, the principal of the Loans then outstanding, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other obligations of the Borrowers hereunder, shall immediately and automatically become due and payable and the deposit of such cash collateral in respect of LC Exposure shall immediately and automatically become due, in each case without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrowers.  

 

SECTION 7.02 Crediting of Payments and Proceeds .  In the event that the Obligations have been accelerated pursuant to Section 7.01 or the Administrative Agent or any Lender has exercised any remedy set forth in this Agreement or any other Loan Document, all payments received by the Lenders upon the Obligations and all net proceeds from the enforcement of the Obligations shall be applied:

 

First , to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities, expenses and other amounts, including attorneys’ fees, payable to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such, each applicable Issuing Bank in its capacity as such and the Swingline Lender, ratably among the Administrative Agent, such Issuing Banks and the Swingline Lender in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause First payable to them;

 

Second , to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and other amounts (other than principal and interest) payable to the Lenders under the Loan Documents, including attorneys’ fees, ratably among the Lenders in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Second payable to them;

 

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Third , to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid interest on the Loans, ratably among the Lenders in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Third payable to them;

 

Fourth , to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting unpaid principal of the Loans and payment obligations then owing under the other Obligations, ratably among the Secured Parties in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Fourth held by them;

 

Fifth , to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Issuing Banks, to cash collateralize any LC Exposure then outstanding; and

 

Last , the balance, if any, after all of the Obligations have been indefeasibly paid in full, to the Borrower or as otherwise required by applicable law.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Obligations consisting of Cash Management Obligations and Hedging Obligations shall be excluded from the application described above if the Administrative Agent has not received written notice thereof, together with such supporting documentation as the Administrative Agent may request, from the applicable Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank, as the case may be.

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

The Administrative Agent

 

SECTION 8.01 Administrative Agent .  Each of the Lenders and the Issuing Banks hereby irrevocably appoints the entity named as Administrative Agent in the heading of this Agreement and its successors to serve as administrative agent and collateral agent under the Loan Documents, and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms of the Loan Documents, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.  In addition, to the extent required under the laws of any jurisdiction other than the United States of America, each of the Lenders and the Issuing Banks hereby grants to the Administrative Agent any required powers of attorney to execute any Security Document, including any Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement, governed by the laws of such jurisdiction on such Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s behalf.  The Lenders hereby authorize the Administrative Agent to negotiate the terms of any Security Document, including any Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement.  Each of the Lenders hereby further authorizes the Administrative Agent to enter into the Lender Loss Sharing Agreement and any respective amendments thereto on behalf of such Lender.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each of the Lenders hereby authorizes and directs the Administrative Agent to bind each Lender to the actions required by such Lender under the terms of the Lender Loss Sharing Agreement.

 

Each of the Lenders and the Issuing Banks hereby irrevocably designates and appoints the Administrative Agent as its representative ( vertegenwoordiger/représentant ) within the meaning of Article 5 of the Belgian Act of 15 December 2004 on financial collateral arrangements and several

 

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tax dispositions in relation to security collateral arrangements and loans of financial instruments, as amended from time to time, to create, register, manage and/or enforce on its behalf any Lien created by the Belgian Security Agreements constituting financial collateral.

 

The Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender or an Issuing Bank as any other Lender or Issuing Bank and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent, and such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of business with the U.S. Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if such Person were not the Administrative Agent hereunder and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders.

 

The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth in the Loan Documents.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, (a) the Administrative Agent shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing, (b) the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or to exercise any discretionary power, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated by the Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith to be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in the Loan Documents), provided that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion, could expose the Administrative Agent to liability or be contrary to any Loan Document or applicable law, and (c) except as expressly set forth in the Loan Documents, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the U.S. Borrower, any Subsidiary or any other Affiliate of any of the foregoing that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.  The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith to be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in the Loan Documents) or in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct, as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by a final and non-appealable judgment.  The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until written notice thereof is given to the Administrative Agent by a Borrower, a Lender or an Issuing Bank, and the Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with any Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered thereunder or in connection therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth in any Loan Document or the occurrence of any Default, (iv) the sufficiency, validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of any Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, the existence of any Collateral and creation, perfection or priority of any liens thereon, or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere in any Loan Document, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent or satisfaction of any condition that expressly refers to the

 

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matters described therein being acceptable or satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Administrative Agent shall not have any liability arising from any confirmation of the Revolving Exposure or the component amounts thereof.

 

The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely, and shall not incur any liability for relying, upon any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing (including any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person (whether or not such Person in fact meets the requirements set forth in the Loan Documents for being the signatory, sender or authenticator thereof).  The Administrative Agent also shall be entitled to rely, and shall not incur any liability for relying, upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to be made by the proper Person (whether or not such Person in fact meets the requirements set forth in the Loan Documents for being the signatory, sender or authenticator thereof), and may act upon any such statement prior to receipt of written confirmation thereof.  The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the U.S. Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.

 

The Administrative Agent may perform any of and all its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any of and all their duties and exercise their rights and powers through their respective Related Parties.  The exculpatory provisions of this Article shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent.

 

Subject to the terms of this paragraph, the Administrative Agent may resign at any time from its capacity as such.  In connection with such resignation, the Administrative Agent shall give notice of its intent to resign to the Lenders, the Issuing Banks and the Borrower Representative.  Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right to appoint a successor, which successor, so long as no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, shall be subject to approval by the Borrowers (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed).  If no successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and approved by the Borrowers (to the extent required) and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its intent to resign, then the retiring Administrative Agent may (with the consent of the Borrowers, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed), on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing Banks, appoint a successor Administrative Agent.  Upon the acceptance of its appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder by a successor, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent, and the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents.  The fees payable by the Borrowers to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed by the Borrowers and such successor.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event no successor Administrative Agent shall have been so appointed and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the

 

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retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its intent to resign, the retiring Administrative Agent may give notice of the effectiveness of its resignation to the Lenders, the Issuing Banks and the Borrower Representative, whereupon, on the date of effectiveness of such resignation stated in such notice, (a) the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, provided that, solely for purposes of maintaining any security interest granted to the Administrative Agent under any Security Document for the benefit of the Secured Parties, the retiring Administrative Agent shall continue to be vested with such security interest as collateral agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties and, in the case of any Collateral in the possession of the Administrative Agent, shall continue to hold such Collateral, in each case until such time as a successor Administrative Agent is appointed and accepts such appointment in accordance with this paragraph (it being understood and agreed that the retiring Administrative Agent shall have no duty or obligation to take any further action under any Security Document, including any action required to maintain the perfection of any such security interest), and (b) the Required Lenders shall succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent, provided that (i) all payments required to be made hereunder or under any other Loan Document to the Administrative Agent for the account of any Person other than the Administrative Agent shall be made directly to such Person and (ii) all notices and other communications required or contemplated to be given or made to the Administrative Agent shall also directly be given or made to each Lender and each Issuing Bank.  Following the effectiveness of the Administrative Agent’s resignation from its capacity as such, the provisions of this Article and Section 9.03, as well as any exculpatory, reimbursement and indemnification provisions set forth in any other Loan Document, shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Administrative Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while it was acting as Administrative Agent and in respect of the matters referred to in the proviso under clause (a) above.

 

For purposes of any Belgian Collateral Document or any other right of pledge governed by the laws of Belgium, any resignation by the Administrative Agent is not effective with respect to its rights under the Parallel Debt until all rights and obligations under the Parallel Debt have been assigned and assumed to the successor agent.  The Administrative Agent will reasonably cooperate in transferring its rights and obligations under the Parallel Debt to any such successor agent and will reasonably cooperate in transferring all rights under any Belgian Collateral Document or any Security Document governed by the laws of Belgium to such successor agent.

 

Each Lender and Issuing Bank acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, any Arranger or any other Lender or Issuing Bank, or any of the Related Parties of any of the foregoing, and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement.  Each Lender and Issuing Bank also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, any Arranger or any other Lender or Issuing Bank, or any of the Related Parties of any of the foregoing, and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.

 

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Each Lender, by delivering its signature page to this Agreement on the Signing Date, or delivering its signature page to an Assignment and Assumption or an Incremental Facility Agreement pursuant to which it shall become a Lender hereunder, shall be deemed to have acknowledged receipt of, and consented to and approved, each Loan Document and each other document required to be delivered to, or be approved by or satisfactory to, the Administrative Agent or the Lenders on the Signing Date or the Initial Funding Date.

 

No Secured Party shall have any right individually to realize upon any of the Collateral or to enforce any Guarantee of the Obligations, it being understood and agreed that all powers, rights and remedies under the Loan Documents may be exercised solely by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Secured Parties in accordance with the terms thereof.  In the event of a foreclosure by the Administrative Agent on any of the Collateral pursuant to a public or private sale or other disposition, the Administrative Agent or any Lender may be the purchaser or licensor of any or all of such Collateral at any such sale or other disposition, and the Administrative Agent, as agent for and representative of the Secured Parties (but not any Lender or Lenders in its or their respective individual capacities unless the Required Lenders shall otherwise agree in writing) shall be entitled, for the purpose of bidding and making settlement or payment of the purchase price for all or any portion of the Collateral sold at any such public sale, to use and apply any of the Loan Document Obligations as a credit on account of the purchase price for any collateral payable by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Secured Parties at such sale or other disposition.  Each Secured Party, whether or not a party hereto, will be deemed, by its acceptance of the benefits of the Collateral and of the Guarantees of the Obligations provided under the Loan Documents, to have agreed to the foregoing provisions.

 

In furtherance of the foregoing and not in limitation thereof, no Hedging Agreement the obligations under which constitute Obligations will create (or be deemed to create) in favor of any Secured Party that is a party thereto any rights in connection with the management or release of any Collateral or of the obligations of any Loan Party under any Loan Document.  By accepting the benefits of the Collateral, each Secured Party that is a party to any such Hedging Agreement shall be deemed to have appointed the Administrative Agent to serve as administrative agent and collateral agent under the Loan Documents and agreed to be bound by the Loan Documents as a Secured Party thereunder, subject to the limitations set forth in this paragraph.

 

To the extent required by any applicable Requirements of Law, the Administrative Agent may deduct or withhold from any payment to any Lender an amount equivalent to any applicable withholding Tax.  If the Internal Revenue Service or any other Governmental Authority asserts a claim that the Administrative Agent did not properly withhold Tax from amounts paid to or for the account of any Lender for any reason (including because the appropriate form was not delivered or was not properly executed or because such Lender failed to notify the Administrative Agent of a change in circumstance that rendered the exemption from, or reduction of, withholding Tax ineffective), such Lender shall indemnify and hold harmless the Administrative Agent fully for all amounts paid, directly or indirectly, by the Administrative Agent as Tax or otherwise, including any penalties, additions to Tax or interest and together with all expenses (including legal expenses, allocated internal costs and out-of-pocket expenses) incurred, whether or not such Tax was correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority.  A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative

 

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Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error.  Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender under this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any amount due the Administrative Agent under this paragraph.  The agreements in this paragraph shall survive the resignation and/or replacement of the Administrative Agent, any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of this Agreement and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all other obligations.  For the avoidance of doubt, (1) the term “Lender” shall, for purposes of this paragraph, include any Issuing Bank and any Swingline Lender and (2) this paragraph shall not limit or expand the obligations of the Loan Parties under Section 2.17 or any other provision of this Agreement.

 

Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no Person named on the cover page of this Agreement as Joint Lead Arranger, Joint Bookrunner, Syndication Agent or Documentation Agent shall have any duties or obligations under this Agreement or any other Loan Document (except in its capacity, as applicable, as a Lender or an Issuing Bank or as otherwise may be agreed in writing), but all such Persons shall have the benefit of the indemnities provided for hereunder.

 

Except as set forth in the sixth paragraph of this Article, the provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Issuing Banks, and, except as set forth in the sixth paragraph of this Article, none of the Borrowers or any other Loan Party shall have any rights as a third party beneficiary of any such provisions.

 

SECTION 8.02 Parallel Debt .  Each Belgian Loan Party hereby irrevocably and unconditionally undertakes (and to the extent necessary undertakes in advance) to pay to the Administrative Agent amounts equal to any amounts owing from time to time by such Belgian Loan Party to any Secured Party under this Agreement, any other Loan Document or other relevant document pursuant to any Corresponding Obligations as and when those amounts are due under any Loan Document or other relevant document (such payment undertakings under this Section 8.02 and the obligations and liabilities resulting therefrom being the “ Parallel Debt ”).

 

(a)          The Administrative Agent shall have its own independent right to demand and receive payment of the Parallel Debt by the Belgian Loan Parties.  Each Belgian Loan Party and the Administrative Agent acknowledge that the obligations of each Belgian Loan Party under this Section 8.02 are several, separate and independent from, and shall not in any way limit or affect, the Corresponding Obligations nor shall the amount for which each Belgian Loan Party is liable under Section 8.02 be limited or affected in any way by its Corresponding Obligations provided that:

 

(i)          the Parallel Debt shall be decreased to the extent that the Corresponding Obligations have been irrevocably paid or discharged (other than, in each case, contingent obligations);

 

(ii)         the Corresponding Obligations shall be decreased to the extent that the Parallel Debt has been irrevocably paid or discharged;

 

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(iii)        the amount of the Parallel Debt shall at all times be equal to the amount of the Corresponding Obligations;

 

(iv)        the Parallel Debt will be payable in the currency or currencies of the Corresponding Obligations; and

 

(v)         for the avoidance of doubt the Parallel Debt will become due and payable at the same time when the Corresponding Obligations become due and payable.

 

(b)          The security granted under any Belgian Collateral Document with respect to Parallel Debt is granted to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as sole creditor of the Parallel Debt.

 

(c)          Without limiting or affecting the Administrative Agent’s rights against any Belgian Loan Party (whether under this Agreement or any other Loan Document), each Belgian Loan Party acknowledges that:

 

(i)          nothing in this Agreement shall impose any obligation on the Administrative Agent to advance any sum to any Belgian Loan Party or otherwise under any Loan Document; and

 

(ii)         for the purpose of any vote taken under any Loan Document, the Administrative Agent shall not be regarded as having any participation or commitment other that those which it has in its capacity as a Lender.

 

(d)          The parties to this Agreement acknowledge and confirm that the parallel debt provisions contained herein shall not be interpreted so as to increase the maximum total amount of the Obligations.

 

(e)          The Parallel Debt shall remain effective in case a third Person should assume or be entitled, partially or in whole, to any rights of any of the Secured Parties under any of the other Loan Documents, be it by virtue of assignment, assumption or otherwise.

 

(f)          All monies received or recovered by the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Agreement and all amounts received or recovered by the Administrative Agent from or by the enforcement of any security granted to secure the Parallel Debt shall be applied in accordance with this Agreement.

 

(g)          For the purpose of this Section 8.02, the Administrative Agent acts in its own name and on behalf of itself and not as agent, trustee or representative of any other Secured Party.

 

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ARTICLE IX

 

Miscellaneous

 

SECTION 9.01 Notices .

 

(a)          Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and subject to paragraph (b) below), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by fax or other electronic communication, as follows:

 

(i)          if to the Borrower Representative, the U.S. Borrower or the Belgian Borrower, to it at Ingevity Corporation, 5255 Virginia Avenue, North Charleston, SC 29406, Attention: John Fortson (Fax No. 843-746-8278) (email: john.fortson@ingevity.com), with a copy to Katherine Burgeson (Fax No. 843-746-8278) (email: kathy.burgeson@ingevity.com), it being agreed that notice delivered to the U.S. Borrower shall be deemed to have been given to the Belgian Borrower upon delivery to the U.S. Borrower;

 

(ii)         if to the Administrative Agent, to Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., MAC D1109-019, 1525 W. W.T. Harris Blvd., Charlotte, North Carolina 28262, Attention: Syndication Agency Services (Telephone No. (704) 590-3481; Fax No. (704) 590-2703) (email: agencyservices.requests@wellsfargo.com.);

 

(iii)        if to any Issuing Bank, to it at its address (or fax number or email address) most recently specified by it in a notice delivered to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower Representative (or, in the absence of any such notice, to the address (or fax number or email address) set forth in the Administrative Questionnaire of the Lender that is serving as such Issuing Bank or is an Affiliate thereof);

 

(iv)        if to the Swingline Lender, to it at its address (or fax number or email address) most recently specified by it in a notice delivered to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower Representative (or, in the absence of any such notice, to the address (or fax number or email address) set forth in the Administrative Questionnaire of the Lender that is serving as Swingline Lender or is an Affiliate thereof); and

 

(v)         if to any other Lender, to it at its address (or fax number or email address) set forth in its Administrative Questionnaire.

 

Notices sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices sent by fax shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient); and notices delivered through electronic communications to the extent provided in paragraph (b) below shall be effective as provided in such paragraph.

 

(b)          Notices and other communications to the Lenders and Issuing Banks hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communications (including email and Internet and

 

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intranet websites) pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices under Article II to any Lender or Issuing Bank if such Lender or Issuing Bank, as applicable, has notified the Administrative Agent that it is incapable of receiving notices under such Article by electronic communication.  Any notices or other communications to the Administrative Agent, the Borrower Representative, the U.S. Borrower or the Belgian Borrower may be delivered or furnished by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by the recipient thereof prior thereto; provided that approval of such procedures may be limited or rescinded by any such Person by notice to each other such Person.

 

(c)          Any party hereto may change its address or fax number or email address for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower Representative.

 

SECTION 9.02 Waivers; Amendments .

 

(a)          No failure or delay by the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender in exercising any right or power hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right or power, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power.  The rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders hereunder and under the other Loan Documents are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have.  No waiver of any provision of any Loan Document or consent to any departure by any Loan Party therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by paragraph (b) of this Section, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the making of a Loan or the issuance of a Letter of Credit shall not be construed as a waiver of any Default, regardless of whether the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Bank may have had notice or knowledge of such Default at the time.

 

(b)          Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement or any other Loan Document, none of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any provision hereof or thereof may be waived, amended or modified except, in the case of this Agreement, pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders and, in the case of any other Loan Document, pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Administrative Agent and the Loan Party or Loan Parties that are parties thereto, in each case with the consent of the Required Lenders, provided that (i) any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document may be amended by an agreement in writing entered into by the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent to cure any ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency so long as, in each case, the Lenders shall have received at least five Business Days’ prior written notice thereof and the Administrative Agent shall not have received, within five Business Days of the date of such notice to the Lenders, a written notice from the Required Lenders stating that the Required Lenders object to such amendment and (ii) no such agreement shall (A) increase the Commitment of any Lender without the written consent of such Lender (it being understood that a waiver of any condition precedent or the

 

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waiver of any Default, Event of Default or mandatory prepayment shall not constitute an increase of any Commitment), (B) reduce the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement or reduce the rate of interest thereon (other than as a result of any waiver of any increase in the interest rate applicable to any Loan pursuant to Section 2.13(c) or in the applicability of post-default interest, it being understood that a waiver of a Default shall not constitute a reduction of interest for this purpose), or reduce any fees payable hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby, (C) postpone the scheduled maturity date of any Loan, or the date of any scheduled payment of the principal amount of any Term Loan under Section 2.10, or the required date of reimbursement of any LC Disbursement, or any date for the payment of any interest or fees payable hereunder, or reduce the amount of, waive or excuse any such payment, or postpone the scheduled date of expiration of any Commitment, without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby, (D) except as otherwise set forth in this Agreement, change Section 2.18(b), 2.18(c) or 7.02 or Article IX in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby, (E) change any of the provisions of Section 5.02 of the U.S. Collateral Agreement without the consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby in its capacity as a Lender, or (F) change any of the provisions of this Section or the percentage set forth in the definition of the term “Required Lenders” or any other provision of any Loan Document specifying the number or percentage of Lenders (or Lenders of any Class) required to waive, amend or modify any rights thereunder or make any determination or grant any consent thereunder, without the written consent of each Lender (or each Lender of such Class, as the case may be); provided that, with the consent of the Required Lenders, the provisions of this Section and the definition of the term “Required Lenders” may be amended to include references to any new class of loans created under this Agreement (or to lenders extending such loans) on substantially the same basis as the corresponding references relating to the Existing Classes of Loans or Lenders, (G) release Guarantees constituting all or substantially all the value of the Guarantees under the Collateral Agreement, or limit the liability of Loan Parties in respect of Guarantees constituting such value, in each case without the written consent of each Lender (except as expressly provided in Section 9.14 or the applicable Security Document), (H) release all or substantially all of the value of the Collateral from the Liens of the Security Documents, without the written consent of each Lender (except as expressly provided in Section 9.14 or the applicable Security Document (including any such release by the Administrative Agent in connection with any sale or other disposition of the Collateral upon the exercise of remedies under the Security Documents), it being understood that an amendment or other modification of the type of obligations secured by the Security Documents shall not be deemed to be a release of the Collateral from the Liens of the Security Documents), and (I) change any provisions of any Loan Document in a manner that by its terms adversely affects the rights in respect of Collateral or payments due to Lenders holding Loans of any Class differently than those holding Loans of any other Class, without the written consent of Lenders representing a Majority in Interest of each affected Class; provided , further , that (1) no such agreement shall amend, modify, extend or otherwise affect the rights or obligations of the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, such Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, as the case may be and (2) any amendment, waiver or other modification of this Agreement that by its terms affects the rights or duties under this Agreement of the Lenders of a particular Class (but not the Lenders of any other Class), may be effected by an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Borrowers and the requisite number or

 

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percentage in interest of the affected Class of Lenders that would be required to consent thereto under this Section if such Class of Lenders were the only Class of Lenders hereunder at the time.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, no consent with respect to any amendment, waiver or other modification of this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be required of (x) any Defaulting Lender, except with respect to any amendment, waiver or other modification referred to in clause (A), (B), (C) or (D) of the first proviso of this paragraph and then only in the event such Defaulting Lender shall be directly and adversely affected by such amendment, waiver or other modification or (y) in the case of any vote requiring the approval of all Lenders or each affected Lender, any Lender that receives payment in full of the principal of and interest accrued on each Loan made by, and all other amounts owing to, such Lender or accrued for the account of such Lender under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents at the time such amendment, waiver or other modification becomes effective and whose Commitments terminate by the terms and upon the effectiveness of such amendment, waiver or other modification.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, (i) the consent of the Lenders or the Required Lenders, as the case may be, shall not be required (A) to make any changes necessary to be made to this Agreement in connection with any borrowing of Incremental Term Loans to effect the provisions of Section 2.21, (B) to provide for any Incremental Revolving Commitment Increase, (C) otherwise to effect the provisions of Section 2.21, 2.22 or 2.23 in accordance with the terms thereof, (D) to agree to any time period set forth in Schedule 5.13 to be delivered on the Initial Funding Date, (E) to negotiate any Security Document with a Borrower or any other Loan Party or (F) for the Administrative Agent to negotiate, execute and deliver on behalf of the Secured Parties any Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreement, or any amendment thereto, in connection with any Permitted Junior Lien Secured Indebtedness, and (ii) the Administrative Agent and the Borrowers may, without the consent of any Secured Party or any other Person, amend this Agreement, the Collateral Agreement and any other Security Document to add provisions with respect to “parallel debt” and other non-U.S. guarantee and collateral matters, including any authorizations, collateral trust arrangements or other granting of powers by the Lenders and the other Secured Parties in favor of the Administrative Agent, in each case if such amendment is necessary or desirable to create or perfect, or preserve the validity, legality, enforceability and perfection of, the Guarantees and Liens contemplated to be created pursuant to this Agreement.

 

(c)          The Administrative Agent may, but shall have no obligation to, with the concurrence of any Lender, execute amendments, waivers or other modifications on behalf of such Lender.  Any amendment, waiver or other modification effected in accordance with this Section 9.02 shall be binding upon each Person that is at the time thereof a Lender and each Person that subsequently becomes a Lender.

 

(d)          Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 9.02, the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent may, without the input or consent of the Lenders, (i) effect amendments, supplements or waivers to any of the Security Documents, Guarantees, Junior Lien Intercreditor Agreements, intercreditor agreements or related documents executed by any Loan Party in connection with this Agreement if such amendment, supplement or waiver is delivered in order (in each case, as determined by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion) (x) to comply with local law or advice of local counsel or (y) to cause such Security Documents, Guarantees, intercreditor agreements or related documents to be consistent with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and (ii) effect changes to this Agreement or any other Loan Document

 

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that are necessary and appropriate to provide for, or make changes to, the Auction Procedures.  To the extent notice has been provided to the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Agreement with respect to the inclusion of any Previously Absent Financial Maintenance Covenant, this Agreement shall be automatically and without further action on the part of any Person hereunder and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 9.02 deemed modified to include such Previously Absent Financial Maintenance Covenant on the date of the incurrence of the applicable Indebtedness to the extent required by the terms of this Agreement.

 

SECTION 9.03 Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver .

 

(a)          The Borrowers shall pay (i) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers and their Affiliates, including expenses incurred in connection with due diligence and the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of one primary counsel and any other counsel for any of the foregoing retained with the U.S. Borrower’s consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), in connection with the structuring, arrangement and syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein, including the preparation, execution and delivery of the Engagement Letter, as well as the preparation, execution, delivery and administration of this Agreement, the other Loan Documents or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by any Issuing Bank in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or any demand for payment thereunder and (iii) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, any Arranger, any Issuing Bank and the Lenders, including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of one counsel for any of the foregoing (and, if necessary, one firm of local counsel in each appropriate jurisdiction (which may include a single local counsel acting in multiple jurisdictions)) (and, in the case of an actual or perceived conflict of interest, where the Person affected by such conflict informs the Borrowers of such conflict and thereafter retains its own counsel, of another firm of counsel and, if necessary, one firm of local counsel in each appropriate jurisdiction (which may include a single special counsel acting in multiple jurisdictions) for such affected Persons), in connection with the enforcement or protection of their rights in connection with the Loan Documents, including their rights under this Section, or in connection with the Loans made or Letters of Credit issued hereunder, including all such reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans or Letters of Credit.  All amounts payable under this Section 9.03(a) shall be paid within ten Business Days after receipt by the Borrower Representative of an invoice relating thereto setting forth such amounts in reasonable detail.

 

(b)          The Borrowers shall, jointly and severally, indemnify the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof), each Arranger, each Lender and Issuing Bank (each such Person, an “ Indemnified Institution ”), and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each Indemnified Institution and each such Person being called an “ Indemnitee ”), against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, penalties, liabilities and related expenses, including the reasonable and documented or invoiced out-of-pocket fees, charges and disbursements of one counsel for all Indemnitees, taken as a whole, and, if necessary, one firm of local counsel in each appropriate jurisdiction (which may include a single special counsel acting in multiple jurisdictions) for all Indemnitees taken as a whole (and, in the case of an actual or perceived conflict of interest, where an Indemnified Institution affected by such conflict informs

 

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the Borrowers of such conflict and thereafter retains its own counsel, of another firm of counsel and, if necessary, one firm of local counsel in each appropriate jurisdiction (which may include a single special counsel acting in multiple jurisdictions) for such affected Indemnified Institution), incurred by or asserted against any Indemnitee arising out of or relating to, based upon, or as a result of (i) the structuring, arrangement and the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation, execution, delivery and administration of the Engagement Letter, this Agreement, the other Loan Documents or any other agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the performance by the parties to the Engagement Letter, this Agreement or the other Loan Documents of their obligations thereunder or the consummation of the Transactions or any other transactions contemplated thereby, (ii) any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by any Issuing Bank to honor a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit if the documents presented in connection with such demand do not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit), (iii) any actual or alleged presence or Release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property currently or formerly owned or operated by a Borrower or any Subsidiary, or any Environmental Liability to the extent related to a Borrower or any Subsidiary, or (iv) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory and whether initiated against or by any party to the Engagement Letter, this Agreement or any other Loan Document, any Affiliate of any of the foregoing or any third party (and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto and regardless of whether such claim, litigation or proceeding is brought by a third party or by a Borrower or any of the Subsidiaries); provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnified Institution, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses resulted from (i) the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnified Institution or any of its Related Parties (as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final and non-appealable decision), (ii) a material breach by such Indemnified Institution or one of its Related Parties of this Agreement (as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final and non-appealable decision)or (iii) any dispute between and among Indemnified Institutions that does not involve an act or omission by the U.S. Borrower or the Restricted Subsidiaries (other than any claims against any Arranger, Administrative Agent, Issuing Bank, Syndication Agent or Documentation Agent in its capacity or in fulfilling its roles as an Arranger, Administrative Agent, Issuing Bank, Syndication Agent or Documentation Agent under this Agreement).  This Section 9.03(b) shall not apply with respect to Taxes, other than any Taxes that represent losses, claims, damages, etc. arising from any non-Tax claim.  All amounts payable under this Section 9.03(b) shall be paid within ten Business Days after receipt by the Borrower Representative of an invoice relating thereto setting forth such amounts in reasonable detail.

 

(c)          To the extent that the Borrowers fail to pay any amount required to be paid by it under paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section to the Administrative Agent (or any sub-agent thereof), any Issuing Bank, the Swingline Lender or any Related Party of any of the foregoing, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), such Issuing Bank, the Swingline Lender or such Related Party, as the case may be, such Lender’s pro rata share (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid amount; provided that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent (or such sub-agent), such Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender

 

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in its capacity as such, or against any Related Party of any of the foregoing acting for the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), any Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender in connection with such capacity.  For purposes of this Section, a Lender’s “pro rata share” shall be determined based upon its share of the sum of the total Revolving Exposures, outstanding Term Loans and unused Commitments at the time (or most recently outstanding and in effect).

 

(d)          No Indemnitee shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by others of information or other materials obtained through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems (including the Internet) in the absence of willful misconduct or gross negligence (as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final, non-appealable decision).  None of the U.S. Borrower, any Restricted Subsidiary or any other Loan Party or any Indemnitee shall have any liability for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the Transactions, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof; provided , however , that nothing contained in this sentence will limit the indemnity and reimbursement obligations of the Borrowers set forth in this Section.

 

SECTION 9.04 Successors and Assigns .

 

(a)          The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of any Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), except that (i) except as permitted by Section 6.03, no Borrower may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and each Lender (and any attempted assignment or transfer by any Borrower without such consent shall be null and void) and (ii) no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer its rights or obligations hereunder except in accordance with this Section.  Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of any Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), Participants (to the extent provided in paragraph (c) of this Section), the Arrangers and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the sub-agents of the Administrative Agent and the Related Parties of any of the Administrative Agent, any Arranger, any Issuing Bank and any Lender) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

 

(b)          (i) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, other than acquisitions or repurchases of Term Loans by the U.S. Borrower pursuant to Purchase Offers under Section 2.23, neither the U.S. Borrower nor any Affiliate of the U.S. Borrower may acquire by assignment, participation or otherwise any right to or interest in any of the Commitments or Term Loans hereunder (and any such attempted acquisition shall be null and void).  Subject to the conditions set forth in paragraph (b)(ii) below, and any Lender may assign to one or more Eligible Assignees (or, pursuant to Section 2.23, the U.S. Borrower) all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it) with the prior written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) of:

 

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(A)         the U.S. Borrower; provided that no consent of the U.S. Borrower shall be required (1) for an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund and (2) if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, for any other assignment; provided further that the U.S. Borrower shall be deemed to have consented to any such assignment unless it shall object thereto by written notice to the Administrative Agent within 10 Business Days after having received notice thereof; and

 

(B)         the Administrative Agent; provided that no consent of the Administrative Agent shall be required for an assignment of any Term Loan to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund or for an assignment to the U.S. Borrower under Section 2.23; and

 

(C)         each Issuing Bank; provided that no consent of the Issuing Banks shall be required for an assignment of any Term Loan or an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund; and

 

(D)         the Swingline Lender, provided that no consent of the Swingline Lender shall be required for an assignment of any Term Loan or an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund.

 

(ii)          Assignments shall be subject to the following additional conditions:

 

(A)         except in the case of an assignment to a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender or an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment or Loans of any Class, the amount of the Commitment or Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment (determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent) shall not be less than (x) $1,000,000 in the case of Term Loans and (y) $10,000,000 in the case of Revolving Loans and Revolving Commitments, in each case unless each of the applicable Borrower and the Administrative Agent otherwise consents; provided that no such consent of the applicable Borrower shall be required if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing;

 

(B)         each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement; provided that this clause (B) shall not be construed to prohibit the assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations in respect of one Class of Commitments or Loans but not those in respect of a second Class;

 

(C)         the parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500, provided that only one such processing and recordation fee shall be payable in the event of simultaneous assignments from any Lender or its Approved Funds to one or more other Approved Funds of such Lender; and

 

(D)         the assignee, if it shall not be a Lender or a Borrower, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire in which the assignee designates one or more credit contacts to whom all syndicate-level information (which may contain

 

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MNPI) will be made available and who may receive such information in accordance with the assignee’s compliance procedures and applicable law, including federal, state and foreign securities laws.

 

(iii)        From and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption the assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03).

 

(iv)        The Administrative Agent shall maintain at one of its offices a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and records of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitment of, and principal amount of the Loans (and related interest amounts) and LC Disbursements owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “ Register ”).  The entries in the Register shall be conclusive, and the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary.  The Register shall be available for inspection by the U.S. Borrower and the Belgian Borrower and, as to entries pertaining to it, any Issuing Bank or Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

 

(v)         [Reserved].

 

(c)          Any Lender may, without the consent of the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent or any Issuing Bank, sell participations to one or more Eligible Assignees (“ Participants ”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitments and Loans of any Class); provided that (A) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (B) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (C) the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this Agreement.  Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver described in clause (ii) of the first proviso to Section 9.02(b) that adversely affects such Participant or requires the approval of all the Lenders.  The Borrowers agree that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.15, 2.16 and 2.17 (subject to the requirements and limitations therein, including the requirements under Section 2.17(f) (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 2.17(f) shall be delivered to the participating Lender)) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section; provided that such Participant (x) agrees to be subject to the provisions of Sections 2.18 and 2.19 as if it were an assignee under paragraph (b) of this Section and (y)

 

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shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 2.15 or 2.17, with respect to any participation, than its participating Lender would have been entitled to receive, except to the extent such entitlement to receive a greater payment results from a Change in Law that occurs after the Participant acquired the applicable participation.  To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 9.08 as though it were a Lender; provided that such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.18(c) as though it were a Lender.  Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrowers, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant to which it has sold a participation and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each such Participant’s interest in the Loans or other rights and obligations of such Lender under this Agreement (the “ Participant Register ”); provided that no Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register to any Person (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participant’s interest in any Loans or other rights and obligations under any this Agreement) except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such Loan or other right or obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations.  The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary.

 

(d)          Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank, and this Section shall not apply to any such pledge or assignment of a security interest; provided that no such pledge or assignment of a security interest shall release a Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

 

(e)          The benefit of the Liens under the Belgian Collateral Documents shall automatically transfer to any assignee or transferee (by way of novation or otherwise) of part or all of the obligations expressed to be secured by the Belgian Security Agreements.  For the purpose of Article 1278 and Article 1281 of the Belgian Civil Code (and, to the extent applicable, any similar provisions of foreign law), the Administrative Agent and the other secured parties under the Belgian Security Agreements hereby expressly reserve the preservation of the Belgian Security Agreements in case of assignment, novation, amendment or any other transfer or change of the obligations expressed to be secured by the Belgian Security Agreements (including, without limitation, an extension of the term or an increase of the amount of such obligations or the granting of additional credit) or of any change of any of the parties to this Agreement.

 

SECTION 9.05 Survival .  All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Loan Parties in the Loan Documents and in the certificates or other instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of the Loan Documents and the making of any Loans and issuance of any Letters of Credit, regardless of any investigation made by any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent, any Arranger, any Issuing Bank or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or incorrect representation or warranty at the time any Loan Document is executed and delivered or any credit is extended hereunder, and shall continue

 

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in full force and effect as long as the principal of or any accrued interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount payable under this Agreement is outstanding and unpaid or any LC Exposure is outstanding and so long as the Commitments have not expired or terminated.  Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything else to the contrary set forth in this Agreement or any other Loan Document, in the event that, in connection with the refinancing or repayment in full of the credit facilities provided for herein, an Issuing Bank shall have provided to the Administrative Agent a written consent to the release of the Revolving Lenders from their obligations hereunder with respect to any Letter of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank (whether as a result of the obligations of the Borrowers (and any other account party) in respect of such Letter of Credit having been collateralized in full by a deposit of cash with such Issuing Bank, or being supported by a letter of credit that names such Issuing Bank as the beneficiary thereunder, or otherwise), then from and after such time such Letter of Credit shall cease to be a “Letter of Credit” outstanding hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and the Revolving Lenders shall be deemed to have no participations in such Letter of Credit, and no obligations with respect thereto, under Section 2.05(d) or 2.05(f).  The provisions of Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17, 2.18(e) and 9.03 and Article VIII shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of the Loans, the expiration or termination of the Letters of Credit and the Commitments or the termination of this Agreement or any provision hereof.

 

SECTION 9.06 Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness .  This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract.  This Agreement and the other Loan Documents constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof, including the commitments of the Lenders and, if applicable, their Affiliates under any commitment advices submitted by them (but do not supersede any other provisions of the Engagement Letter or any separate letter agreements, in each case, with respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent or any Issuing Bank that do not by the terms of such documents terminate upon the effectiveness of this Agreement, all of which provisions shall remain in full force and effect).  Except as provided in Section 4.02, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto, and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns.  Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by facsimile or other electronic imaging shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.

 

SECTION 9.07 Severability .  Any provision of this Agreement held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability without affecting the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions hereof; and the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other jurisdiction.

 

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SECTION 9.08 Right of Setoff .  If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender and Issuing Bank, and each Affiliate of any of the foregoing, is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, upon any amount becoming due and payable by a Borrower hereunder (whether at stated maturity, by acceleration, or otherwise) to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, in whatever currency) or other amounts at any time held and other obligations (in whatever currency) at any time owing by such Lender or Issuing Bank, or by such an Affiliate, to or for the credit or the account of the U.S. Borrower or the Belgian Borrower against any of and all the obligations then due of the U.S. Borrower or the Belgian Borrower now or hereafter existing under this Agreement held by such Lender or Issuing Bank, irrespective of whether or not such Lender or Issuing Bank shall have made any demand under this Agreement.  The rights of each Lender and Issuing Bank, and each Affiliate of any of the foregoing, under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender, Issuing Bank or Affiliate may have.  Each Lender and Issuing Bank agrees promptly to notify the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent after any such set-off and application made by such Lender or Issuing Bank, as applicable; provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such set-off and application.

 

SECTION 9.09 Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process .

 

(a)          This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the law of the State of New York.

 

(b)          Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and its property, to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of the State of New York sitting in New York County and of the United States District Court of the Southern District of New York, and any appellate court from any thereof, in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or for recognition or enforcement of any judgment, and each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that all claims in respect of any such action or proceeding shall be heard and determined in such New York State or, to the extent permitted by law, in such federal court.  Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law.  Nothing in this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall affect any right that the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender may otherwise have to bring any enforcement action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document, including any such action or proceeding in connection with the exercise of remedies with respect to Collateral, against the U.S. Borrower, the Belgian Borrower or any of their properties in the courts of any jurisdiction.

 

(c)          Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document in any court referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section.  Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.

 

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(d)          Each party to this Agreement irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided for notices in Section 9.01.  The Belgian Borrower irrevocably designates and appoints the U.S. Borrower, as its authorized agent, to accept and acknowledge on its behalf, service of any and all process which may be served in any suit, action or proceeding of the nature referred to in Section 9.09(b) in the Supreme Court of the State of New York sitting in New York County and of the United States District Court of the Southern District of New York.  The U.S. Borrower hereby represents, warrants and confirms that the U.S. Borrower has agreed to accept such appointment.  Said designation and appointment shall be irrevocable by such Belgian Borrower until all Loans, all reimbursement obligations, interest thereon and all other amounts payable by such Belgian Borrower hereunder and under the other Loan Documents shall have been paid in full in accordance with the provisions hereof and thereof.  The Belgian Borrower hereby consents to process being served in any suit, action or proceeding of the nature referred to in Section 9.09(b) in the Supreme Court of the State of New York sitting in New York County and of the United States District Court of the Southern District of New York by service of process upon the U.S. Borrower as provided in this Section 9.09(d).  The Belgian Borrower irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, all claim of error by reason of any such service in such manner and agrees that such service shall be deemed in every respect effective service of process upon such Belgian Borrower in any such suit, action or proceeding and shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be taken and held to be valid and personal service upon and personal delivery to such Belgian Borrower.  To the extent the Belgian Borrower has or hereafter may acquire any immunity from jurisdiction of any court or from any legal process (whether from service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution of a judgment, execution or otherwise), such Belgian Borrower hereby irrevocably waives such immunity in respect of its obligations under the Loan Documents.  Nothing in this Agreement or any other Loan Document will affect the right of any party to this Agreement to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.

 

SECTION 9.10 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL .  EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY).  EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.

 

SECTION 9.11 Headings .  Article and Section headings and the Table of Contents used herein are for convenience of reference only, are not part of this Agreement and shall not affect the construction of, or be taken into consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.

 

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SECTION 9.12 Confidentiality .  Each of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Issuing Banks agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its Related Parties, including accountants, legal counsel and other agents and advisors which in each case shall be subject to confidentiality obligations, it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential, (b) to the extent requested by any regulatory authority purporting to have jurisdiction over it (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners), (c) to the extent required by applicable law or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party to this Agreement, (e) in connection with (i) the exercise of any remedy or the enforcement of any right under this Agreement or any other Loan Document in any litigation or arbitration action or proceeding relating thereto, to the extent such disclosure is reasonably necessary in connection with such litigation or arbitration action or proceeding (provided that the Borrower Representative shall be given notice thereof and a reasonable opportunity to seek a protective court order, at its own expense, with respect to such Information prior to such disclosure (it being understood that the refusal by a court to grant such a protective order shall not prevent the disclosure of such Information thereafter)) and (ii) any foreclosure, sale or other disposition of any Collateral in connection with the exercise of remedies under the Security Documents, subject to each potential transferee of such Collateral having entered into customary confidentiality undertakings with respect to such Collateral prior to the disclosure thereof to such Person (which confidentiality obligations will cease to apply to any transferee upon the consummation of its acquisition of such Collateral), (f) subject to an agreement containing confidentiality undertakings substantially similar to those of this Section, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or (ii) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its Related Parties) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to the U.S. Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary and its obligations, (g) with the consent of the Borrower Representative, or (h) to the extent such Information (i) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (ii) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, any Issuing Bank or any Affiliate of any of the foregoing on a non-confidential basis from a source other than the Borrowers that, to the knowledge of the Administrative Agent or the applicable Lender, Issuing Bank or Affiliate, is not subject to contractual or fiduciary confidentiality obligations.  For purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from a Borrower relating to the Borrowers or any Subsidiary or their businesses, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Bank on a non-confidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrowers.  Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information. In addition, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders may disclose the existence of this Agreement and customary information about this Agreement to market data collectors, similar service providers to the lending industry and service providers to the Documentation Agents, Syndication Agents and the Lenders in connection with the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

 

SECTION 9.13 Interest Rate Limitation .  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if at any time the interest rate applicable to any Loan, together with all fees, charges and other amounts that are treated as interest on such Loan under applicable law (collectively the

 

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Charges ”), shall exceed the maximum lawful rate (the “ Maximum Rate ”) that may be contracted for, charged, taken, received or reserved by the Lender holding such Loan in accordance with applicable law, the rate of interest payable in respect of such Loan hereunder, together with all Charges payable in respect thereof, shall be limited to the Maximum Rate and, to the extent lawful, the interest and Charges that would have been payable in respect of such Loan but were not payable as a result of the operation of this Section shall be cumulated and the interest and Charges payable to such Lender in respect of other Loans or periods shall be increased (but not above the Maximum Rate therefor) until such cumulated amount, together with interest thereon at the Federal Funds Effective Rate to the date of repayment, shall have been received by such Lender.

 

SECTION 9.14 Release of Liens and Guarantees .

 

(a)          The Lenders hereby irrevocably agree that the Liens granted to the Administrative Agent by the Loan Parties on any Collateral shall be automatically released (i) in full, as set forth in clause (b) below, (ii) upon the sale, transfer or other disposition of such Collateral (including as part of or in connection with any other sale, transfer or other disposition permitted hereunder) to a joint venture or to any other Person other than a Loan Party (unless such Person becomes a Subsidiary Loan Party pursuant to, or in connection with, such sale, transfer or other disposition), in each case, to the extent such sale, transfer or other disposition is made in compliance with the terms of this Agreement (and the Administrative Agent may rely conclusively on a certificate to that effect provided to it by any Loan Party upon its reasonable request without further inquiry), (iii) to the extent such Collateral is comprised of property leased to a Loan Party by a Person that is not a Loan Party, upon termination or expiration of such lease, (iv) if the release of such Lien is approved, authorized or ratified in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other percentage of the Lenders whose consent may be required in accordance with Section 9.02), (v) to the extent the property constituting such Collateral is owned by any Restricted Subsidiary, upon the release of such Restricted Subsidiary from its obligations under any Collateral Agreement (in accordance with the second succeeding sentence and Section 7.13 of the U.S. Collateral Agreement) and (vi) as required by the Administrative Agent to effect any sale, transfer or other disposition of Collateral in connection with any exercise of remedies of the Administrative Agent pursuant to the Security Documents.  Any such release shall not in any manner discharge, affect, or impair the Obligations or any Liens (other than those being released) upon (or obligations (other than those being released) of the Loan Parties in respect of) all interests retained by the Loan Parties, including the proceeds of any sale, all of which shall continue to constitute part of the Collateral except to the extent otherwise released in accordance with the provisions of the Loan Documents.  Additionally, the Lenders hereby irrevocably agree that (i) any Restricted Subsidiary shall be released from the Guarantees under the Collateral Agreement upon consummation of any transaction permitted hereunder resulting in such Restricted Subsidiary ceasing to constitute a Restricted Subsidiary, or otherwise becoming an Excluded Subsidiary or otherwise ceasing to be subject to the Collateral and Guarantee Requirement and (ii) Westrock shall be automatically released from its Guarantee upon consummation of the Spin-Off.  The Lenders hereby authorize the Administrative Agent to, and the Administrative Agent will at the sole cost and expense of the Borrowers or applicable Loan Party, execute and deliver any instruments, documents, and agreements necessary or desirable to evidence and confirm the release of any Guarantee or Collateral pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph, all without the further consent or

 

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joinder of any Lender.  Any representation, warranty or covenant contained in any Loan Document relating to any such Guarantee or Collateral shall no longer be deemed to be repeated.

 

(b)          Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or any other Loan Document, when all Loan Document Obligations (other than contingent or indemnification obligations not then due) have been paid in full, all Commitments have terminated or expired and no Letter of Credit shall be outstanding that is not cash collateralized or back-stopped in a manner satisfactory to the applicable Issuing Bank and the Issuing Banks have no further obligation to issue or amend Letters of Credit, upon request of a Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall (without notice to, or vote or consent of, any Secured Party) take such actions as shall be required to release its security interest in all Collateral, and to release all obligations under any Loan Document, whether or not on the date of such release there may be any Obligations that are not Loan Document Obligations or any contingent or indemnification obligations not then due.  Any such release of Liens securing the Loan Document Obligations shall be deemed subject to the provision that such Liens shall be reinstated if after such release any portion of any payment in respect of the Loan Document Obligations secured thereby shall be rescinded or must otherwise be restored or returned upon the insolvency, bankruptcy, dissolution, liquidation or reorganization of the U.S. Borrower or any other Loan Party, or upon or as a result of the appointment of a receiver, intervenor or conservator of, or trustee or similar officer for, the U.S. Borrower or any other Loan Party or any substantial part of its property, or otherwise, all as though such payment had not been made.

 

SECTION 9.15 USA PATRIOT Act Notice .  Each Lender and the Administrative Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby notifies each Loan Party that pursuant to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies such Loan Party, which information includes the name and address of such Loan Party and other information that will allow such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, to identify such Loan Party in accordance with such Act.

 

SECTION 9.16 No Fiduciary Relationship .  In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document), each of the Borrowers acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Affiliates’ understanding, that: (i) (A) the arranging and other services regarding this Agreement provided by the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers and the Lenders are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Borrowers and their respective Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers and the Lenders, on the other hand, (B) each of the Borrowers has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate, and (C) each of the Borrowers is capable of evaluating, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents; (ii) (A) the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers and the Lenders each is and has been acting solely as a principal and, except as expressly agreed in writing by the relevant parties, has not been, is not, and will not be acting as an advisor, agent or fiduciary for the Borrowers or any of their respective Affiliates, or any other Person and (B) neither the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers nor any Lender has any obligation to the Borrowers or any of their respective Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; and (iii) the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers, the Lenders, and their respective Affiliates may be

 

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engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Borrowers and their respective Affiliates, and neither the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers nor any Lender has any obligation to disclose any of such interests to the Borrower s or any of their respective Affiliates.  To the fullest extent permitted by law, each of the Borrowers hereby waives and releases any claims that it may have against the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers and the Lenders with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty in connection with any aspect of any transaction contemplated hereby.

 

SECTION 9.17 Non-Public Information .

 

(a)          Each Lender acknowledges that all information, including requests for waivers and amendments, furnished by the U.S. Borrower, the Belgian Borrower or the Administrative Agent pursuant to or in connection with, or in the course of administering, this Agreement will be syndicate-level information, which may contain MNPI.  Each Lender represents to the U.S. Borrower, the Belgian Borrower and the Administrative Agent that (i) it has developed compliance procedures regarding the use of MNPI and that it will handle MNPI in accordance with such procedures and applicable law, including federal, state and foreign securities laws, and (ii) it has identified in its Administrative Questionnaire a credit contact who may receive information that may contain MNPI in accordance with its compliance procedures and applicable law, including federal, state and foreign securities laws.

 

(b)          The U.S. Borrower, the Belgian Borrower and each Lender acknowledge that, if information furnished by the U.S. Borrower or the Belgian Borrower pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement is being distributed by the Administrative Agent through IntraLinks/IntraAgency, SyndTrak or another website or other information platform (the “ Platform ”), (i) the Administrative Agent may post any information that the U.S. Borrower or the Belgian Borrower has indicated as containing MNPI solely on that portion of the Platform as is designated for Private Side Lender Representatives and (ii) if the U.S. Borrower or the Belgian Borrower has not indicated whether any information furnished by it pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement contains MNPI, the Administrative Agent reserves the right to post such information solely on that portion of the Platform as is designated for Private Side Lender Representatives.  Each of the U.S. Borrower and the Belgian Borrower agrees to clearly designate all information provided to the Administrative Agent by or on behalf of the U.S. Borrower or the Belgian Borrower that is suitable to be made available to Public Side Lender Representatives, and the Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely on any such designation by the U.S. Borrower or the Belgian Borrower without liability or responsibility for the independent verification thereof.

 

SECTION 9.18 Borrower Representative .

 

(a)          The U.S. Borrower is hereby appointed by each of the Borrowers as its contractual representative (herein referred to as the “ Borrower Representative ”) hereunder and under each other Loan Document, and each of the Borrowers irrevocably authorizes the Borrower Representative to act as the contractual representative of such Borrower with the rights and duties expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents.  The Borrower Representative agrees to act as such contractual representative upon the express conditions contained in this Section 9.18.  Additionally, the Borrowers hereby appoint the Borrower Representative as their agent to make any Borrowing Requests, including designating the relevant Borrower account for

 

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receipt of the proceeds of any Loans.  The Administrative Agent and the Lenders, and their respective officers, directors, agents or employees, shall not be liable to the Borrower Representative or any Borrower for any action taken or omitted to be taken by the Borrower Representative or the Borrowers pursuant to this Section 9.18.

 

(b)          The Borrower Representative shall have and may exercise such powers under the Loan Documents as are specifically delegated to the Borrower Representative by the terms of each thereof, together with such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.  The Borrower Representative shall have no implied duties to the Borrowers, or any obligation to the Lenders to take any action thereunder except any action specifically provided by the Loan Documents to be taken by the Borrower Representative.

 

(c)          Each Belgian Loan Party agrees, and hereby undertakes, to ratify and to confirm each decision taken or action performed by the U.S. Borrower on its behalf as Borrower Representative in the exercise or purported exercise of the powers granted pursuant to this Section 9.18, to the extent such ratification and confirmation is necessary under Belgian law to ensure the validity and the binding character vis-à-vis such Belgian Loan Party of the decision or action concerned.

 

SECTION 9.19 Obligations of the Belgian Borrower .  Notwithstanding anything contained herein or in the other Loan Documents, the Belgian Borrower and other Belgian Loan Parties shall not be liable or jointly and severally liable for any Obligations (other than the Belgian Obligations) of the U.S. Borrower or any Domestic Subsidiary (collectively, the “ Domestic Obligations ”), and none of the Collateral pledged by the Belgian Borrower shall secure any Domestic Obligations.  In addition, any insurance proceeds from any Collateral pledged by the Belgian Loan Parties shall not be available to pay any Domestic Obligations.

 

SECTION 9.20 Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions .  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Loan Document or in any other agreement, arrangement or understanding among any such parties, each party hereto acknowledges that any liability of any EEA Financial Institution arising under any Loan Document, to the extent such liability is unsecured, may be subject to the write-down and conversion powers of an EEA Resolution Authority and agrees and consents to, and acknowledges and agrees to be bound by:

 

(a)          the application of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by an EEA Resolution Authority to any such liabilities arising hereunder which may be payable to it by any party hereto that is an EEA Financial Institution; and

 

(b)          the effects of any Bail-in Action on any such liability, including, if applicable:

 

(i)          a reduction in full or in part or cancellation of any such liability;

 

(ii)         a conversion of all, or a portion of, such liability into shares or other instruments of ownership in such EEA Financial Institution, its parent entity, or a bridge institution that may be issued to it or otherwise conferred on it, and that such shares or other instruments of ownership will be accepted by it in

 

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lieu of any rights with respect to any such liability under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; or

 

(iii)        the variation of the terms of such liability in connection with the exercise of the write-down and conversion powers of any EEA Resolution Authority.

 

SECTION 9.21 Judgment Currency . If, for purposes of obtaining judgment in any court, it is necessary to convert a sum from the currency provided under a Loan Document (“ Agreement Currency ”) into another currency, the conversion shall be made at the rate of exchange prevailing on the Business Day before the day on which judgment is given. For this purpose “rate of exchange” means the rate at which the Administrative Agent is able, on the relevant date, to purchase the Agreement Currency with the Judgment Currency in accordance with its normal practice. Notwithstanding any judgment in a currency (“ Judgment Currency ”) other than the Agreement Currency, a Loan Party shall discharge its obligation in respect of any sum due under a Loan Document only if, on the Business Day following receipt by the Administrative Agent of payment in the Judgment Currency, the Administrative Agent can use the amount paid to purchase the sum originally due in the Agreement Currency.  If the purchased amount is less than the sum originally due, such Loan Party agrees, as a separate obligation and notwithstanding any such judgment, to indemnify the Administrative Agent and Lenders against such loss.  If the purchased amount is greater than the sum originally due, the Administrative Agent shall return the excess amount to such Loan Party (or to the Person legally entitled thereto).

 

[Signature pages follow]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.

 

  INGEVITY CORPORATION, as U.S. Borrower,
     
  By: /s/ John C. Fortson
    Name: John C. Fortson
    Title: Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

 

[Signature Page to Ingevity Credit Agreement]

 

     

 

  

  WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., as a Lender, as Administrative Agent, as Swingline Lender and as an Issuing Bank
     
  By: /s/ Ashley Walsh
    Name: Ashley Walsh
    Title: Director

 

[Signature Page to Ingevity Credit Agreement]

 

     

 

  

  BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as a Lender and as an Issuing Bank
     
  By: /s/ Mike Delaney
    Name: Mike Delaney
    Title: Director

 

[Signature Page to Ingevity Credit Agreement]

 

 
 

 

  BANK OF AMERICA MERRILL LYNCH INTERNATIONAL LIMITED, as a Lender
     
  By: /s/ Gary Saint
    Name: Gary Saint
    Title: Director

 

[Signature Page to Ingevity Credit Agreement]

 

 

 

  JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Lender and as an Issuing Bank
     
  By: /s/ Patrick S. Thornton
    Name: Patrick S. Thornton
    Title: Executive Director

 

[Signature Page to Ingevity Credit Agreement]

 

 

 

  CITIZENS BANK OF PENNSYLVANIA, as a Lender
     
  By: /s/ Leslie D. Broderick
    Name: Leslie D. Broderick
    Title: Senior Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Ingevity Credit Agreement]

 

 

 

  KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as a Lender
     
  By: /s/ Marcel Fournier
    Name: Marcel Fournier
    Title: Vice President

 

  If a second signature line is required:
     
  By:
    Name:
    Title:

 

 

[Signature Page to Ingevity Credit Agreement]

 

 

 

  THE BANK OF TOKYO-MITSUBISHI UFJ, LTD., as a Lender
     
  By: /s/ Mustafa Khan
    Name: Mustafa Khan
    Title: Director

 

[Signature Page to Ingevity Credit Agreement]

 

 

 

  SUNTRUST BANK, as a Lender
     
  By: /s/ Chris Hursey
    Name: Chris Hursey
    Title: Director

 

[Signature Page to Ingevity Credit Agreement]

 

 

 

  US BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as a Lender
     
  By: /s/ Jonathan F. Lindvall
    Name: Jonathan F. Lindvall
    Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Ingevity Credit Agreement]

 

 

 

  BMO HARRIS BANK, N.A., as a Lender
     
  By: /s/ LM Junior Del Brocco
    Name: LM Junior Del Brocco
    Title: Director

 

[Signature Page to Ingevity Credit Agreement]

 

 

 

  CITIBANK, N.A., as a Lender
     
  By: /s/ Joseph William Knott
    Name: Joseph William Knott
    Title: Director

 

[Signature Page to Ingevity Credit Agreement]

 

 

 

  GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA, as a Lender
     
  By: /s/ Rebecca Kratz
    Name: Rebecca Kratz
    Title: Authorized Signatory

 

[Signature Page to Ingevity Credit Agreement]

 

 

 

  PNC BANK, N.A., as a Lender
     
  By: /s/ Steven R. Price
    Name: Steven R. Price
    Title: Senior Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Ingevity Credit Agreement]

 

 

 

  TD BANK, N.A., as a Lender
     
  By: /s/ Michele Dragonetti
    Name: Michele Dragonetti
    Title: Senior Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Ingevity Credit Agreement]

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 21.1

 

List of Subsidiaries

 

Name of Subsidiary  

Jurisdiction of

Organization

 
Ingevity Corporation   Delaware  
Ingevity South Carolina, LLC   Delaware  
Ingevity Virginia Corporation   Virginia  
Ingevity Services, Inc.   Delaware  
Invia Pavement Technologies, LLC   Oklahoma  
Purification Cellutions LLC   Delaware  
Ingevity Holdings Sprl   Belgium  
Ingevity Quimica Ltda   Brazil  
Ingevity India Private Limited   India  
Ingevity Mexico S.A. de C.V.   Mexico  
Ingevity Mexico Servicios S.A. de C.V.   Mexico  
Ingevity Japan, GK   Japan  
Ingevity Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.   China  
Ingevity Performance Materials (Zhuhai) Co., Ltd.   China  
Ingevity Performance Materials (Suzhou) Co., Ltd.   China  
Ingevity Hong Kong Ltd.   Hong Kong  

 

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Exhibit 99.1​
[MISSING IMAGE: LG_WESTROCK.JPG]
[•], 2016​
Dear WestRock Stockholder:
We are pleased to inform you of the separation of the specialty chemicals business from WestRock Company into a newly formed public company named Ingevity Corporation.
We expect that the separation of our specialty chemicals business from WestRock will result in two even stronger companies, each with compelling strategies and opportunities for profitable growth. WestRock aspires to be the premier partner and unrivaled provider of packaging solutions in consumer and corrugated markets, while Ingevity will be a leading global manufacturer of specialty chemicals and high-performance carbon materials. This action reinforces our strong commitment to creating value for our stockholders.
The separation will be completed by way of a pro rata distribution of Ingevity common stock to our stockholders of record as of the close of business, Eastern time, on [•], the record date. Each Ingevity stockholder will receive [•] shares of Ingevity common stock for every [•] shares of WestRock common stock you hold on the record date.
We expect your receipt of shares of Ingevity common stock in the distribution to be tax-free for U.S. federal income tax purposes, except for cash received in lieu of fractional shares. You should consult your own tax advisor as to the particular tax consequences of the distribution to you, including potential tax consequences under state, local and non-U.S. tax laws.
The distribution does not require WestRock stockholder approval, nor do you need to take any action to receive your shares of Ingevity common stock. Immediately following the separation, you will own common stock in WestRock and Ingevity. Ingevity’s common stock will be listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “NGVT,” while WestRock’s common stock will continue to trade on the New York Stock Exchange under “WRK.”
The enclosed information statement, which is being made available to all WestRock stockholders as of the record date for the distribution, describes the separation and distribution in detail and contains important information about Ingevity, including its business, financial condition and operations. We urge you to carefully read this information statement in its entirety.
Yours sincerely,
Steve Voorhees
Chief Executive Officer
WestRock Company

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[MISSING IMAGE: LG_INGEVITY.JPG]
[•], 2016​
Dear Future Ingevity Stockholder:
It is our pleasure to welcome you as a stockholder of Ingevity Corporation, formerly the specialty chemicals business of WestRock Company. Ingevity is a leading global manufacturer of specialty chemicals and high performance carbon materials. With a history of innovation spanning over 100 years, we provide innovative solutions to meet our customers’ unique and demanding requirements through specifically formulated products. Through our deep technical expertise, flexible manufacturing, distinctive chemistry and global reach we provide our customers with proprietary products that enable them to enhance their products and competitive position in the markets they serve.
Ingevity’s specialty chemicals products serve as essential inputs used in a variety of demanding applications, including asphalt paving, oil exploration and production, agrochemicals, adhesives, lubricants and printing inks. The company is also the leading global manufacturer of activated carbon used in gasoline vapor emission control systems in cars, trucks, motorcycles and boats, with over 750 million units installed globally.
Although newly independent, Ingevity, whose common stock will be listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “NGVT,” is an established, market-leading business which we have substantially grown over the last five years to approximately $1 billion in revenue.
Ingevity has delivered strong and sustained performance by focusing on specialty applications aligned with global trends in energy, infrastructure and the environment. As an independent company with a strong capital structure, we believe we can accelerate our growth while maintaining strong profitability.
We invite you to learn more about Ingevity by reviewing the enclosed information statement. We look forward to our future as an independent, publicly traded company and to your support as a holder of Ingevity common stock.
Best regards,
D. Michael Wilson
President and Chief Executive Officer
Ingevity Corporation

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Information contained herein is subject to completion or amendment. A Registration Statement on Form 10 relating to these securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
Preliminary Information Statement
(Subject to Completion, Dated March 7, 2016)
[MISSING IMAGE: LG_INGEVITY.JPG]
Information Statement
Distribution of Common Stock of
Ingevity CORPORATION
This information statement is being furnished in connection with the distribution by WestRock Company (“WestRock”) to its stockholders of all of the outstanding shares of common stock of Ingevity Corporation (“Ingevity”), a wholly owned subsidiary of WestRock that will hold directly or indirectly the assets and liabilities associated with WestRock’s specialty chemicals business. To implement the distribution, WestRock will distribute all of the shares of Ingevity common stock on a pro rata basis to WestRock stockholders in a manner that is intended to be tax-free for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
You will receive [•] shares of Ingevity common stock for every [•] shares of WestRock common stock that you hold on [•], 2016 the record date for the distribution. You will receive cash in lieu of any fractional shares of Ingevity common stock that you would have received after application of the above ratio. As discussed under “The Separation and Distribution — Trading Between the Record Date and Distribution Date,” if you sell your WestRock common shares in the “regular-way” market after the record date and before the distribution, you also will be selling your right to receive shares of Ingevity common stock in connection with the separation. Ingevity expects the shares of Ingevity common stock to be distributed by WestRock to you on [•], 2016. We refer to the date of the distribution of the Ingevity common stock as the “distribution date.”
No vote or further action of WestRock stockholders is required in connection with the separation. We are not asking you for a proxy. WestRock stockholders will not be required to pay any consideration for the shares of Ingevity common stock they receive in the distribution, and they will not be required to surrender or exchange shares of their WestRock common stock or take any other action in connection with the distribution.
There is no current trading market for Ingevity common stock, although Ingevity expects that a limited market, commonly known as a “when-issued” trading market, will develop on or shortly before the record date for the distribution, and Ingevity expects “regular-way” trading of Ingevity common stock to begin on the first trading day following the completion of the distribution. Ingevity has applied to have its common stock authorized for listing on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “NGVT.”
In reviewing this information statement, you should carefully consider the matters described in the section entitled “Risk Factors” beginning on page [•] of this information statement.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of any of the securities of Ingevity or determined whether this information statement is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
This information statement does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities.
The date of this information statement is [•], 2016.
This information statement was first made available to WestRock stockholders on or about [•], 2016.

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SUMMARY
This summary highlights selected information from this information statement relating to Ingevity, Ingevity’s separation from WestRock and the distribution of Ingevity common stock by WestRock to its stockholders. For a more complete understanding of our businesses and the separation and distribution, you should read this information statement carefully.
Except as otherwise indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, the information included in this information statement about Ingevity assumes the completion of all of the transactions referred to in this information statement in connection with the separation and distribution. Unless the context otherwise requires, references in this information statement to “Ingevity,” “we, “our,” “us” or the “company” refer to Ingevity Corporation, a Delaware corporation, and its combined subsidiaries. References to Ingevity’s historical business and operations refer to the business and operations of the specialty chemicals business of WestRock Company, or prior to the merger of MeadWestvaco Corporation and Rock-Tenn Company, which was completed on July 1, 2015, MeadWestvaco Corporation, that have been or will be transferred to Ingevity in connection with the separation and distribution.
Ingevity
Ingevity is a leading global manufacturer of specialty chemicals and high performance carbon materials. We provide innovative solutions to meet our customers’ unique and demanding requirements through proprietary formulated products. Our deep technical expertise and experience, flexible manufacturing, distinctive chemistry, global reach and focus on innovation and application development provide our customers with the ability to enhance their own products and competitive position in the markets they serve.
We participate in attractive, higher growth sectors of the global specialty chemicals industry. The broadly defined specialty chemicals industry is expected to experience a 3.6% compound annual growth rate (“CAGR”) from 2014 through 2019, according to IHS, Inc., a leading provider and analyst of industry information for, among other things, the chemicals industry (“IHS”). Ingevity seeks to target markets within that space that historically have outpaced the broader specialty chemicals market growth rate. Participation in these industry sectors require specialist knowledge and customization, resulting in more targeted, higher-margin products relative to more commoditized chemicals and basic materials.
The company’s specialty chemicals products serve as critical inputs used in a variety of high performance applications, including asphalt paving, oil exploration and production, agrochemicals, adhesives, lubricants and printing inks. The company is also the leading global manufacturer of activated carbon used in gasoline vapor emission control systems in cars, trucks, motorcycles and boats, with over 750 million units installed globally over the 30-year history of the business. Our products meet highly specialized, complex customer needs in the industries in which they are used. As customer applications become more demanding, Ingevity’s products become increasingly specialized and represent a critical component of our customers’ products, typically at a modest input cost relative to the customer’s overall product cost. This value creation — significant performance impact versus relatively low input cost — provides some measure of stability as customers may be reluctant to face the performance risk potentially associated with switching over to competitors’ offerings. Additionally, the quality and diversity of our product portfolio, and the flexibility of our manufacturing assets, gives us the capability to direct our resources towards their most profitable and attractive uses and geographies in response to changing markets.
We report in two business segments, Performance Chemicals and Performance Materials. Our Performance Chemicals segment primarily addresses applications in three product families: pavement technologies, oilfield technologies and industrial specialties. Our Performance Materials segment consists of our carbon technologies business which primarily produces automotive carbon products used in gasoline vapor emission control systems.
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The chart below illustrates our revenue by segment, product family, end use and sales by geography in 2015.
[MISSING IMAGE: T1502921_TAB-PERFORMANCE.JPG]
*
Based on location of customer
Performance Chemicals
Ingevity’s Performance Chemicals segment develops, manufactures and sells a wide range of specialty chemicals primarily derived from co-products of the kraft pulping process. Products include performance chemicals derived from pine chemicals used in asphalt paving, adhesives, agrochemical dispersants, printing inks, lubricants, petroleum and other diverse industrial uses. The primary raw material used in our Performance Chemicals segment is crude tall oil, or “CTO”, a co-product of the kraft pulping process, where pine is used as the source of the pulp. The CTO is separated by distillation into tall oil rosin (“TOR”), tall oil fatty acid (“TOFA”) and other biofractions. As such products are further refined or chemically modified, higher value derivative products are created, making their way into a wide variety of industrial and consumer goods.
The company’s Performance Chemicals business serves customers globally from two manufacturing locations in the United States and a third in Brazil.
In 2015, our Performance Chemicals segment delivered sales of  $711 million and Segment EBITDA of $111 million. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of Ingevity” for a reconciliation of Segment EBITDA to segment profit under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”).
Performance Materials
We engineer, manufacture and sell wood-based, chemically activated carbon products, produced through a highly technical and proprietary process, primarily for use in gasoline vapor emission control
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systems in cars, trucks, motorcycles and boats. We have produced and sold activated carbon for over 100 years, including over 30 years for our automotive applications. We are the global leader in this automotive category, with over 750 million units installed globally since we entered this business. We also produce a number of other activated carbon products for the food, water, beverage and chemical purification industries, which maximizes the productivity of our manufacturing assets.
Our automotive carbon products capture gasoline vapor emissions that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere as volatile organic compounds (“VOCs”) which contain hazardous air pollutants and can photochemically react to form ozone and secondary organic aerosols which themselves lead to the formation of haze and particulate pollution. These gasoline vapor emissions (which are distinct from tailpipe emissions) are released primarily (i) during refueling, (ii) when a vehicle is parked during the daytime, as a result of the expansion of the fuel vapors in warmer daytime temperatures and (iii) as “running loss,” as a result of the expansion of vapors in the fuel tank from increased temperatures as a result of operation of the vehicle. The captured gasoline vapors are largely purged from the carbon and directed to the engine where they are used as supplemental power for the vehicle. In this way, the company’s automotive carbon products are part of a system that is both an environmental control and energy recovery application. We estimate that for 2015, the company’s products collectively prevented over 10,000 metric tons of VOC emissions each day and returned the equivalent of 3.7 million gallons of gasoline each day to supplementally power vehicles which would have otherwise been lost to the atmosphere.
We sell our automotive carbon products to over 60 customers around the globe. We are the trusted source of these products for many of the world’s largest automotive parts manufacturers, including Aisan Industry, Delphi Automotive, MAHLE, and many other large and small components manufacturers throughout the global supply chain. Our relationship with many of our customers and their customers — the vehicle manufacturers themselves (including every one of the top 15 global automotive manufacturers) — have been in place for most of our history in this application.
The company’s automotive carbon products are not a part of the automotive emissions systems that are the subject of the recent announcement by Volkswagen AG concerning the failure of certain of its diesel engine vehicles to meet certain clean air standards. The company’s carbon products capture the emission of fuel vapors from gasoline tanks, and have been in service reliably for decades. See “Core Strengths —  Unique Decades-Long Track Record of Automotive Carbon Products Meeting Emission Compliance Standards.” The Volkswagen emission systems at issue involve tailpipe emissions from their diesel vehicles, and are not at all related to capturing gasoline vapor emissions from fuel tanks.
In 2015, our Performance Materials segment provided sales of  $257 million and Segment EBITDA of $92 million. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of Ingevity” for a reconciliation of Segment EBITDA to segment profit under U.S. GAAP.
Our Core Strengths
Ingevity is committed to continued value creation for its customers and stockholders by focusing on its core strengths:
Leading Global Market Positions
We are a leader in the global pine chemicals industry, further distinguished by our focus on target markets that offer the potential for profitable growth, supported by long-term secular growth trends in infrastructure preservation and development, growth in unconventional oil exploration and production and increasing global food production demands. Our products serve as critical inputs used in a variety of high performance applications, including asphalt paving, oil exploration and production, agrochemicals, lubricants and printing ink. The quality and diversity of our product portfolio, and the flexibility of our manufacturing assets, gives us the capability to direct our differentiated products towards their most profitable and attractive uses and geographies.
Ingevity is the leading global manufacturer of activated carbon used in gasoline vapor emission control systems in cars, trucks, motorcycles and boats, with over 750 million units installed globally over the 30-year history of our automotive carbon business. This business is expected to benefit from increasingly stringent
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vehicle emission standards worldwide that the company’s products are uniquely designed and qualified to meet. The annual global sales of light duty vehicles (i.e. passenger and light commercial vehicles) that are powered with gasoline are forecast to grow from approximately 71 million to approximately 91 million vehicles (+28%) from 2014 to 2025. Most of this growth is expected to occur outside of the United States and Canada in countries and regions where gasoline vapor emission standards significantly lag the modern, highly effective standards of the United States and Canada. This provides significant upside potential in addition to the already favorable macroeconomic growth trends of the global automotive industry.
Flexible Manufacturing Capabilities Optimize Asset Utilization
The quality and diversity of our product portfolio, and the flexibility of our manufacturing assets, gives us the capability to direct our resources to their most profitable uses and geographies.
The company’s Performance Chemical assets include multipurpose chemical reactors that are capable of manufacturing products of varying chemistries that can serve multiple markets. For example, in its South Carolina facility, the newest reactor that was brought into service in 2015 is capable of producing products for asphalt, oilfield and adhesives applications, while our Louisiana assets can be redirected with relative ease among various applications including asphalt, oilfield, adhesives and inks.
The company’s carbon facilities, which primarily produce automotive carbon, are also capable of producing a number of other activated carbon products for the food, water, beverage and chemical purification industries, maximizing the productivity of these assets.
Deep Technical Expertise and Product Innovation Capability and Experience
We have deep technical expertise and market knowledge and insights, derived from customer relationships and research and development capabilities, that enable our innovation capacity. Innovation efforts are led and supported by our teams of technical experts and industry veterans, many of whom are considered the foremost experts in their fields, spread throughout our organization in key positions from product development to manufacturing and sales. Each of our business units has its own development and application laboratories that work in partnership with our customers to refine existing products and develop new innovations that will drive value for Ingevity and our customers.
With our technical expertise and product innovation capability and experience, and by working closely with our customers, our technical experts can quickly offer application solutions that address our customers’ most difficult challenges. For example, when our road contractor customers vary the aggregate and/or asphalt to be used in a particular job mix, they call on our expertise to quickly reformulate the Ingevity additive chemistry needed for the revised mix, so that they can meet the original job specifications on time, regardless of the change. Our ability to swiftly understand and address our customers’ performance needs allows Ingevity to maintain and grow its relationships with its customer base.
Unique Decades-Long Track Record of Automotive Carbon Products Meeting Emission Compliance Standards
Current U.S. federal and California regulatory standards require that gasoline vapor control devices remain effective for the entire life of the vehicles on which installed. Ingevity has a substantial, decades-long track record of providing life-of-vehicle product performance in a properly designed gasoline vapor control system. Our unique capability to engineer a very specific nanoscale porosity into the carbons on a large commercial scale allows the system designers to minimize the system’s size based on our carbons’ ability to remain highly effective over the vehicle’s lifetime. Given the imperative for automotive manufacturers to produce vehicles capable of meeting these long-term requirements, or potentially face expensive recalls and unfavorable publicity, there is an increased risk to use other producers who do not have a comparable, proven history and technical capability, particularly given the significant costs associated with non-compliance should a competitor’s offering fail to maintain effectiveness over vehicle lifetimes.
Global Manufacturing and Supply Chain Reach
We have a global reach which allows us to effectively service multinational customers through a combination of our manufacturing facilities located in the United States, China and Brazil, and local talent
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strategically placed around the globe. In addition, our technology centers located in the United States, China, Europe and India give us the ability to service our customers throughout these regions, and provide us with market insights that allow us to develop customized solutions for local and regional markets. We serve customers in approximately 65 countries, with our global engineering, technical, sales and application knowledge teams. Our global reach enables us to more effectively serve — and be the business partner of choice to — multinational companies that look to partners who can meet their needs on a consistent basis wherever they do business.
This capability also allows us to take advantage of market trends. For example, our oilfield technology business has in the past been primarily focused on the North American market. Our global reach will allow us to pursue growth opportunities outside of the United States, particularly in the Middle East, which has not undergone as significant an output decline during the recent global slowdown in the oil and gas exploration industry.
Collaborative Customer and End User Relationships Drive Profitable Growth Opportunities
We take a partnership approach with our customers, investing resources to deeply understand their customers’ markets so that we can provide technologically advanced, tailored solutions that allow our customers to maintain a competitive advantage in the markets they serve. Our knowledge of our customers’ end markets provides us with insights that enable us to develop solutions that address opportunities or challenges and create value for our customers. For example, through our relationships with several automobile manufacturers (“OEMs”) (often, our customers’ customer), we learned that certain vehicles were having trouble passing emissions certification tests based on a small amount of VOCs migrating from the engine via the vehicles’ air intake systems. To address this issue, we developed several generations of activated carbon-based solutions (activated carbon honeycombs and engineered carbon sheets) that manage these emissions while minimizing pressure drop in the air intake system — a key performance advantage to the OEMs. This drove demand for our product by addressing the needs of our customers’ customer. We believe this approach — driving demand for our products by developing solutions for our customers’ end markets — has been and will continue to be a significant driver of profitable growth.
Education of Government and Regulatory Bodies on Scientifically Based Policies and Specifications
Many of our customers’ markets are subject to increasing regulatory standards and mandates, for example more stringent air quality standards in the case of automotive emissions or the use of recycled materials in the case of pavement technologies. With our technical expertise and experience, our teams are a valued resource and work directly with government and regulatory bodies, in support of our customers, as experts in their field to educate regulators about existing and innovative technologies that support their objectives or solve specific challenges. As the trend continues in mature and emerging markets towards more advanced solutions, we believe the ability to leverage our expertise to educate, advocate and promote sensible regulatory solutions will benefit our customers while driving incremental value within those markets. For example, Ingevity has globally recognized expertise in the highly specialized field of automotive gasoline vapor emissions. While tailpipe emissions on vehicles are well recognized, understood and regulated, gasoline vapor emissions from vehicles have been lightly regulated in many countries outside the United States and Canada. Our experts have educated authorities in other countries to help them understand and quantify the magnitude of these emissions and evaluate the highly effective solutions currently in use in the United States and Canada that can reduce these gasoline vapor emissions to “near zero” levels at a relatively low cost per vehicle.
Our work with regulators allows us then to work with our customers in order to help them respond and adapt to evolving and varying regulatory standards. For example, because of the stringent and differing regulatory compliance standards applicable to the global oilfield industry, our oilfield customers often turn to us over smaller, less sophisticated vendors in order to help them manage the complexities of compliance risk throughout the world.
Highly Engaged, Performance and Safety-driven Culture
We have assembled a highly talented, collaborative, committed and creative team which drives the success of our business. We believe in empowerment and accountability and encourage our employees to
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think boldly. Our collective ambition is keenly focused on creating value for today and tomorrow. Further, we are committed to protecting human health and the environment while using resources in a responsible and sustainable manner: as a long-standing member of the American Chemistry Council (ACC), we subscribe to the Guiding Principles of the American Chemistry Council’s Responsible Care ® program — a global chemical industry performance initiative that is implemented in the United States through the ACC. Our ISO 9001, ISO/TS 16949 and Responsible Care ® Certifications are internationally recognized measures of consistent superior performance and responsibility to health, safety, security and the environment. We believe this track record is something that differentiates us from our competitors in the eyes of many of our customers.
Long-term Secured Raw Material Supply
At the time of the separation, we intend to enter into a 25-year supply agreement with WestRock pursuant to which we will purchase all of the CTO output from WestRock’s existing kraft mills, subject to certain exceptions. See “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions — Crude Tall Oil and Black Liquor Soap Skimmings Agreement.” This agreement will include market-based pricing terms. Based on WestRock’s current output and our current operating rates, we expect to source approximately 45 – 55% of our current CTO requirements under this agreement. This represents an important strategic benefit for our Performance Chemicals business due to the limited supply of CTO globally, of which we believe a significant portion is already under long-term supply agreements with other consumers of CTO. This increment of stable supply, in conjunction with other contracted sources of CTO, enhances our position to serve customer demand while providing a foundation for our Performance Chemicals business to continue to grow. See also “Risk Factors — Our Performance Chemicals segment is highly dependent on CTO which is limited in supply; lack of access to sufficient CTO would impact our ability to produce CTO-based products.”
Our Plans for Additional Growth
We have a demonstrated history of profitable growth. As an independent company, we believe we can accelerate our growth while maintaining our profitability. We intend to take the following steps as a newly independent public company:
Expand Sales to Existing Customers and into New Geographies
We believe we are well positioned to organically expand our sales through a combination of continued global sales growth, leveraging our significant application knowledge to apply our existing products to new applications and capitalizing on the investments we have made in our global sales, technical centers and distribution network. Our global reach allows us to effectively compete in new geographies, delivering proven innovative solutions where opportunities to apply our technologies exist. We continue to leverage our significant application knowledge and intimate customer relationships to target opportunities where we know our products perform, creating demand for our products by driving value for our customers.
We intend to continue to strengthen our position in emerging markets such as China, India and Brazil where we believe there are significant opportunities for growth. Opportunities include the expansion of sales of our asphalt products into areas increasingly in need of newly paved roads and increased sales of carbon technology solutions driven by anticipated regulatory expansion in the global automotive vapor emissions control market. As a result, we completed the construction of a new facility in China for the global automotive emissions control market during the fourth quarter of 2015 and have continued to invest in our Brazilian performance chemicals refinery.
Increase our Offering of Specialized, Higher Margin Products
We employ a world-class team of engineering, technical, sales and application specialists, along with experienced industry professionals, which provide us with deep technical knowledge and the ability to be a leading provider of specialty products in the markets we serve. We have the experience and capability to further develop and expand upon the products we currently produce, further differentiating them into higher value, increasingly specialized products, or developing new applications and end uses.
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We have a history of success in such product development and differentiation. For example, our oilfield technologies business transitioned from providing basic TOFA to our customers to the development and marketing of specialized tall oil emulsifiers and corrosion inhibitors. We also grew our pavement technologies from asphalt chemicals into specialized additives used in ultra-thin paving technologies.
We believe that there is significant upside in further developing and expanding upon products produced from TOFA, displacing some of our lower margin business where we sell TOFA directly to certain customers. This will have the added benefit of improved insulation from the cyclical nature of the direct natural fats and oils market of which TOFA is a part. Over the next few years, our goal is to meaningfully increase the portion of our sales of specialized, higher value products derived from TOFA, including addressing new markets or opportunities to upgrade TOFA into product categories where we might not participate today.
Additionally, we search to supply the right chemistry for the applications within our market segments regardless of the raw materials required. Applying our unique insights into our end use applications, our team will search to find novel solutions outside of our current CTO-based materials to problems and work to create the supply chain needed to provide those products to our customers. As an example, we have developed, manufacture and sell product solutions in our asphalt business that are hydrocarbon based.
Innovate to Enable Our Customers to Adapt to Increasingly Stringent Regulatory Standards
We are a valued resource with government and regulatory agencies around the world, from California to China, including national, regional and local environmental regulatory bodies. We work directly with such bodies, in support of our customers, to help them develop sensible standards based on the availability of technological solutions that make such standards commercially achievable. As standards are adopted and become increasingly demanding, the products that can be used to achieve compliance with such standards become increasingly technologically complex to design and manufacture on a commercial level. The company’s ability to meet these complexities provides the company with a distinctive commercial edge — as our customers in many applications depend on us to help them meet their compliance standards. For example, when paving contractors were having difficulty meeting the Florida Department of Transportation’s initiative to use more recycled tire rubber, the pavement technologies group developed an innovative delivery system, and educated contractors on how to use it to achieve the desired environmental and performance benefits. We also work closely with automotive companies and their suppliers to ensure that they understand and can meet increasingly stringent vehicle emission standards.
Invest Organically and Selectively Pursue Acquisitions that Further Strengthen Our Product Portfolio
We plan to continue to invest capital organically in attractive cost reduction projects and in capacity expansions as necessary to meet demand growth.
In addition, we intend to pursue value-creating acquisitions that represent attractive opportunities in our target markets as well as in high-value niche applications which complement our current product portfolio and capabilities. Following the separation, we will continue seeking to add product lines and portfolios, as well as marketing and manufacturing alliances, that will play an important role in strengthening our leadership positions. We intend to pursue acquisitions both domestically and globally.
The Separation
Prior to the separation, we will operate as a reporting segment of WestRock, which was formed upon the combination (the “Merger”) of MeadWestvaco Corporation (“MWV”) and Rock-Tenn Company (“Rock-Tenn”). The Merger was completed on July 1, 2015.
Prior to the Merger, we operated as a reporting segment of MWV, which announced on January 8, 2015, that it intended to separate its specialty chemicals business through a pro rata distribution of common stock to its stockholders. Upon the completion of the Merger, WestRock announced its continued plans to complete the separation.
On [•], 2016, the WestRock board of directors approved the distribution of the issued and outstanding shares of Ingevity common stock on the basis of  [•] shares of Ingevity common stock for every [•] shares of WestRock held as of the close of business on the record date of  [•], 2016.
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Reasons for the Separation
The WestRock board of directors believes that the separation of WestRock’s specialty chemicals business would be in the best interests of WestRock and its stockholders for a number of reasons, including the following:

Enhanced strategic and management focus.    The separation will allow Ingevity and WestRock to each more effectively pursue their distinct operating priorities and strategies and enable management of both companies to better focus on unique opportunities for long-term growth and profitability.

More efficient allocation of capital.    The separation will permit Ingevity and WestRock to each concentrate financial resources on its own operations, providing greater flexibility to invest capital in its businesses in a time and manner appropriate for its strategy and business needs and facilitate a more efficient allocation of capital.

Direct access to capital markets.    The separation will create an independent equity structure that will afford Ingevity direct access to the capital markets and will facilitate Ingevity’s ability to effect future acquisitions utilizing Ingevity’s common stock. As a result, each company will have more flexibility to capitalize on its unique growth opportunities and objectives.

Alignment of incentives with performance objectives.    The separation will facilitate incentive compensation arrangements for employees more directly tied to the performance of each of Ingevity’s and WestRock’s respective businesses, and enhance employee hiring and retention by, among other things, improving the alignment of management and employee incentives with performance and growth objectives.
Neither Ingevity nor WestRock can assure you that, following the separation, any of the benefits described above or otherwise will be realized to the extent anticipated or at all.
Risks Associated with Ingevity and the Separation
An investment in Ingevity common stock is subject to a number of risks, including risks related to Ingevity’s business, the separation and Ingevity common stock. Set forth below is a summary of some, but not all, of these risks. Please read the information in the section captioned “Risk Factors” for a more thorough description of these and other risks.
General Business and Economic Risks

We may be adversely affected by general global economic and financial conditions beyond our control.

We are exposed to risks inherent in our international sales and operations.

Our reported results could be adversely affected by currency exchange rates and currency devaluation could impair our competitiveness.

Our operations outside the United States require us to comply with a number of U.S. and foreign regulations, violations of which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
Risks Related to Ingevity’s Business

We are dependent on attracting and retaining key personnel.

Adverse conditions in the automotive market may adversely affect demand for our automotive carbon products.

If increasingly more stringent air quality standards worldwide are not adopted, our growth could be impacted.
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The company’s printing inks business serves customers in a market that is facing declining volumes.

The company’s pavement technologies business is heavily dependent on government infrastructure spending.

The company’s oilfield technologies business is significantly affected by trends in oil and natural gas prices that affect the level of exploration, development and production activity.

If we are unable to adequately protect our intellectual property, we may lose significant competitive advantages.

Our Performance Chemicals segment is highly dependent on CTO which is limited in supply; lack of access to sufficient CTO would impact our ability to produce CTO-based products.

A prolonged period of low energy prices may materially impact our results of operations.

We face competition from producers of substitute products.

We are dependent upon third parties for the provision of certain critical operating services at several of our facilities.
Risks Related to the Separation

The combined post-separation value of WestRock and Ingevity shares may not equal or exceed the pre-separation value of WestRock common shares.

Ingevity has no history of operating as an independent company, and Ingevity’s historical and pro forma financial information is not necessarily representative of the results that it would have achieved as a separate, publicly traded company and may not be a reliable indicator of its future results.

There could be significant liability if the distribution is determined to be a taxable transaction.

Ingevity may not be able to engage in certain corporate actions after the separation.

Until the separation occurs, the terms of the separation and distribution agreement and other transaction agreements may be changed in ways which may be unfavorable to Ingevity.

Ingevity may not achieve some or all of the expected benefits of the separation, and the separation may adversely affect Ingevity’s business.

Ingevity will be dependent upon WestRock for the performance of obligations under various critical agreements that will be executed as part of the separation.

Challenges in the commercial and credit environments may materially adversely affect Ingevity’s ability to complete the separation and Ingevity’s future access to capital.

Our accounting and other management systems and resources may not be adequately prepared to meet the financial reporting and other requirements to which we will be subject following the distribution.
Risks Related to Ingevity’s Common Stock

Ingevity cannot be certain that an active trading market for its common stock will develop or be sustained after the separation, and following the separation, Ingevity’s stock price may fluctuate significantly.

We cannot guarantee the timing, amount or payment of any dividend on our common stock in the future.

Your percentage of ownership in Ingevity may be diluted in the future.
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Certain provisions in Ingevity’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws, and of Delaware law, may prevent or delay an acquisition of Ingevity, which could decrease the trading price of Ingevity’s common stock.
Corporate Information
Ingevity’s business originated as part of the operations of its initial parent company, Westvaco Corporation, a paper and packaging company, using co-products of the kraft pulping process, primarily CTO and lignin, as well as hardwood sawdust. Ingevity has operated as a division of Westvaco Corporation and its corporate successors, including MeadWestvaco Corporation and WestRock Company, since 1964.
Ingevity Corporation was incorporated in Delaware on March 27, 2015. The address of Ingevity’s principal executive offices is 5255 Virginia Avenue, North Charleston, South Carolina 29406. Ingevity’s telephone number after the distribution will be (843) 740-2300. Ingevity maintains an Internet site at www.ingevity.com. Ingevity’s website and the information contained in or connected to the website will not be deemed to be incorporated in this document, and you should not rely on any such information in making an investment decision.
This information statement is being furnished solely to provide information to stockholders of WestRock who will receive shares of Ingevity common stock in the distribution. It is not, and is not to be construed as, an inducement or encouragement to buy or sell any of Ingevity’s securities. The information contained in this information statement is believed by Ingevity to be accurate as of the date set forth on the cover of this information statement. Changes may occur after that date, and neither WestRock nor Ingevity will update the information except in the normal course of their respective disclosure obligations and practices, or as required by applicable law.
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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE SEPARATION
What is the separation?
WestRock will complete the separation by distributing to its stockholders all of the shares of Ingevity common stock. Following the distribution, Ingevity will be a separate company from WestRock and WestRock will not retain any ownership interest in Ingevity.
What is Ingevity?
Ingevity is a wholly-owned direct subsidiary of WestRock whose shares will be distributed to WestRock stockholders if we complete the separation. After the distribution, Ingevity will be a separate, independent public company and will continue as a leading global manufacturer of specialty chemicals and high-performance carbon materials.
What will I receive in the distribution?
As a holder of WestRock common stock, you will retain your shares of WestRock common stock and will receive [•] shares of Ingevity common stock for every [•] shares of WestRock common stock you own as of the record date. The number of shares of WestRock common stock you own and your proportionate interest in WestRock will not change as a result of the separation. For a more detailed description, see “The Separation.”
Will Ingevity issue fractional shares of its common stock in the distribution?
No. Ingevity will not issue fractional shares of its common stock in the distribution. Fractional shares that WestRock stockholders would otherwise have been entitled to receive will be aggregated and sold in the public market by the distribution agent. The aggregate net cash proceeds of these sales will be distributed pro rata (based on the fractional share such holder would otherwise be entitled to receive) to those stockholders who would otherwise have been entitled to receive fractional shares. Recipients of cash in lieu of fractional shares will not be entitled to any interest on the amounts of payment made in lieu of fractional shares.
How will the separation affect equity awards held by WestRock employees?
We have not finalized the treatment of equity of awards held by WestRock employees and a description thereof will be included in an amendment to this information statement.
When is the record date for the distribution?
The record date for the distribution is [•], 2016.
   
   
When will the distribution occur?
We expect the distribution of our common stock to occur on [•], 2016, to holders of record of WestRock common stock at the close of business on the record date.
What are the reasons for and the benefits of separating Ingevity from WestRock?
WestRock believes that a separation will provide various benefits to both WestRock and Ingevity, including by (1) allowing Ingevity and WestRock to each more effectively pursue their distinct operating priorities and strategies and enable management of both companies to better focus on unique opportunities for long-term growth and profitability; (2) permitting Ingevity and WestRock to each concentrate financial resources on its own operations, providing greater flexibility to invest capital in its businesses in a time and manner appropriate for its strategy and business needs and facilitate a more efficient allocation of capital; (3) creating an independent equity structure that will afford Ingevity direct access to the capital markets and will facilitate
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Ingevity’s ability to effect future acquisitions utilizing Ingevity’s common stock; and (4) facilitating incentive compensation arrangements for employees more directly tied to the performance of each of Ingevity’s and WestRock’s respective businesses, and enhance employee hiring and retention by, among other things, improving the alignment of management and employee incentives with performance and growth objectives.
For a more detailed discussion of the reasons for the separation, see “The Separation — Reasons for the Separation” beginning on page [•].
What are the risks associated with the separation?
There are a number of risks associated with the separation and ownership of Ingevity common stock. The risks are discussed under “Risk Factors” beginning on page [•].
What do stockholders need to do to participate in the distribution?
WestRock stockholders of record on the record date will not be required to take any action to receive Ingevity common stock in the distribution, but you are nevertheless urged to read this entire information statement carefully. No stockholder approval of the distribution is required. You are not being asked for a proxy. You do not need to pay any consideration, exchange or surrender your existing shares of WestRock common stock or take any other action to receive your Ingevity common stock. Please do not send in your WestRock common stock certificates. The distribution will not affect the number of outstanding shares of WestRock common stock or any rights of WestRock stockholders, although it will affect the market value of each outstanding share of WestRock common stock.
How will shares of Ingevity common stock be issued?
You will receive shares of Ingevity common stock through the same channels that you currently use to hold or trade shares of WestRock common stock, whether through a brokerage account, 401(k) plan or other channel. Receipt of Ingevity common stock will be documented for you in the same manner that you typically receive stockholder updates, such as monthly broker statements and 401(k) statements.
If you own shares of WestRock common stock as of the close of business on [•], 2016, the record date for the distribution, including any shares owned in certificate form, WestRock, with the assistance of Wells Fargo Shareowner Services (“WFSS”), the distribution agent, will electronically distribute shares of Ingevity common stock to you or your brokerage firm on your behalf in book-entry form. WFSS will mail you a book-entry account statement that reflects your shares of Ingevity common stock, or your bank or brokerage firm will credit your account for the shares.
What are the conditions to the distribution?
The distribution is subject to the satisfaction (or waiver by WestRock in its sole discretion) of the following conditions:

the transfer of assets and liabilities from WestRock to Ingevity shall have been completed in accordance with the separation and distribution agreement;

(i) the private letter ruling that WestRock received from the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) regarding certain U.S.
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federal income tax matters relating to the separation, distribution and certain related transactions, shall not have been modified or revoked; and (ii) WestRock shall have received opinions from its outside tax advisors to the effect that the distribution, together with certain related transactions, will be generally tax-free for U.S. federal income tax purposes under Sections 355 and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”);

the SEC shall have declared effective Ingevity’s registration statement on Form 10, of which this information statement forms a part, and this information statement in its final form shall have been made available to the WestRock stockholders;

all actions and filings necessary or appropriate under applicable U.S. federal, U.S. state or other securities laws shall have been taken and, where applicable, have become effective or been accepted by the applicable governmental authority;

the transaction agreements relating to the separation shall have been duly executed and delivered by the parties;

no order, injunction or decree issued by any court of competent jurisdiction or other legal restraint or prohibition preventing the consummation of the separation, distribution or any of the related transactions shall be in effect; and

the shares of Ingevity common stock to be distributed shall have been accepted for listing on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) subject to official notice of distribution.
WestRock and Ingevity cannot assure you that any or all of these conditions will be met. In addition, WestRock can decline at any time to go forward with the separation. For a further discussion of the conditions to the distribution, see “The Separation — Conditions to the Distribution.”
Can WestRock decide to cancel the distribution of Ingevity common stock even if all the conditions have been met?
Yes. Until the distribution has occurred, WestRock has the right to terminate the distribution, even if all of the conditions are satisfied.
   
   
What if I want to sell my WestRock common stock or my Ingevity common stock?
You should consult with your financial advisors, such as your stockbroker, bank and/or tax advisor. The distribution will not result in any additional restrictions on either WestRock stock or, following the distribution and upon the commencement of trading, Ingevity stock.
What is “regular-way” and “ex-distribution” trading of WestRock stock?
Beginning on or shortly before the record date and continuing up to and through the distribution date, it is expected that there will be two markets in WestRock common stock: a “regular-way” market and an “ex-distribution” market. Shares of WestRock common stock that trade in the “regular-way” market will trade with an entitlement to shares of Ingevity common stock distributed pursuant to the distribution. Shares that trade in the “ex-distribution” market will trade without an entitlement to shares of Ingevity common stock distributed pursuant to the distribution.
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If you decide to sell any WestRock common stock before the distribution date, you should make sure your stockbroker, bank or other nominee understands whether you want to sell your WestRock common stock with or without your entitlement to Ingevity common stock pursuant to the distribution.
Where will I be able to trade shares of Ingevity common stock?
Ingevity has applied to list its common stock on the NYSE under the symbol “NGVT.” Ingevity anticipates that trading in shares of its common stock will begin on a “when-issued” basis on or shortly before the record date and will continue up to and through the distribution date and that “regular-way” trading in Ingevity common stock will begin on the first trading day following the completion of the distribution. If trading begins on a “when-issued” basis, you may purchase or sell Ingevity common stock up to and through the distribution date, but your transaction will not settle until after the distribution date. Ingevity cannot predict the trading prices for its common stock before, on or after the distribution date.
What will happen to the listing of WestRock common shares?
Shares of WestRock common stock will continue to trade on the NYSE after the distribution, and the separation will have no effect on such listing.
Will the number of shares of WestRock common stock that I own change as a result of the distribution?
No. The number of shares of WestRock common stock that you own will not change as a result of the distribution.
   
   
   
Will the distribution affect the market price of my WestRock common stock?
Yes. As a result of the distribution, WestRock expects the trading price of WestRock common stock immediately following the distribution to be lower than the “regular-way” trading price of such shares immediately prior to the distribution because the trading price will no longer reflect the value of the specialty chemicals business. WestRock believes that over time following the separation, assuming the same market conditions and the realization of the expected benefits of the separation, WestRock common stock and Ingevity common stock should have a higher aggregate market value as compared to what the market value of WestRock common stock would be if the separation did not occur. There can be no assurance, however, that such a higher aggregate market value will be achieved. This means, for example, that the combined trading prices of one share of WestRock common stock and [•] shares of Ingevity common stock after the distribution may be equal to, greater than or less than the trading price of one share of WestRock common stock before the distribution.
What are the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of the separation?
Conditions to the completion of the separation include that (i) the private letter ruling that WestRock received from the IRS regarding certain U.S. federal income tax matters relating to the separation, distribution and related transactions, shall not have been modified or revoked, and (ii) WestRock shall have received opinions from its tax advisors regarding treatment of the distribution, together with certain related transactions, under Sections 355 and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code. Assuming that the
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distribution, together with certain related transactions, qualifies as a transaction that is generally tax-free under Sections 355 and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code, then for U.S. federal income tax purposes, (i) you will not recognize any gain or loss, and no amount will be included in your income, upon your receipt of shares of Ingevity common stock pursuant to the distribution, and (ii) immediately after the distribution, the aggregate tax basis of your WestRock common stock and the Ingevity common stock that you will receive in the distribution (including fractional shares for which cash is received) will equal the aggregate basis of your WestRock common stock immediately before the distribution, allocated between the WestRock common stock and the Ingevity common stock (including fractional shares for which cash is received) in proportion to the relative fair market value of each on the distribution date. You will recognize gain or loss (if any) for U.S. federal income tax purposes with respect to cash received in lieu of fractional shares.
You should consult your own tax advisor as to the particular consequences of the distribution to you, including the applicability and effect of any U.S. federal, state and local tax laws, as well as foreign tax laws, which may result in the distribution being taxable to you. For more information regarding the tax opinion and certain U.S. federal income tax consequences of the separation, see the section entitled “Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Distribution.”
What will Ingevity’s relationship be with WestRock following the separation?
Ingevity will enter into a separation and distribution agreement with WestRock to effect the separation and provide a framework for Ingevity’s relationship with WestRock after the separation and will enter into certain other agreements, such as a transition services agreement, a tax matters agreement and an employee matters agreement. These agreements will provide for the separation between Ingevity and WestRock of the assets, employees, liabilities and obligations (including investments, property and employee benefits and tax-related assets and liabilities) of WestRock and its subsidiaries attributable to periods prior to, at and after Ingevity’s separation from WestRock and will govern the relationship between Ingevity and WestRock subsequent to the completion of the separation. We also intend to enter into (1) a market-based long-term supply agreement with WestRock for the purchase and sale of CTO, (2) a long-term lease agreement pursuant to which Ingevity will lease the ground underlying the Covington carbon facility from WestRock on an arm’s-length basis and (3) a separate agreement coordinating facility services at the Covington carbon facility. For additional information regarding these agreements, see the sections entitled “Risk Factors — Risks Related to the Separation” and “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions.”
Who will manage Ingevity after the separation?
Ingevity’s management team will include a new Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as well as experienced former members of WestRock’s specialty chemicals division management team who have a detailed understanding of Ingevity’s industry, assets and customers. For more information regarding Ingevity’s management, see “Management.”
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Are there risks associated with owning Ingevity common stock?
Yes. Ownership of Ingevity common stock is subject to both general and specific risks related to Ingevity’s business, the industry in which it operates, its ongoing contractual relationships with WestRock and its status as a separate, publicly traded company. Ownership of Ingevity common stock is also subject to risks related to the separation. These risks are described in the “Risk Factors” section of this information statement beginning on page [•].
Who will be the distribution agent, transfer agent and registrar for the Ingevity common stock?
The distribution agent, transfer agent and registrar for Ingevity common stock will be Wells Fargo Shareowner Services. For questions relating to the transfer or mechanics of the distribution, you should contact:
Wells Fargo Shareowner Services
1110 Centre Pointe Curve, Suite 101
Mendota Heights, MN 55120
800-468-9716
651-450-4064 (Outside the United States)
www.shareowneronline.com
Where can I find more information about WestRock and Ingevity?
Before the distribution, WestRock stockholders who have questions relating to WestRock should contact:
WestRock
Investor Relations
504 Thrasher Street
Norcross, Georgia 30071
Tel: (678) 291-7901
www.WestRock.com/investor
After the distribution, Ingevity stockholders who have questions relating to Ingevity should contact:
Ingevity
Investor Relations
5255 Virginia Avenue
North Charleston, South Carolina 29406
Tel: [•]
http://www.ingevity.com/investor
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SUMMARY HISTORICAL AND PRO FORMA FINANCIAL DATA
The following summary sets forth certain historical financial information of the specialty chemicals business of WestRock. The summary financial information as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 and for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 is derived from the audited combined financial statements that begin on page F-1 in this information statement.
The combined financial statements as of December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 and for the years ended 2015, 2014 and 2013 were audited by an independent registered public accounting firm. The historical financial information below should be read in conjunction with the combined financial statements and related notes that are included in this information statement on pages noted above. The historical results do not necessarily indicate the results expected for any future period.
The unaudited pro forma combined statements of operations for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015 give effect to the distribution as if it had occurred on January 1, the first day of fiscal year 2015. The unaudited pro forma combined balance sheet as of December 31, 2015 gives effect to the distribution as if it had occurred on December 31, 2015. The assumptions used and pro forma adjustments derived from such assumptions are based on currently available information and Ingevity believes such assumptions are reasonable under the circumstances.
The unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial statements are not necessarily indicative of Ingevity’s results of operations or financial condition had the distribution and its anticipated post-separation capital structure been completed on the dates assumed. Also, they may not reflect the results of operations or financial condition that would have resulted had Ingevity been operating as an independent, publicly traded company during such periods. In addition, they are not necessarily indicative of its future results of operations or financial condition.
You should read this summary financial data together with “Unaudited Pro Forma Combined Financial Statements,” “Capitalization,” “Selected Historical Combined Financial Information of Ingevity,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and the historical combined financial statements and accompanying notes included in this information statement.
Years ended December 31,
In millions
2015
2014
2013
Statement of Operations Data:
Net sales
$ 968 $ 1,041 $ 980
Cost of sales
687 718 685
Gross profit
281 323 295
Selling, general, and administrative expenses
114 112 103
Research and development
7 8 11
Income before income taxes
138 203 184
Net income
85 133 118
Net income attributable to the company
80 129 119
Earnings per share:
Basic (a)
Diluted (a)
Balance Sheet Data (at period end):
Cash and cash equivalents
$ 32 $ 20 $ 12
Property, plant and equipment, net
438 410 326
Total assets
782 718 593
Long-term debt due after one year
80 86 86
Total equity
522 420 328
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Years ended December 31,
In millions
2015
2014
2013
Cash Flow Data:
Cash provided by operating activities
73 143 137
Cash used in investing activities
(90 ) (102 ) (64 )
Other Data:
Capital expenditures
102 101 63
Depreciation and amortization expense
35 33 33
Combined Adjusted EBITDA (b)
203 247 227
(a)
We have not yet finalized the distribution ratio of shares of Ingevity common stock for shares of WestRock common stock. We intend to update our pro forma basic and diluted earnings per share in an amendment to this information statement.
(b)
Non-GAAP Financial Measures:
Ingevity has presented certain financial measures, defined below, which have not been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) and has provided a reconciliation to the most directly comparable financial measure calculated in accordance with GAAP. These financial measures are not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the most directly comparable financial measure calculated in accordance with GAAP. The company believes these non-GAAP measures provide investors, potential investors, securities analysts and others with useful information to evaluate the performance of the business, because such measures, when viewed together with our financial results computed in accordance with GAAP, provide a more complete understanding of the factors and trends affecting our historical financial performance and projected future results.
Ingevity uses the following non-GAAP measure: Combined Adjusted EBITDA. Combined Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net income plus provision for income taxes, interest expense, depreciation and amortization, separation costs and restructuring and other (income) charges. This non-GAAP measure is not intended to replace the presentation of financial results in accordance with GAAP and investors should consider the limitations associated with this non-GAAP measure, including the potential lack of comparability of this measure from one company to another.
Below is a reconciliation of Combined Adjusted EBITDA to net income:
Year Ended December 31,
In millions
2015
2014
2013
Net income
$ 85 $ 133 $ 118
Income tax provision
53 70 66
Interest expense
21 16 13
Depreciation and amortization
35 33 33
Separation costs
$ 17 $ $
Restructuring and other (income) charges, net
(8 ) (5 ) (3 )
Combined Adjusted EBITDA
$ 203 $ 247 $ 227
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RISK FACTORS
You should carefully consider each of the following risk factors and all of the other information set forth in this information statement. The risk factors generally have been separated into four groups: (1) general business and economic risks, (2) risks relating to our business, (3) risks relating to the separation and (4) risks relating to our common stock. Based on the information currently known to us, we believe that the following information identifies the most significant risk factors affecting our company in each of these categories of risks. However, the risks and uncertainties our company faces are not limited to those set forth in the risk factors described below. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently believe to be immaterial may also adversely affect our business. In addition, past financial performance may not be a reliable indicator of future performance, and historical trends should not be used to anticipate results or trends in future periods.
If any of the following risks and uncertainties develops into actual events, these events could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations. In such case, the trading price of our common stock could decline.
General Business and Economic Risks
We may be adversely affected by general global economic and financial conditions beyond our control.
Our businesses may be affected by a number of factors that are beyond our control such as general economic and business conditions, changes in tax laws or tax rates and conditions in the financial services markets including counterparty risk, insurance carrier risk, rising interest rates, inflation, deflation, fluctuations in the value of local currency versus the U.S. dollar or the impact of a stronger U.S. dollar may negatively impact our ability to compete. Macro-economic challenges, including conditions in financial and capital markets and levels of unemployment, and the ability of the United States and other countries to deal with their rising debt levels may continue to put pressure on the economy or lead to changes in tax laws or tax rates. There can be no assurance that changes in tax laws or tax rates will not have a material impact on our future cash taxes, effective tax rate or deferred tax assets and liabilities. Adverse developments in global or regional economies could drive an increase or decrease in the demand for our products that could increase or decrease our revenues, increase or decrease our manufacturing costs and ultimately increase or decrease our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. As a result of negative changes in the economy, customers, vendors or counterparties may experience significant cash flow problems or cause consumers of our products to postpone or refrain from spending in response to adverse economic events or conditions. If customers are not successful in generating sufficient revenue or cash flows or are precluded from securing financing, they may not be able to pay or may delay payment of accounts receivable that are owed to us or we may experience lower sales volumes. Our financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected by any of the foregoing.
We are exposed to the risks inherent in international sales and operations.
In 2015, export sales from the United States made up approximately one third of our total sales, and we sell our products to customers in approximately 65 countries. We have exposure to risks of operating in many foreign countries, including:

fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, including the Euro, Japanese Yen, Chinese Renminbi and Brazilian Real;

restrictions on, or difficulties and costs associated with, the repatriation of cash from foreign countries to the United States;

difficulties and costs associated with complying with a wide variety of complex laws, treaties and regulations;

unexpected changes in political or regulatory environments;

earnings and cash flows that may be subject to tax withholding requirements or the imposition of tariffs, exchange controls or other restrictions;
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political and economic instability;

import and export restrictions and other trade barriers;

difficulties in maintaining overseas subsidiaries and international operations;

difficulties in obtaining approval for significant transactions;

government limitations on foreign ownership;

government takeover or nationalization of business; and

government mandated price controls.
Any one or more of the above factors could adversely affect our international operations and could significantly affect our financial condition and results of operations. We have also expanded our participation in certain markets, including China and Brazil. As our international operations and activities expand, we inevitably have greater exposure to the risks of operating in many foreign countries.
Our reported results could be adversely affected by currency exchange rates and currency devaluation could impair our competitiveness.
Due to our international operations, we transact in many foreign currencies, including but not limited to the Euro, Japanese Yen, Chinese Renminbi and Brazilian Real. As a result, we are subject to the effects of changes in foreign currency exchange rates. During times of a strengthening U.S. dollar, our reported net revenues and operating income will be reduced because the local currency will be translated into fewer U.S. dollars. During periods of local economic crisis, local currencies may be devalued significantly against the U.S. dollar, potentially reducing our margin. For example, during the year ended December 31, 2015, unfavorable foreign exchange rate movements impacted net sales, translated into U.S. dollars, by $31 million or 3% of sales compared to the year ended December 31, 2014. Ingevity may enter forward exchange contracts and other financial contracts in an attempt to mitigate the impact of currency rate fluctuations. However, there can be no assurance that such actions will eliminate any adverse impact from variation in currency rates. Also, actions to recover margins may result in lower volume and a weaker competitive position, which may have an adverse effect on our profitability.
Our operations outside the United States require us to comply with a number of U.S. and foreign regulations, violations of which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
Our operations outside the United States require us to comply with a number of U.S. and international regulations. For example, our operations in countries outside the United States are subject to the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”), which prohibits U.S. companies and their agents and employees from providing anything of value to a foreign official for the purposes of influencing any act or decision of these individuals in their official capacity to help obtain or retain business, direct business to any person or corporate entity, or obtain any unfair advantage. Our activities may create the risk of unauthorized payments or offers of payments by our employees, agents or joint venture partners that could be in violation of anti-corruption laws, even though these parties are not subject to our control. We have internal control policies and procedures and training and compliance programs for our employees and agents with respect to the FCPA. However, we cannot assure that our policies, procedures and programs always will protect us from reckless or criminal acts committed by our employees or agents. Allegations of violations of applicable anti-corruption laws may result in internal, independent or government investigations. Violations of anti-corruption laws may result in severe criminal or civil sanctions, and we may be subject to other liabilities, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
In addition, the shipment of goods, services and technology across international borders subjects us to extensive trade laws and regulations. Our import activities are governed by the unique customs laws and regulations in each of the countries where we operate. Moreover, many countries, including the United States, control the export and re-export of certain goods, services and technology and impose related export
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recordkeeping and reporting obligations. Governments may also impose economic sanctions against certain countries, persons and entities that may restrict or prohibit transactions involving such countries, persons and entities, which may limit or prevent our conduct of business in certain jurisdictions.
The laws and regulations concerning import activity, export recordkeeping and reporting, export control and economic sanctions are complex and constantly changing. These laws and regulations can cause delays in shipments and unscheduled operational downtime. Moreover, any failure to comply with applicable legal and regulatory trading obligations could result in criminal and civil penalties and sanctions, such as fines, imprisonment, debarment from governmental contracts, seizure of shipments and loss of import and export privileges. In addition, investigations by governmental authorities as well as legal, social, economic and political issues in these countries could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. We are also subject to the risks that our employees, joint venture partners and agents outside of the United States may fail to comply with other applicable laws.
Risks Related to Ingevity’s Business
We are dependent on attracting and retaining key personnel.
The company is dependent upon its senior management, as well as upon engineering, technical, sales and application specialists, together with experienced industry professionals. Our success depends, in part, on our ability to attract, retain and motivate these key performers. Our failure to attract and retain those making significant contributions could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.
Adverse conditions in the automotive market may adversely affect demand for our automotive carbon products.
Sales of our automotive carbon product are tied to global automobile production levels. Automotive production in the markets we serve can be affected by macro-economic factors such as interest rates, fuel prices, consumer confidence, employment trends, regulatory and legislative oversight requirements and trade agreements. For example, the global economic downturn in 2008/2009 led to drastic reduction in vehicle sales and even greater reduction in vehicle production as OEMs right-sized their inventories to meet the lower sales volumes. Regional disruptions such as caused by the Japan earthquake and resulting tsunami in March 2011 and Hurricane Sandy in October 2012 can also significantly impact vehicles production and therefore demand for our automotive carbon.
In addition, growth in alternative vehicles, such as all-electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, which lessen the use of gasoline, may also adversely affect the demand for our products.
If increasingly more stringent air quality standards worldwide are not adopted, our growth could be impacted.
Environmental standards drive the implementation of gasoline vapor emission control systems by automotive manufacturers. Given increasing societal concern over global warming and health hazards associated with poor air quality, there is growing pressure on regulators across the globe to take meaningful action. For those countries that have not significantly regulated gasoline vapor emissions, enacting more stringent regulations governing gasoline vapor emissions represents a significant upside to the company’s automotive carbon business. However, regulators may react to a variety of considerations, including economic and political, that may mean that any such more stringent regulations are delayed or shelved entirely, in one or more countries or regions. As the adoption of more stringent regulations governing gasoline vapor emissions is expected to drive significant growth in our automotive carbon business, the failure to enact such regulations will have a significant impact on the growth prospects of that business.
The company’s printing inks business serves customers in a market that is facing declining volumes.
In recent years, the use of inks in which our printing ink resins are used, such as those made for magazines and catalogues, has significantly decreased, as the printing industry has experienced a reduction in demand due to various factors including the great recession of 2008 and 2009, which severely impacted volumes, and competition from alternative sources of communication, including email, the Web, electronic readers, interactive television and electronic retailing. The impacts of these changes have led to continued intense competition and downward pricing pressures on printing inks, and therefore, our ink products.
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The company’s pavement technologies business is heavily dependent on government infrastructure spending.
A significant portion of our customer’s revenues in our pavement technologies business is derived from contracts with various foreign and U.S. governmental agencies, and therefore, when government spending is reduced, our customers’ need for our products is similarly reduced. While we do not do business directly with governmental agencies, our customers provide paving services to, for example, the governments of various jurisdictions within Europe, China, Brazil and India, and we anticipate that revenue either directly or indirectly attributable to such government spending will continue to remain a significant portion of our revenues. Government business is, in general, subject to special risks and challenges, including: delays in funding and uncertainty regarding the allocation of funds to federal, state and local agencies, delays in the expenditures and delays or reductions in other state and local funding dedicated for transportation projects; other government budgetary constraints, cutbacks, delays or reallocation of government funding; long purchase cycles or approval processes; our customers’ competitive bidding and qualification requirements; changes in government policies and political agendas; and international conflicts or other military operations that could cause the temporary or permanent diversion of government funding from transportation or other infrastructure projects.
The company’s oilfield technologies business is significantly affected by trends in oil and natural gas prices that affect the level of exploration, development and production activity.
Demand for our oilfield technologies services and products is particularly sensitive to the level of exploration, development and production activity of, and the corresponding capital spending by, oil and natural gas companies, including national oil companies. The level of exploration, development and production activity is directly affected by trends in oil and natural gas prices, which historically have been volatile. Crude oil prices have declined significantly since 2014, with West Texas Intermediate (WTI) oil spot prices declining from a high of  $108 per barrel in June 2014 to a low of  $27 per barrel in January 2016, a level which has not been experienced since 2003, and pricing is not forecasted to improve significantly during 2016. Any prolonged low pricing environment for oil and natural gas is likely to result in reduced demand for our oilfield technology products, which may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.
In order to compete successfully, we must develop new products and technologies meeting evolving market and customer needs; disruptive technologies could reduce the demand for the company’s products.
Our industries and the end-use markets into which we sell our products experience periodic technological change and product improvement. Our future growth will depend on our ability to gauge the direction of commercial and technological progress in key end-use markets and on our ability to fund and successfully develop, manufacture and market products in such changing end-use markets. If we fail to keep pace with the evolving technological innovations in our end-use markets on a competitive basis, including with respect to innovation with regard to the development of alternative uses for, or application of, products developed that utilize such end-use products, our financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected. Similarly, we face competition in our applications. Disruptive technology involving new or superior solutions could reduce the demand for the company’s products.
If we are unable to adequately protect our intellectual property, we may lose significant competitive advantages.
Intellectual property rights, including patents, trade secrets, confidential information, trademarks, trade names and trade dress, are important to our business. We will endeavor to protect our intellectual property rights in key jurisdictions in which our products are produced or used, in jurisdictions into which our products are imported, and in jurisdictions where our competitors have significant manufacturing capabilities. Our success will depend to a significant degree upon our ability to protect and preserve our intellectual property rights. However, we may be unable to obtain or maintain protection for our intellectual property in key jurisdictions. Although we own and have applied for numerous patents and trademarks throughout the world, we may have to rely on judicial enforcement of our patents and other proprietary rights. Our patents and other intellectual property rights may be challenged, invalidated, circumvented and rendered unenforceable or otherwise compromised. A failure to protect, defend or enforce our intellectual property could have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. Similarly, third
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parties may assert claims against us and our customers and distributors alleging our products infringe upon third party intellectual property rights.
We also rely materially upon unpatented proprietary technology, know-how and other trade secrets to maintain our competitive position. While we maintain policies to enter into confidentiality agreements with our employees and third parties to protect our proprietary expertise and other trade secrets, these agreements may not be enforceable or, even if legally enforceable, we may not have adequate remedies for breaches of such agreements. We also may not be able to readily detect breaches of such agreements. The failure of our patents or confidentiality agreements to protect our proprietary technology, know-how or trade secrets could result in significantly lower revenues, reduced profit margins or loss of market share.
If we must take legal action to protect, defend or enforce our intellectual property rights, any suits or proceedings could result in significant costs and diversion of our resources and our management’s attention, and we may not prevail in any such suits or proceedings. A failure to protect, defend or enforce our intellectual property rights could have an adverse effect on our results of operations.
Our Performance Chemicals segment is highly dependent on CTO which is limited in supply; lack of access to sufficient CTO would impact our ability to produce CTO-based products.
The availability of CTO is essential to the company’s Performance Chemicals segment. Availability of CTO is directly linked to the production output of kraft mills using pine as their source of pulp. As a result, there is a finite global supply of CTO — with global demand for kraft board driving the global supply of CTO, rather than demand for CTO itself. Most of the CTO made available for sale by its producers in North America is covered by long-term supply agreements, further constraining availability.
At the time of the separation, we intend to enter into a 25-year supply agreements with WestRock pursuant to which we will purchase all of the CTO output from WestRock’s existing kraft mills, subject to certain exceptions. See “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions — Crude Tall Oil and Black Liquor Soap Skimmings Agreement.” This agreement will include market-based pricing terms. Based on WestRock’s current output and our current operating rates, we expect to source approximately 45-55% of our current CTO requirements through this sourcing arrangement. We also have agreements with other suppliers to satisfy substantially all of the balance of our expected requirements of CTO for 2016, all as described more specifically under “Business — Raw Materials and Energy.”
If any of our suppliers (including WestRock) fail to meet their respective obligations under our supply agreements or we are otherwise unable to procure an adequate supply of CTO, we would be unable to produce the quantity of products that we have historically produced and our financial condition and results of operations would be materially and adversely affected.
There are other pressures on the availability of CTO. Some pulp or paper mills may choose to consume their production of CTO to meet their energy needs rather than sell the CTO to third parties. Also, as described below, there are regulatory pressures that may incentivize suppliers of CTO to sell CTO into alternative fuel markets rather than to historical end users such as Ingevity. Furthermore, weather conditions have in the past and may in the future affect the availability and quality of pine trees used in the kraft pulping process and therefore the availability of CTO meeting Ingevity’s quality standards. For example, the combined impact of Hurricane Katrina in August 2005 and Hurricane Rita in September 2005 caused significant damage to forests throughout the southern United States. This significantly affected the availability and quality of the supply of CTO during late 2005 and into 2006.
The European Union’s Directive 2009/28 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable resources (“Renewable Energy Directive” or “RED”) and similar legislation in the United States and elsewhere may incentivize the use of CTO as a feedstock for production of alternative fuels.
In December 2008, the European Union adopted the Renewable Energy Directive, which established a 20% EU-wide target for energy consumed from renewable sources relative to the EU’s gross final consumption of energy, as well as a 10% target for energy consumed from renewable sources in the transport section. In order to reach these targets, the RED established mandatory targets for each Member State and required each Member State to adopt a national renewable energy action plan setting forth
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measures to achieve its national targets. The RED also established sustainability criteria for biofuels, which must be satisfied in order for the consumption of a fuel to count toward a Member State’s national targets. CTO-based biofuel currently satisfies the RED’s biofuel sustainability criteria.
In spring 2015, the EU adopted amendments to the Renewable Energy Directive. RED now expressly lists CTO as a residue-type feedstock whose use in biofuel would make that biofuel eligible for double counting towards national targets of the Member States, and at least two Member States additionally have or plan fiscal incentives for the domestic marketing of CTO-based and other qualifying biofuels.
In addition to these developments in the European Union, various pieces of legislation regarding the use of alternative fuels have been introduced in the United States.
Because the supply of CTO is inherently constrained by the volume of kraft pulp processing, any diversion of CTO for production of alternative fuels would reduce the available supply of CTO as the principal raw material of the pine chemicals industry. As described above, the company is highly dependent on CTO as an essential raw material, and if the company is unable to procure an adequate supply of CTO due to competing new uses such as for biofuel production, the company’s results of operations would be materially and adversely affected.
Pricing for CTO is subject to particular pricing pressures by reason of limited supply and competing demands for end use, and we may be limited in our ability to pass on increased costs to our customers.
Pricing for CTO (which accounts for approximately 17% of all of our cost of goods sold for 2015 and 41% of our raw materials for 2015) is subject to particular pricing pressures by reasons of the limited supply elasticity of the product and competing demands for its use, all of which drive pressure on price:

CTO is a product of the kraft pulping process, and the global supply of CTO is inherently constrained by the volume of kraft pulping processing (see “Business — Raw Materials and Energy”);

CTO can be burned as alternative fuels, either in support of the originating pulp mill operations, by energy companies or biofuel companies; and

Regulations or other incentives to mandate or encourage the consumption of biofuels as alternatives, including CTO.
We may not have the ability to pass through any increases in our cost of CTO to our customers in the form of price increases or other adjustments, with a resulting material adverse effect on our results of operations. Additionally, we may be placed at a competitive disadvantage relative to our competitors who rely on different primary raw materials or who have more favorable terms with their suppliers.
We are also dependent on other raw materials, and these are also subject to pricing pressures; lack of access to these raw materials and inability to pass on price increases could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.
The company is dependent on other raw materials, including sawdust, phosphoric acid, ethyleneamines and lignin. Raw material costs are a significant operating expense of the company. The cost of raw materials can be volatile and subject to increases as a result of, among other things, changing economic conditions, political or policy considerations, supply and demand levels, instability in energy producing nations, and natural events such as extreme weather events or even insect infestations. Any interruption in the supply of the raw materials on which we depend, and any increases on the cost of raw materials that we are not able to pass on to customers in the form of price increases or other adjustments, may materially impact our financial condition and results of operations.
A prolonged period of low energy prices may materially impact our results of operations.
The price of energy may directly or indirectly impact demand, pricing or the profitability for certain Ingevity products. As petroleum oil prices fall or change rapidly, Ingevity products may be disadvantaged due to the fact that CTO and black liquor soap skimmings (“BLSS”) are thinly traded commodities with pricing commonly established for periods ranging from one quarter to one year periods of time. Due to this,
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alternative technologies which compete with product offerings provided by Ingevity may be advantaged from time to time in the market place. Protracted periods of high volatility or sustained oversupply of petroleum oil may also translate into increased competition from petroleum-based alternatives which would otherwise be consumed in petroleum transportation fuel blends. In addition, pricing for competing naturally derived oils such as palm or soybean is likely to provide further pressure on pricing of the company’s products during periods of depressed petroleum prices. See also “Risk Factors — Pricing for CTO is subject to particular pricing pressures by reason of limited supply and competing demands for end use, and we may be limited in our ability to pass on increased costs to our customers.”
We face competition from producers of substitute products.
The company faces competition from a number of products that are potential substitutes for our products. In particular, hydrocarbon and gum rosin-based products compete with TOR-based resins in the adhesives and inks markets. The price of gum rosin has a significant impact on the market price for TOR and rosin derivatives and the price of gum rosin is driven by labor rates, land leasing costs and various other factors that are not within our control. Animal and vegetable-based fatty acids compete with TOFA products in lubricant and industrial specialties. The market price for TOFA products is impacted by the prices of other fats and oils and the prices for other fats and oils is driven by actual and expected harvest rates, crude oil prices and the biofuel market.
Disruptions at any of our manufacturing facilities or within our supply chain could negatively impact our production.
An operational disruption in any of our facilities could negatively impact production and our financial results. The occurrence of a natural disaster, such as a hurricane, tropical storm, earthquake, tornado, severe weather, flood, fire or other unanticipated problems such as labor difficulties, equipment failure or unscheduled maintenance could cause operational disruptions of varied duration. These types of disruptions could materially adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations to varying degrees dependent upon the facility, the duration of the disruption, our ability to shift business to another facility or find alternative sources of materials or energy. Any losses due to these events may not be covered by our existing insurance policies or may be subject to certain deductibles.
We could be similarly adversely affected by disruptions within our supply chain and transportation network. Our products are transported by truck, rail, barge or ship by third-party providers. The costs of transporting our products could be negatively affected by factors outside of our control, including rail service interruptions or rate increases, tariffs, rising fuel costs and capacity constraints. Significant delays or increased costs affecting these transportation methods could materially affect our financial condition and results of operations. Disruptions at our suppliers could lead to short term or longer rises in raw material or energy costs and/or reduced availability of materials or energy, potentially affecting financial condition and results of operations.
We are dependent upon third parties for the provision of certain critical operating services at several of our facilities.
We are dependent upon third parties for the provision of certain critical operating services at our Wickliffe, Kentucky and Covington, Virginia carbon facilities and at our Charleston, South Carolina performance chemicals facility.
We are dependent on the WestRock Covington, Virginia paper mill for the provision of electricity, water, compressed air, steam and wastewater treatment to our Covington carbon facility and we are similarly dependent on the KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation (“KapStone”) North Charleston, South Carolina paper mill for the provision of water, compressed air, steam and wastewater treatment at our North Charleston performance chemicals facility. We have existing long term contractual arrangements covering these services for our North Charleston facility and will enter into new long term contractual arrangements on arms’ length commercial terms for our Covington facility. The provision of these services would be at risk if any of the counterparties were to idle or permanently shut down the associated mill, or if operations at the associated mill were disrupted due to natural or other disaster, or by reason of strikes or other labor disruptions, or if there were a significant contractual dispute between the parties.
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In the event that WestRock or KapStone were to fail to provide the contracted services, we would be required to obtain these services from other third parties at an increased cost or to expend capital to provide these services ourselves. The expenses associated with obtaining or providing these services, as well as any interruption in our operations as a result of the failure of the counterparty to provide these services, may be significant and may adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.
Furthermore, in the event that the WestRock Covington, Virginia paper mill wastewater treatment operations do not comply with permits or applicable law and WestRock is unable to determine the cause of such compliance, then we will be responsible for between 10 – 50% of the costs and expenses of such noncompliance (increasing in 10% increments per violation during each twelve (12) month period) despite representing less than 3% of the total wastewater volume. These costs and expenses may be significant and may adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.
Additionally, our Covington carbon facility is located on real property leased from WestRock pursuant to a long-term lease agreement, and is surrounded by the WestRock paper mill, and a portion of our North Charleston performance chemicals facility is located on real property leased from KapStone and is adjacent to the KapStone paper mill. In the event we were to have a dispute with WestRock or KapStone regarding the terms of our lease agreement, or we were otherwise unable to fully access or utilize the leased property, the associated business disruption may be significant and may adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.
We are also dependent on third parties for the disposal of brine, which results from our own conversion of BLSS into CTO. If these service providers do not perform under their contracts, the costs of disposing of brine ourselves, including, for example, the transportation costs, could be significant.
Work stoppages and other labor relations matters may have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
A number of our employees are governed by collective bargaining agreements (“CBAs)”. From time to time the company engages in negotiations to renew CBA’s as those contracts are scheduled to expire. While the company has generally positive relations with its labor unions, there is no guarantee the Company will be able to successfully negotiate new union contracts without work stoppages, labor difficulties or unfavorable terms. If we were to experience any extended interruption of operations at any of our facilities as a result of strikes or other work stoppages, our results of operations and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected. In addition, due to the co-location of our Covington, Virginia and North Charleston, South Carolina facilities within the WestRock and KapStone facilities, a strike or work stoppage at either of those facilities could cause disruptions at our facilities, and our results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.
The collective bargaining agreement with the Covington Papers Union (“CPU”) covering certain employees in the company’s Covington, Virginia facility also covers certain employees of the WestRock Company paper mill. Similarly, the collective bargaining agreement with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (“IBEW”) also covers employees at both facilities. The CPU agreement is scheduled to expire in December 2016 and the IBEW agreement is scheduled to expire in January 2017.
Our business involves hazards associated with chemical manufacturing, storage, transportation and disposal.
There are hazards associated with the chemicals we manufacture and the related storage and transportation of our raw materials, including common solvents, such as toluene and methanol, and reactive chemicals, such as acrylic acid, all of which fall under the OSHA Process Safety Management Code. These hazards could lead to an interruption or suspension of operations and have an adverse effect on the productivity and profitability of a particular manufacturing facility or on us as a whole. While we endeavor to provide adequate protection for the safe handling of these materials, issues could be created by various events, including natural disasters, severe weather events, acts of sabotage and performance by third parties, and as a result we could face the following potential hazards: piping and storage tank leaks and ruptures; mechanical failure; employee exposure to hazardous substances; and chemical spills and other discharges or releases of toxic or hazardous substances or gases.
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These hazards may cause personal injury and loss of life, damage to property and contamination of the environment, which could lead to government fines, work stoppage injunctions, lawsuits by injured persons, damage to our public reputation and brand and diminished product acceptance. If such actions are determined adversely to us or there is an associated economic impact to our business, we may have inadequate insurance or cash flow to offset any associated costs. Such outcomes could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.
Regulation of exposure to certain process chemicals could require expenditures or changes to our product formulations.
Certain regulations applicable to our operations, including the Occupational Safety and Health Act and the Toxic Substances Control Act in the United States and the Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals, or REACH, directive in Europe, prescribe limits restricting exposure to a number of chemicals used in our operations, including formaldehyde and nonylphenol, a raw material used in the manufacture of phenolic ink resins. Future studies on the health effects of chemicals used in our operations, including nonylphenol and bisphenol A, which is used in our TOR-based ink resins, may result in additional regulation or new requirements in the United States, Europe and elsewhere, which might further restrict or prohibit the use of, and exposure to, these chemicals. Additional regulation of or requirements for these or other chemicals could require us to change our operations, and these changes could affect the quality or types of products we manufacture and/or materially increase our costs.
The company’s operations are subject to a wide range of general and industry specific environmental laws and regulations.
The company’s operations are subject to a wide range of general and industry-specific environmental laws and regulations, including for example related to bisphenol A, formaldehyde and air emissions. Changes in environmental laws and regulations, or their application, could subject the company to significant additional capital expenditures and operating expenses in future years. However, any such changes are uncertain and, therefore, it is not possible for the company to predict with certainty the amount of additional capital expenditures or operating expenses that could be necessary for compliance with respect to any such changes.
We are subject to cyber-security risks related to our intellectual property and certain other data.
We use information technologies to retain certain of our intellectual property, as well as to securely manage operations and various business functions. Our systems are potentially subject to attempts by third parties to access information or to disrupt our systems. Despite our security design and controls, and those of our third party providers, we could become subject to cyber-attacks which could result in operational disruptions or the misappropriation of sensitive data. There can be no assurance that such disruptions or misappropriations and the resulting repercussions will not be material to our financial condition or results of operations.
We are dependent on certain customers.
We have certain large customers in particular businesses, the loss of which could have a material adverse effect on the segment’s sales and, depending on the significance of the loss, our results of operations, financial condition or cash flows. Sales to the company’s ten largest customers (across both segments) accounted for 37% of total sales for 2015. One customer, the Flint Group, accounted for more than 10% of total sales for 2015, with no other customer accounting for more than 6% of total sales. With some exceptions, our business with those large customers is based primarily upon individual purchase orders. As such, our customers could cease buying our products from us at any time, for any reason, with little or no recourse. If a major customer or multiple smaller customers elected not to purchase products from us, our business prospects, financial condition and results of operations would be materially adversely affected.
The inability to make or effectively integrate future acquisitions may affect our results.
As part of our growth strategy, we may pursue acquisitions of complementary businesses and product lines or invest in joint ventures. The ability to grow through acquisitions or other investments depends upon
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our ability to identify, negotiate, complete and integrate suitable acquisitions or joint venture arrangements. If we fail to successfully integrate acquisitions into our existing business, our financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.
Risks Related to the Separation
The combined post-separation value of WestRock and Ingevity shares may not equal or exceed the pre-separation value of WestRock common shares.
As a result of the distribution, WestRock expects the trading price of WestRock common shares immediately following the distribution to be lower than the “regular-way” trading price of such shares immediately prior to the distribution because the trading price will no longer reflect the full value of the specialty chemicals business. There can be no assurance that the aggregate market value of the WestRock common shares and the Ingevity common stock following the separation will be higher or lower than the market value of WestRock common shares would have been if the separation did not occur.
Ingevity has no history of operating as an independent company, and Ingevity’s historical and pro forma financial information is not necessarily representative of the results that it would have achieved as a separate, publicly traded company and may not be a reliable indicator of its future results.
The historical information about Ingevity in this information statement refers to Ingevity’s business as operated by and integrated with WestRock. Ingevity’s historical and pro forma financial information included in this information statement is derived from the consolidated financial statements and accounting records of WestRock. Accordingly, the historical and pro forma financial information included in this information statement does not necessarily reflect the financial condition, results of operations or cash flows that Ingevity would have achieved as a separate, publicly traded company during the periods presented or those that Ingevity will achieve in the future, including as a result of the factors described below:

Prior to the separation, Ingevity’s business has been operated by WestRock as part of its broader corporate organization, rather than as an independent company. WestRock or one of its affiliates performed various corporate functions for Ingevity, such as information technology, legal, treasury, accounting, auditing, human resources, public affairs and finance. Ingevity’s historical and pro forma financial results reflect allocations of corporate expenses from WestRock for such functions and could be less than the expenses Ingevity would have incurred had it operated as a separate publicly traded company.

Currently, Ingevity’s business is integrated with the other businesses of WestRock. Historically, Ingevity has shared economies of scope and scale in costs, employees, vendor relationships and customer relationships. Although Ingevity will enter into transition agreements with WestRock, these arrangements may not fully capture the benefits that Ingevity has enjoyed as a result of being integrated with WestRock and may result in Ingevity paying higher charges than in the past for these services. This could have an adverse effect on Ingevity’s results of operations and financial condition following the completion of the separation.

Generally, Ingevity’s working capital requirements and capital for its general corporate purposes, including acquisitions and capital expenditures, have historically been satisfied as part of the corporate-wide cash management policies of WestRock. Following the completion of the separation, Ingevity may need to obtain additional financing from banks, through public offerings or private placements of debt or equity securities, strategic relationships or other arrangements, which may or may not be available and may be more costly.

After the completion of the separation, the cost of capital for Ingevity’s business may be higher than WestRock’s cost of capital prior to the separation.

Ingevity’s historical financial information does not reflect the debt that it will incur as part of the separation.
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Other significant changes may occur in Ingevity’s cost structure, management, financing and business operations as a result of operating as a company separate from WestRock. For additional information about the past financial performance of Ingevity’s business and the basis of presentation of the historical combined financial statements and the unaudited pro forma combined financial statements of Ingevity’s business, see “Unaudited Pro Forma Combined Financial Statements,” “Selected Historical Combined Financial Information of Ingevity” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of Ingevity” and the historical financial statements and accompanying notes included elsewhere in this information statement.
There could be significant liability if the separation, distribution and/or certain related transactions are determined to be taxable.
WestRock received a private letter ruling from the IRS on January 4, 2016, regarding certain U.S. federal income tax matters relating to the separation, distribution and certain related transactions. Conditions to the distribution include that (i) the private letter ruling received from the IRS regarding certain U.S. federal income tax matters relating to the separation, distribution and certain related transactions shall not have been modified or revoked, and (ii) WestRock shall have received opinions from its outside tax advisors regarding the qualification of the distribution, together with certain related transactions, as a transaction that is tax-free for U.S. federal income tax purposes under Sections 355 and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code. The private letter ruling and opinions will be based on and will rely on, among other things, certain facts, assumptions, representations, statements and undertakings from WestRock and Ingevity regarding the past and future conduct of the companies’ respective businesses and other matters. If any of these facts, assumptions, statements, representations or undertakings is, or becomes, inaccurate or incomplete, or if WestRock or Ingevity breaches any of its respective covenants in the separation documents, the IRS private letter ruling and/or the opinion of counsel may be invalid and the conclusions reached therein could be jeopardized.
Notwithstanding the IRS private letter ruling and the opinion of counsel, the IRS could determine that the separation should be treated as a taxable transaction if it determines that any of these representations, assumptions or undertakings upon which such IRS private letter ruling or opinion was based are incorrect or have been violated or if it disagrees with the conclusions in the opinion of counsel. The IRS private letter ruling does not address all of the issues that are relevant to determining whether the separation, distribution and certain related transactions will be generally tax-free for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and any opinion of outside counsel or other external tax advisor represents the judgment of such counsel or advisor, which is not binding on the IRS or any court. Accordingly, notwithstanding receipt of the IRS private letter ruling and the tax opinions referred to above, there can be no assurance that the IRS will not assert that the separation, distribution and/or certain related transactions do not qualify for tax-free treatment for U.S. federal income tax purposes or that a court would not sustain such a challenge.
If the distribution and/or certain related transactions failed to qualify as a transaction that is generally tax-free under Sections 368(a)(1)(D) and 355 of the Code, in general, WestRock would recognize taxable gain as if it had sold the Ingevity common stock in a taxable sale for its fair market value, WestRock stockholders who receive Ingevity common stock in the distribution would be subject to tax as if they had received a taxable distribution equal to the fair market value of such shares and we could incur significant liabilities. For more information, please refer to “Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Distribution.”
Ingevity may not be able to engage in certain corporate actions after the separation.
To preserve the tax-free treatment to WestRock of the separation and the distribution, under the tax matters agreement that Ingevity will enter into with WestRock, Ingevity and its subsidiaries will be restricted from taking or failing to take any action that prevents the distribution and/or certain related transactions from being tax-free for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Under the tax matters agreement, prior to or on the 25-month anniversary of the distribution date, Ingevity will be prohibited, except in certain circumstances, from:

entering into any transaction resulting in the acquisition of 50% or more of its stock (by vote or value, taking into account the stock indirectly acquired by Rock-Tenn stockholders in the Merger) or a substantial portion of its assets, whether by merger or otherwise;
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merging, consolidating, dissolving or liquidating, or permitting any of its subsidiaries to merge, consolidate, dissolve or liquidate;

issuing equity securities beyond certain thresholds;

taking any action affecting the relative voting rights of Ingevity stock;

redeeming or repurchasing its capital stock beyond certain thresholds; and

ceasing to actively conduct certain businesses.
These restrictions may limit Ingevity’s ability to pursue certain strategic transactions or other transactions that it may believe to be in the best interests of its stockholders or that might increase the value of its business. In addition, under the tax matters agreement, Ingevity will be required to indemnify WestRock against any of WestRock’s tax liabilities as a result of the acquisition of Ingevity’s stock or assets, even if Ingevity did not participate in or otherwise facilitate the acquisition. For more information, see “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions — The Tax Matters Agreement.”
Until the separation occurs, the terms of the separation may be changed in ways which may be unfavorable to Ingevity.
Until the separation occurs, Ingevity will be a wholly owned subsidiary of WestRock. Accordingly, WestRock will effectively have the sole and absolute discretion to determine and change the terms of the separation, including the establishment of the record date for the distribution and the distribution date. These changes could be unfavorable to Ingevity.
Ingevity may not achieve some or all of the expected benefits of the separation, and the separation may adversely affect Ingevity’s business.
Ingevity may not be able to achieve the full strategic and financial benefits expected to result from the separation, or such benefits may be delayed or not occur at all. The separation and distribution are expected to provide the following benefits, among others:

enhanced strategic and management focus;

more efficient allocation of capital;

direct access to capital markets; and

alignment of incentives with performance objectives.
Ingevity may not achieve these and other anticipated benefits for a variety of reasons, including, among others: (a) the separation will require significant amounts of management’s time and effort, which may divert management’s attention from operating and growing Ingevity’s business; (b) following the separation, Ingevity may be more susceptible to market fluctuations and other adverse events than if it were still a part of WestRock; (c) following the separation, Ingevity’s business will be less diversified than WestRock’s business prior to the separation; and (d) the other actions required to separate WestRock’s and Ingevity’s respective businesses could disrupt Ingevity’s operations. If Ingevity fails to achieve some or all of the benefits expected to result from the separation, or if such benefits are delayed, the business, financial conditions and results of operations of Ingevity could be adversely affected.
Ingevity will be dependent upon WestRock for the performance of obligations under various critical agreements that will be executed as part of the separation.
In connection with the separation, Ingevity and WestRock will enter into a separation and distribution agreement and will also enter into various other agreements, including a transition services agreement, a tax matters agreement, and an employee matters agreement. These transaction agreements will determine the allocation of assets and liabilities between the companies following the separation for those respective areas, will include any necessary indemnifications related to liabilities and obligations and will provide for certain important services to be performed between the companies. Ingevity will rely on WestRock to satisfy its performance and payment obligations under these agreements. If WestRock is unable or unwilling to satisfy its obligations under these agreements, including its indemnification obligations, Ingevity could incur
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operational difficulties or losses. If Ingevity does not have in place its own systems and services, or if Ingevity does not have agreements with other providers of these services once the transition services agreement expires, Ingevity may not be able to operate its business effectively and its profitability may decline. Ingevity is in the process of creating its own, or engaging third parties to provide, systems and services to replace many of the systems and services that WestRock currently provides to Ingevity. However, Ingevity may not be successful in implementing these systems and services or in transitioning data from WestRock’s systems to Ingevity. For more information, please see “Risk Factors — Our Performance Chemicals segment is highly dependent on CTO which is limited in supply; lack of access to sufficient CTO would impact our ability to produce CTO-based products” and “Risk Factors — We are dependent upon third parties for the provision of certain critical operating services at several of our facilities.”
Challenges in the commercial and credit environments may materially adversely affect Ingevity’s ability to complete the separation and Ingevity’s future access to capital.
Ingevity’s ability to issue debt or enter into other financing arrangements on acceptable terms could be materially adversely affected if there is a material decline in the demand for Ingevity’s products or in the solvency of its customers or suppliers or if other significantly unfavorable changes in economic conditions occur. Volatility in the world financial markets could increase borrowing costs or affect Ingevity’s ability to gain access to the capital markets, which could have a material adverse effect on Ingevity’s competitive position, business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Our accounting and other management systems and resources may not be adequately prepared to meet the financial reporting and other requirements to which we will be subject following the distribution.
Our financial results previously were included within the consolidated results of WestRock, and our reporting and control systems were appropriate for those of subsidiaries of a public company. Prior to the distribution, we were not directly subject to reporting and other requirements of the Exchange Act and Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Following the distribution, we are subject to such reporting and other requirements, which require, among other things, annual management assessments of the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting and a report by our independent registered public accounting firm addressing these assessments. These and other obligations place significant demands on our management, administrative and operational resources, including accounting and IT resources.
To comply with these requirements, we have upgraded and continue to upgrade our systems, including computer hardware infrastructure, implementation of additional financial and management controls, reporting systems and procedures, and we continue to hire additional accounting, finance and IT staff. If we are unable to upgrade our financial and management controls, reporting systems, IT and procedures in a timely and effective fashion, our ability to comply with our financial reporting requirements and other rules that apply to reporting companies could be impaired. Any failure to achieve and maintain effective internal controls could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Risks Relating to Ingevity’s Common Stock
Ingevity cannot be certain that an active trading market for its common stock will develop or be sustained after the separation, and following the separation, Ingevity’s stock price may fluctuate significantly.
A public market for Ingevity common stock does not currently exist. Ingevity anticipates that on or prior to the record date for the distribution, trading of shares of its common stock will begin on a “when-issued” basis and will continue through the distribution date. However, Ingevity cannot guarantee that an active trading market will develop or be sustained for its common stock after the separation, nor can Ingevity predict the prices at which shares of its common stock may trade after the separation. Similarly, Ingevity cannot predict the effect of the separation on the trading prices of its common stock or whether the combined market value of the shares of Ingevity common stock and the WestRock common shares will be less than, equal to or greater than the market value of WestRock common shares prior to the separation.
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The market price of Ingevity common stock may fluctuate significantly due to a number of factors, some of which may be beyond Ingevity’s control, including:

actual or anticipated fluctuations in Ingevity’s operating results;

changes in earnings estimated by securities analysts or Ingevity’s ability to meet those estimates;

the operating and stock price performance of comparable companies;

changes to the regulatory and legal environment under which Ingevity operates; and

domestic and worldwide economic conditions.
We cannot guarantee the timing, amount or payment of any dividends on our common stock in the future.
The payment and amount of any dividend will be subject to the sole discretion of our post-distribution, independent board of directors and will depend upon many factors, including our financial condition and prospects, our capital requirements and access to capital markets, covenants associated with certain of our debt obligations, legal requirements and other factors that our board of directors may deem relevant, and there can be no assurances that we will pay a dividend. For more information, see the section entitled “Dividend Policy.”
Your percentage of ownership in Ingevity may be diluted in the future.
In the future, your percentage ownership in Ingevity may be diluted because of equity issuances for acquisitions, capital market transactions or otherwise, including equity awards that Ingevity will be granting to Ingevity’s directors, officers and certain employees. Certain of Ingevity’s employees will have options to purchase shares of its common stock after the distribution as a result of conversion of their WestRock stock options (in whole or in part) to Ingevity stock options. Ingevity anticipates its compensation committee will grant additional stock options or other stock-based awards to certain employees after the distribution. Such awards will have a dilutive effect on Ingevity’s earnings per share, which could adversely affect the market price of Ingevity’s common stock. From time to time, Ingevity will issue additional options or other stock-based awards to certain employees under Ingevity’s employee benefits plans.
In addition, Ingevity’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation will authorize Ingevity to issue, without the approval of Ingevity’s stockholders, one or more classes or series of preferred stock having such designation, powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights, including preferences over Ingevity’s common stock respecting dividends and distributions, as Ingevity’s board of directors generally may determine. The terms of one or more classes or series of preferred stock could dilute the voting power or reduce the value of Ingevity’s common stock. For example, Ingevity could grant the holders of preferred stock the right to elect some number of Ingevity’s directors in all events or on the happening of specified events or the right to veto specified transactions. Similarly, the repurchase or redemption rights or liquidation preferences Ingevity could assign to holders of preferred stock could affect the residual value of the common stock. For more information, see the section entitled “Description of Capital Stock.”
Certain provisions in Ingevity’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws, and of Delaware law, may prevent or delay an acquisition of Ingevity, which could depress the trading price of Ingevity’s common stock.
Ingevity’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws will contain, and Delaware law contains, provisions that are intended to deter coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids by making such practices or bids unacceptably expensive to the bidder and to encourage prospective acquirers to negotiate with Ingevity’s board of directors rather than to attempt a hostile takeover. These provisions include, among others:

the inability of Ingevity’s stockholders to act by written consent;

rules regarding how stockholders may present proposals or nominate directors for election at stockholder meetings;
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the right of Ingevity’s board to issue preferred stock without stockholder approval;

the ability of Ingevity’s remaining directors to fill vacancies on Ingevity’s board of directors;

the division of Ingevity’s board of directors into three classes of directors, which classification will terminate beginning at the company’s 2019 annual meeting;

the inability of Ingevity’s stockholders to remove directors other than for cause while the board is classified; and

the requirement that the affirmative vote of holders of at least 75% of Ingevity’s outstanding voting stock is required to amend certain provisions of Ingevity’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws.
In addition, because Ingevity has not chosen to be exempt from Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”), this provision could also delay or prevent a change of control that you may favor. Section 203 provides that, subject to limited exceptions, persons that acquire, or are affiliated with persons that acquire, more than 15% of the outstanding voting stock of a Delaware corporation shall not engage in any business combination with that corporation, including by merger, consolidation or acquisitions of additional shares, for a three-year period following the date on which that person or its affiliates becomes the holder of more than 15% of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock.
Ingevity believes these provisions will protect its stockholders from coercive or otherwise unfair takeover tactics by requiring potential acquirers to negotiate with Ingevity’s board of directors and by providing Ingevity’s board of directors with more time to assess any acquisition proposal. These provisions are not intended to make Ingevity immune from takeovers. However, these provisions will apply even if the offer may be considered beneficial by some stockholders and could delay or prevent an acquisition that Ingevity’s board of directors determines is not in the best interests of Ingevity and Ingevity’s stockholders. These provisions may also prevent or discourage attempts to remove and replace incumbent directors.
In addition, an acquisition or further issuance of Ingevity’s stock could trigger the application of Section 355(e) of the Code. For a discussion of Section 355(e), see “Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Distribution.” Under the tax matters agreement, Ingevity would be required to indemnify WestRock for the resulting tax, and this indemnity obligation might discourage, delay or prevent a change of control that you may consider favorable. For more information, see “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions — The Tax Matters Agreement.”
Ingevity’s amended and restated bylaws will designate the state courts within the State of Delaware as the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by Ingevity’s stockholders, which could discourage lawsuits against Ingevity and Ingevity’s directors and officers.
Ingevity’s amended and restated bylaws will provide that unless the board of directors otherwise determines, a state court within the State of Delaware will be the sole and exclusive forum for any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of Ingevity, any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director of officer of Ingevity to Ingevity or Ingevity’s stockholders, creditors or other constituents, any action asserting a claim against Ingevity or any director or officer of Ingevity arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, or Ingevity’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation or bylaws, or any action asserting a claim against Ingevity or any director or officer of Ingevity governed by the internal affairs doctrine. However, if no state court located within the State of Delaware has jurisdiction, the action may be brought in the federal district court for the District of Delaware. Although Ingevity’s amended and restated bylaws will include this exclusive forum provision, it is possible that a court could rule that this provision is inapplicable or unenforceable. This exclusive forum provision may limit the ability of Ingevity’s stockholders to bring a claim in a judicial forum that such stockholders find favorable for disputes with Ingevity or Ingevity’s directors or officers, which may discourage such lawsuits against Ingevity and Ingevity’s directors and officers. Alternatively, if a court were to find this exclusive forum provision inapplicable to, or unenforceable in respect of, one or more of the specified types of actions or proceedings described above, Ingevity may incur additional costs associated with resolving such matters in other jurisdictions, which could adversely affect Ingevity’s business, financial condition or results of operations.
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CAUTIONARY STATEMENT FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE “SAFE HARBOR”
PROVISIONS OF THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION
REFORM ACT OF 1995
Certain statements in this information statement and other materials WestRock or Ingevity have filed or will file with the SEC and made elsewhere by management contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that reflect our current expectations, beliefs, plans or forecasts with respect to, among other things, future events and financial performance. Forward-looking statements are often characterized by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “target,” “prospects,” “potential” and “forecast,” and other words, terms and phrases of similar meaning. Forward-looking statements involve estimates, expectations, projections, goals, forecasts, assumptions, risks and uncertainties. We caution readers that a forward-looking statement is not a guarantee of future performance and that actual results could differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statement. In addition to any such risks, uncertainties and other factors discussed elsewhere herein, risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause or contribute to actual results differing materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to:

the results and impacts of the merger of MeadWestvaco and Rock-Tenn;

we may be adversely affected by general economic and financial conditions beyond our control;

we are exposed to risks related to our international sales and operations;

our reported results could be adversely affected by currency exchange rates and currency devaluation could impair our competitiveness;

our operations outside the United States require us to comply with a number of U.S. and foreign regulations, violations of which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations;

we are dependent upon attracting and retaining key personnel;

adverse conditions in the automotive market may adversely affect demand for our automotive carbon products;

if increasingly more stringent air quality standards worldwide are not adopted, our growth could be impacted;

the company’s printing inks business serves customers in a market that is facing declining volumes;

our Performance Chemicals segment is highly dependent on CTO which is limited in supply;

lack of access to sufficient CTO would impact our ability to produce CTO-based products;

a prolonged period of low energy prices may materially impact our results of operations;

we are dependent upon third parties for the provision of certain critical operating services at several of our facilities;

the occurrence of a natural disaster, such as a hurricane, winter or tropical storm, earthquake, tornado, flood, fire or other unanticipated problems such as labor difficulties, equipment failure or unscheduled maintenance and repair, which could result in operational disruptions of varied duration;

our ability to protect our intellectual property and other proprietary information;

government policies and regulations, including, but not limited, to those affecting the environment, climate change, tax policies and the chemicals industry; and

losses due to lawsuits arising out of environmental damage or personal injuries associated with chemical manufacturing.
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THE SEPARATION
Background
On January 8, 2015, MWV announced that it intended to separate its specialty chemicals business through a pro rata distribution of common stock to its stockholders. Prior to the separation, but following the announcement of the separation, MWV entered into an Amended and Restated Business Combination Agreement, dated March 9, 2015, with Rock-Tenn Company whereby Rock-Tenn and MWV agreed to become wholly owned subsidiaries of a newly formed company, WestRock Company (the “Merger”). The Merger was completed on July 1, 2015. Upon the completion of the Merger, WestRock announced its continued plans to pursue the separation.
On [•], 2016, the WestRock board of directors approved the distribution of all of the issued and outstanding shares of Ingevity common stock on the basis of  [•] shares of Ingevity common stock for every [•] shares of WestRock held as of the close of business on the record date of  [•].
At [•] Eastern Time, on [•], 2016, the distribution date, each WestRock stockholder will receive [•] shares of Ingevity common stock for every [•] shares of WestRock held as of the close of business on the record date for the distribution, as described below. WestRock stockholders will receive cash in lieu of any fractional shares of Ingevity common stock that they would have received after application of this ratio. You will not be required to make any payment, surrender or exchange your WestRock common shares or take any other action to receive your shares of Ingevity’s common stock in the distribution. The distribution of Ingevity’s common stock as described in this information statement is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of certain conditions. For a more detailed description of these conditions, see “The Separation — Conditions to the Distribution.”
Reasons for the Separation
The WestRock board of directors believes that the separation of WestRock’s specialty chemicals business would be in the best interests of WestRock and its stockholders for a number of reasons, including the following:

Enhanced strategic and management focus.    The separation will allow Ingevity and WestRock to each more effectively pursue their distinct operating priorities and strategies and enable management of both companies to better focus on unique opportunities for long-term growth and profitability.

More efficient allocation of capital.    The separation will permit Ingevity and WestRock to each concentrate financial resources on its own operations, providing greater flexibility to invest capital in its businesses in a time and manner appropriate for its strategy and business needs and facilitate a more efficient allocation of capital.

Direct access to capital markets.    The separation will create an independent equity structure that will afford Ingevity direct access to the capital markets and will facilitate Ingevity’s ability to effect future acquisitions utilizing Ingevity’s common stock. As a result, each company will have more flexibility to capitalize on its unique growth opportunities and objectives.

Alignment of incentives with performance objectives.    The separation will facilitate incentive compensation arrangements for employees more directly tied to the performance of each of Ingevity’s and WestRock’s respective businesses, and enhance employee hiring and retention by, among other things, improving the alignment of management and employee incentives with performance and growth objectives.
Neither Ingevity nor WestRock can assure you that, following the separation, any of the benefits described above or otherwise will be realized to the extent anticipated or at all.
Potentially Negative Factors Considered by the Board
The WestRock board of directors also considered a number of potentially negative factors in evaluating the separation, including the loss of synergies and joint purchasing power and increased costs resulting from operating as a separate public entity, one-time costs of the separation, the risk of not
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realizing the anticipated benefits of the separation and limitations placed upon Ingevity as a result of any tax matters agreement. The WestRock board of directors concluded that the potential benefits of the separation outweighed these factors.
Internal Reorganization
Prior to the distribution, WestRock will complete an internal corporate reorganization to transfer to Ingevity the businesses and assets that are part of its specialty chemicals business that are not already owned by Ingevity to Ingevity.
The Number of Shares You Will Receive
At [•] Eastern Time, on [•], 2016, the distribution date, each WestRock stockholder will receive [•] shares of Ingevity common stock for every [•] shares of WestRock held as of the close of business of NYSE on [•], 2016, the record date.
Treatment of Fractional Shares
WestRock will not distribute any fractional shares of Ingevity common stock to its stockholders. Instead, as soon as practicable on or after the distribution date, the distribution agent will aggregate fractional shares of our common stock held by holders of record into whole shares, sell them in the open market at the prevailing market prices and then distribute the aggregate sale proceeds ratably to WestRock stockholders who would otherwise have received fractional shares of our common stock. The amount of this payment will depend on the prices at which the distribution agent sells the aggregated fractional shares of our common stock in the open market shortly after the distribution date. The distribution agent will, in its sole discretion, without any influence by WestRock or Ingevity, determine when, how, through which broker-dealer and at what price to sell the whole shares. The distribution agent is not, and any broker-dealer used by the distribution agent will not be, an affiliate of either WestRock or Ingevity. Ingevity will be responsible for payment of any brokerage fees, which we do not expect to be material to us. Your receipt of cash in lieu of fractional shares of our common stock generally will result in a taxable gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as described in more detail under “Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Distribution.”
When and How You Will Receive the Dividend
With the assistance of WFSS, WestRock expects to distribute Ingevity common stock on [•], 2016, the distribution date, to all holders of outstanding WestRock common shares as of the close of business on [•], 2016, the record date. WFSS, which currently serves as the transfer agent and registrar for WestRock’s common shares, will serve as the settlement and distribution agent in connection with the distribution and the transfer agent and registrar for Ingevity common stock.
If you own WestRock common shares as of the close of business on the record date, Ingevity’s common stock that you are entitled to receive in the distribution will be issued electronically, as of the distribution date, to you in direct registration form or to your bank or brokerage firm on your behalf. If you are a registered holder, WFSS will then mail you a direct registration account statement that reflects your shares of Ingevity common stock. If you hold your shares through a bank or brokerage firm, your bank or brokerage firm will credit your account for the shares. “Direct registration form” refers to a method of recording share ownership when no physical share certificates are issued to stockholders, as is the case in this distribution. If you sell WestRock common shares in the “regular-way” market up to and including the distribution date, you will be selling your right to receive shares of Ingevity common stock in the distribution.
Commencing on or shortly after the distribution date, if you hold physical share certificates that represent your WestRock common shares and you are the registered holder of the shares represented by those certificates, the distribution agent will mail to you an account statement that indicates the number of shares of Ingevity’s common stock that have been registered in book-entry form in your name.
Most WestRock stockholders hold their common shares through a bank or brokerage firm. In such cases, the bank or brokerage firm would be said to hold the shares in “street name” and ownership would be recorded on the bank or brokerage firm’s books. If you hold your WestRock common stock through a
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bank or brokerage firm, your bank or brokerage firm will credit your account for the Ingevity common stock that you are entitled to receive in the distribution. If you have any questions concerning the mechanics of having shares held in “street name,” please contact your bank or brokerage firm.
Results of the Distribution
After the separation, Ingevity will be an independent, publicly traded company. The actual number of shares to be distributed will be determined by WestRock at the close of business on [•], 2016, the record date for the distribution, and will reflect any exercise of WestRock options between the date the WestRock board of directors declares the distribution and the record date for the distribution. The distribution will not affect the number of outstanding WestRock common shares or any rights of WestRock stockholders. WestRock will not distribute any fractional shares of Ingevity common stock.
Ingevity will enter into a separation and distribution agreement and other related agreements with WestRock before the distribution to effect the separation and provide a framework for Ingevity’s relationship with WestRock after the separation. These agreements will provide for the allocation between WestRock and Ingevity of WestRock’s assets, liabilities and obligations (including employee benefits, intellectual property and tax-related assets and liabilities) attributable to periods prior to Ingevity’s separation from WestRock and will govern the relationship between WestRock and Ingevity after the separation. For a more detailed description of these agreements, see “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions.”
Market for Common Stock
There is currently no public trading market for Ingevity’s common stock. Ingevity has applied to list its common stock on the NYSE under the symbol “NGVT”. Ingevity has not and will not set the initial price of its common stock. The initial price will be established by the public markets. Ingevity cannot predict the price at which its common stock will trade after the distribution. In fact, the combined trading prices, after the separation, of the shares of Ingevity common stock that each WestRock stockholder will receive in the distribution and the WestRock common shares held at the record date for the distribution may not equal the “regular-way” trading price of a WestRock share immediately prior to the distribution. The price at which Ingevity common stock trades may fluctuate significantly, particularly until an orderly public market develops. Trading prices for Ingevity common stock will be determined in the public markets and may be influenced by many factors. See “Risk Factors — Risks Related to Ingevity’s Common Stock.”
Trading Between the Record Date and Distribution Date
Beginning on or shortly before the record date for the distribution and continuing up to and including through the distribution date, WestRock expects that there will be two markets in WestRock common shares: a “regular-way” market and an “ex-distribution” market. WestRock common shares that trade on the “regular-way” market will trade with an entitlement to Ingevity common shares distributed pursuant to the separation. WestRock common shares that trade on the “ex-distribution” market will trade without an entitlement to Ingevity common stock distributed pursuant to the distribution. Therefore, if you sell WestRock common shares in the “regular-way” market up to and including through the distribution date, you will be selling your right to receive Ingevity common stock in the distribution. If you own WestRock common shares at the close of business on the record date and sell those shares on the “ex-distribution” market up to and including through the distribution date, you will receive the shares of Ingevity common stock that you are entitled to receive pursuant to your ownership as of the record date of the WestRock common shares.
Furthermore, beginning on or shortly before the record date for the distribution and continuing up to and including the distribution date, Ingevity expects that there will be a “when-issued” market in its common stock. “When-issued” trading refers to a sale or purchase made conditionally because the security has been authorized but not yet issued. The “when-issued” trading market will be a market for Ingevity common stock that will be distributed to holders of WestRock common shares on the distribution date. If you owned WestRock common shares at the close of business on the record date for the distribution, you would be entitled to Ingevity common stock distributed pursuant to the distribution. You may trade this
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entitlement to shares of Ingevity common stock, without the WestRock common shares you own, on the “when-issued” market. On the first trading day following the distribution date, “when-issued” trading with respect to Ingevity common stock will end, and “regular-way” trading will begin.
Conditions to the Distribution
Ingevity has announced that the distribution will be effective at [•], Eastern time, on [•], which is the distribution date, provided that the following conditions shall have been satisfied (or waived by WestRock in its sole discretion):

the transfer of assets and liabilities from WestRock to Ingevity shall have been completed in accordance with the separation and distribution agreement;

(i) the private letter ruling received by WestRock from the IRS regarding certain U.S. federal income tax matters relating to the separation, distribution and certain related transactions shall not have been modified or revoked, and (ii) WestRock shall have received opinions from its outside tax advisors to the effect that the distribution, together with certain related transactions, will be generally tax-free for U.S. federal income tax purposes under Sections 355 and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code;

the SEC shall have declared effective Ingevity’s registration statement on Form 10, of which this information statement forms a part, and this information statement in its final form shall have been made available to the WestRock stockholders;

all actions and filings necessary or appropriate under applicable U.S. federal, U.S. state or other securities laws shall have been taken and, where applicable, have become effective or been accepted by the applicable governmental authority;

the transaction agreements relating to the separation shall have been duly executed and delivered by the parties;

no order, injunction or decree issued by any court of competent jurisdiction or other legal restraint or prohibition preventing the consummation of the separation, distribution or any of the related transactions shall be in effect;

the shares of Ingevity common stock to be distributed shall have been accepted for listing on with NYSE subject to official notice of distribution; and

certain other conditions to be identified in an amendment to this information statement.
WestRock will have the sole and absolute discretion to determine (and change) the terms of, and whether to proceed with, the distribution and, to the extent it determines to so proceed, to determine the record date for the distribution and the distribution date and the distribution ratio. WestRock will also have sole discretion to waive any of the conditions to the distribution. WestRock does not intend to notify its stockholders of any modifications to the terms of the separation that, in the judgment of its board of directors, are not material. For example, the WestRock board of directors might consider material such matters as significant changes to the distribution ratio, the assets to be contributed or the liabilities to be assumed in the separation. To the extent that the WestRock board of directors determines that any modifications by WestRock materially change the material terms of the distribution, WestRock will notify WestRock stockholders in a manner reasonably calculated to inform them about the modification as may be required by law, by, for example, publishing a press release, filing a current report on Form 8-K or circulating a supplement to this information statement.
Reason for Furnishing this Information Statement
This information statement is being furnished solely to provide information to WestRock’s stockholders that are entitled to receive shares of our common stock in the distribution. This information statement is not, and is not to be construed as, an inducement or encouragement to buy, hold or sell any of
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our securities. We believe that the information in this information statement is accurate as of the date set forth on the cover. Changes may occur after that date and neither WestRock nor we undertake any obligation to update the information except in the normal course of our respective public disclosure obligations.
Treatment of Equity Awards
We have not finalized the treatment of equity of awards held by WestRock employees and a description thereof will be included in an amendment to this information statement.
See “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions — The Employee Matters Agreement” for more information.
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DIVIDEND POLICY
The payment and amount of any dividend will be subject to the sole discretion of our post-distribution, independent board of directors and will depend upon many factors, including our financial condition and prospects, our capital requirements and access to capital markets, covenants associated with certain of our debt obligations, legal requirements and other factors that our board of directors may deem relevant, and there can be no assurances that we will pay a dividend or continue to pay a dividend in the future.
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CAPITALIZATION
The following table, which you should read in conjunction with “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of Ingevity,” “Unaudited Pro Forma Combined Financial Statements” and the historical combined financial statements and accompanying notes included elsewhere in this Information Statement, sets forth our cash and cash equivalents and combined capitalization as of December 31, 2015 on an historical basis and on a pro forma basis after giving effect to the planned transactions to be effected prior to the distribution of Ingevity Corporation common stock to the stockholders of WestRock.
As of December 31, 2015
In millions
Historical
Pro Forma
Cash and cash equivalents
$ 32 $ 48
Debt, including current and long-term:
Notes payable and current maturities of long-term debt
9 9
Long-term debt due after one year
80 576
Total debt
89 585
Equity:
Common stock
Capital in excess of par value
126
Net parent investment
534 $
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income
(17 ) (17 )
Noncontrolling interests
5 5
Total equity
522 114
Total capitalization
$ 611 $ 699
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UNAUDITED PRO FORMA COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The following Unaudited Pro Forma Combined Financial Statements are derived from the historical combined financial statements of Ingevity, prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, which are included elsewhere in this information statement.
The Unaudited Pro Forma Combined Statement of Operations for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015 give effect to the distribution as if it had occurred on January 1, the first day of fiscal year 2015. The Unaudited Pro Forma Combined Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2015 gives effect to the distribution as if it had occurred on December 31, 2015. These Unaudited Pro Forma Combined Financial Statements include adjustments required by SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin Topic 1:B-3 and Article 11 of SEC Regulation S-X, including the following:
a.
the inclusion of total long-term indebtedness ranging between $555 million and $605 million with a weighted-average interest rate between 2.7% and 3.1%;
b.
the expected distribution to WestRock ranging between $375 million and $500 million;
c.
the pro-rata distribution of approximately [•] million shares of Ingevity common stock to WestRock stockholders; and
d.
the net assets related to a defined benefit pension plan and the liability related to a non-qualified retirement plan that were not included in the Ingevity Audited Combined Financial Statements.
Ingevity’s historical combined financial statements included elsewhere in this information statement include allocations for certain expenses and support functions historically provided by WestRock, such as business shared services, and other selling, general and administrative costs that benefit Ingevity. Effective with the separation, we will assume responsibility for all of these functions and related costs. Ingevity will incur incremental costs as an independent public company, including costs to replace services previously provided by WestRock as well as other stand-alone costs. In total, we estimate that these costs will range from $2 million to $4 million before-tax annually, over and above amounts currently included in the Unaudited Pro Forma Combined Statement of Operations. Due to the scope and complexity of these activities, the amount and timing of these incremental costs could vary and, therefore, are not included within the Unaudited Pro Forma Combined Financial Statements.
Ingevity is expected to incur one-time transaction costs of approximately $[•] related to the separation after it is completed. No pro forma adjustments have been made to our statement of operations to reflect these costs.
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Ingevity Corporation
Unaudited Pro Forma Combined Statement of Operations
Year Ended December 31, 2015
(In millions except share and per share data)
Ingevity
Pro Forma
Adjustments
Pro Forma
Net sales
968 $ $ 968
Cost of sales
687 3
(A)
690
Gross profit
281 (3 ) 278
Selling, general and administrative expenses
114 7
(A)
121
Separation costs
17 (17 )
(B)
Interest expense
21 (3 )
(C)
18
Other (income) expense, net
(9 ) (9 )
Income before income taxes
138 10 148
Provision for income taxes
53
(D)
53
Net income
85 10 95
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests, net of taxes
5 5
Net income attributable to the company
80 $ 10 $ 90
Unaudited pro forma earnings per share:
Basic
(E)
$
Diluted
(F)
$
Average number of shares used in calculating unaudited pro forma earnings per share:
Basic
(E)
Diluted
(F)
See accompanying notes to Unaudited Pro Forma Combined Statements of Operations.
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Notes to Unaudited Pro Forma Combined Statements of Operations
(A)
Prior to the completion of the separation, we will enter into agreements to obtain our own insurance coverage, fees for a stand-alone public company audit, outsourcing certain compliance functions, and compensation agreements for our executive team, which represent recurring costs in excess of the amounts historically allocated to Ingevity.
(B)
Represents the elimination of  $17 million of non-recurring expenses directly related to transaction costs incurred during the year ended December 31, 2015 in connection with the separation from WestRock, primarily related to professional fees associated with separation activities within the finance, tax and legal functions.
(C)
Represents adjustments to interest expense and amortization of debt issuance costs related to our target pro forma long-term indebtedness net of pro forma interest income. As described in balance sheet Note (D), we expect to incur total long-term indebtedness ranging between $555 million and $605 million. We expect the weighted-average interest rate on the debt to be between 2.7% and 3.1%. For purposes of this calculation, we assumed a target long-term indebtedness of approximately $580 million consisting of borrowings under a secured term loan facility, amounts drawn on a secured revolving credit facility, and existing debt as well as $4 million of debt issuance costs and a weighted-average interest rate of 2.9%. Interest expense may be higher or lower if our actual interest rate or credit ratings change. A change in assumed interest rates of 12.5 basis points would change the pro forma annual interest expense by $0.6 million. The below table presents the impact on pro forma interest expense:
In millions
Year ended
December 31,
2015
Pro forma interest expense on assumed pro forma indebtedness within interest expense:
$ 18
(D)
After the effects of the pro forma adjustments, our applicable effective tax rate for the year ended December 31, 2015 is 36%. The effective tax rate of Ingevity could be different (either higher or lower) depending on activities subsequent to the distribution.
(E)
The estimated number of shares of Ingevity common stock used to compute basic earnings per share is based on the weighted-average WestRock basic shares outstanding for the year ended December 31, 2015 assuming an assumed distribution ratio of one share of Ingevity common stock for every [•] shares of WestRock common stock.
(F)
The unaudited pro forma diluted earnings per common share and pro forma weighted-average diluted shares outstanding give effect to the potential dilution from common shares related to stock-based awards granted to our employees under WestRock’s stock-based compensation programs. This calculation may not be indicative of the dilutive effect that will actually result from Ingevity’s stock-based awards issued in connection with the adjustment of outstanding WestRock stock-based awards or the grant of new stock-based awards. The number of dilutive shares of common stock underlying Ingevity’s stock-based awards issued in connection with the adjustment of outstanding WestRock stock-based awards will not be determined until the distribution date or shortly thereafter. For the purposes of preparing the unaudited pro forma diluted earnings per common share and pro forma weighted-average diluted shares, we believe an estimate based on applying the distribution ratio described in Note (E) above to the weighted-average WestRock diluted shares outstanding for the year ended December 31, 2015 provides a reasonable approximation of the potential dilutive effect of the stock-based awards.
   
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Ingevity Corporation
Unaudited Pro Forma Combined Balance Sheet
As of December 31, 2015
(In millions except share and per share data)
Ingevity
Pro Forma
Adjustments
Pro Forma
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents
$ 32 $ 16 (A), (D) $ 48
Accounts receivable, net
96 96
Inventories, net
151 151
Prepaid and other current assets
20 20
Current assets
299 16 315
Property, plant and equipment, net
438 438
Goodwill
12 12
Other intangibles, net
10 10
Restricted cash
80 (D) 80
Other assets
23 5 (E) 28
Total assets
$ 782 $ 101 $ 883
Liabilities and Equity
Accounts payable
$ 65 $ $ 65
Accounts payable due to WestRock
7 (B) 7
Accrued expenses
13 13
Accrued payroll and employee benefits
10 10
Notes payable
9 9
Current liabilities
97 7 104
Long-term debt
80 496 576
Deferred income taxes
76 2 (C) 78
Other liabilities
7 4 (E) 11
Total liabilities
260 509 769
Commitments and contingencies
Net parent investment/stockholders’ equity
$ 534 $ (534 ) (A), (B),
(E), (F)
$
Common stock
(G)
Capital in excess of par value
126 (G) 126
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income
(17 ) (17 )
Total net parent investment/stockholders’ equity before noncontrolling interests
517 (408 ) 109
Noncontrolling interests
5 5
Total net parent investment/stockholders’ equity and noncontrolling interests
522 (408 ) 114
Total liabilities and net parent investment/stockholders’ equity
$ 782 $ 101 $ 883
See accompanying notes to Unaudited Pro Forma Combined Balance Sheet.
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Notes to Unaudited Pro Forma Combined Balance Sheet
(A)
Reflects the proceeds of the debt described in balance sheet Note (D) less the anticipated cash distribution to WestRock and restricted cash described in balance sheet Note (D). We expect the distribution to WestRock to be a cash payment ranging between $375 million and $500 million in total value. For purposes of preparing the unaudited pro forma combined financial statements, we have assumed that we will distribute a cash payment of  $400 million.
(B)
Reclassification of accounts payable due to WestRock from net parent investment to reflect the commercial agreement between the parties.
(C)
Reflects the tax effects of the pro forma adjustments at the applicable income tax rate. The effective tax rate of Ingevity could be different (either higher or lower) depending on activities subsequent to the distribution. The impacts of pro forma adjustments on long-term deferred tax assets and liabilities were offset against existing long-term deferred tax assets and liabilities reflected in our historical Combined Balance Sheet based on jurisdiction. The offset to this adjustment is net parent investment.
(D)
We expect total pro forma long-term indebtedness ranging between $555 million and $605 million to be incurred by Ingevity. Proceeds from our pro forma long-term indebtedness will be used to fund our distribution to WestRock described in balance sheet Note (A), a deposit ranging between $50 million and $80 million will be held in escrow restricted for repayment of the portion of our existing debt that we will retain, and cash needs of the business. For purposes of preparing the unaudited pro forma combined financial information, we have assumed an amount to be held in escrow of  $80 million, a target long-term indebtedness of approximately $580 million, consisting of borrowings under a secured term loan facility, amounts drawn on a secured revolving credit facility and existing debt, as well as $4 million of debt issuance costs. The debt issuance costs are shown as a reduction of the outstanding long-term debt as of December 31, 2015, consistent with the treatment prescribed under Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2015-03, “Interest — Imputation of Interest: Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs.” The Company adopted this new accounting standard on January 1, 2016.
(E)
Reflects the addition of net pension plan assets and non-qualified retirement plan liabilities that will be transferred to Ingevity by WestRock as part of the separation. These net pension plan assets and non-qualified retirement plan liabilities are excluded from the historical Combined Balance Sheet. The benefit plan expenses associated with these liabilities are included in the Ingevity’s historical Combined Statements of Operations. The offset to this adjustment is net parent investment.
(F)
Reflects the pro forma recapitalization of our equity. As of the distribution date, WestRock’s net investment in our business will be exchanged to reflect the distribution of our shares of common stock to WestRock stockholders. WestRock stockholders will receive shares of our common stock based on an assumed distribution ratio of one share of Ingevity common stock for every [•] shares of WestRock common stock.
(G)
Represents the elimination of WestRock’s net investment and adjustments to capital in excess of par to reflect the following:
Reclassification of WestRock’s net investment
$ 534
Distribution of cash to WestRock as described in Note A
(400 )
Accounts payable due to WestRock under commercial agreement described in balance sheet Note B
(7 )
Additional deferred tax assets and liabilities described in balance sheet Note C
(2 )
Addition of net pension plan assets and retirement plan liability described in balance sheet Note E
1
Total net parent investment/shareholders’ equity
126
Shares of Ingevity common stock
Total capital in excess of par value
$ 126
   
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SELECTED HISTORICAL COMBINED FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF INGEVITY
The following table sets forth selected historical financial information of Ingevity. The selected combined financial information as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 and for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 are derived from the company’s audited combined financial statements that are included within this information statement beginning on page F-1.
The combined financial statements as of December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 for the years ended 2015, 2014, 2013 and 2012 were audited by an independent registered public accounting firm. Information as of December 31, 2011 and for the year ended December 31, 2011 are unaudited and have been prepared on a consistent basis with the audited combined financial statements. The selected historical financial information below should be read in conjunction with the combined financial statements and related notes that are included in this proxy statement/ prospectus-information statement on pages noted above. The historical results do not necessarily indicate the results expected for any future period.
The selected combined financial data presented below should be read in conjunction with “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of Ingevity” and the combined financial statements and accompanying notes included elsewhere in this information statement.
Years ended December 31,
In millions
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
Statement of Operations Data:
Net sales
$ 968 $ 1,041 $ 980 $ 939 $ 811
Income before income taxes
138 203 184 189 173
Net income
85 133 118 122 114
Net income attributable to the company
80 129 119 119 110
Unaudited pro forma earnings per share:
Basic (a)
Diluted (a)
Balance Sheet Data (at period end):
Working capital
$ 202 $ 132 $ 122 $ 110 $ 85
Current ratio
3.1 1.9 2.2 2.1 2.0
Property, plant and equipment, net
438 410 326 300 265
Total assets
782 718 593 550 484
Capital lease obligations due after one year
80 86 86 86 86
Total equity
522 420 328 294 242
Other Data:
Capital expenditures
102 101 63 40 29
Depreciation and amortization expense
35 33 33 32 29
(a)
We have not yet finalized the distribution ratio of shares of Ingevity common stock for shares of WestRock common stock. We intend to update our pro forma basic and diluted earnings per share in an amendment to this information statement.
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MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS OF INGEVITY
The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations and quantitative and qualitative disclosures about market risk should be read in conjunction with our historical combined financial statements and accompanying notes and the unaudited pro forma combined financial statement, each included elsewhere in this Information Statement.
The financial information discussed below and included elsewhere in this Information Statement may not necessarily reflect what our financial condition, results of operations or cash flow would have been had we been a stand-alone company during the periods presented or what our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows may be in the future.
Introduction
Management’s discussion and analysis of Ingevity’s results of operations and financial condition (“MD&A”) is provided as a supplement to the Annual Combined Financial Statements and the related notes included elsewhere herein to help provide an understanding of our financial condition, changes in financial condition and results of our operations.
Forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and expectations of future events which may not be accurate or realized. Forward-looking statements also involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Ingevity’s control. Some of the important factors that could cause Ingevity’s actual results to differ materially from those projected in any such forward-looking statements are set forth in the section entitled “Risk Factors” included within this Information Statement.
Separation and Distribution
Prior to the separation, we operated as a reporting segment of WestRock, which was formed upon the combination (the “Merger”) of MWV and Rock-Tenn. The Merger was completed on July 1, 2015.
Prior to the Merger, we operated as a reporting segment of MWV. On January 8, 2015, MWV announced that it intended to separate its specialty chemicals business through a pro rata distribution of common stock to its stockholders. Upon the completion of the Merger, WestRock announced its continued plans to complete the separation.
On [•], 2016, the WestRock board of directors approved the distribution of all of the issued and outstanding shares of Ingevity common stock on the basis of  [•] share[s] of Ingevity common stock for every [•] share[s] of WestRock held as of the close of business on the record date of  [•], 2016.
Overview
Ingevity is a leading global manufacturer of specialty chemicals and high performance carbon materials. Ingevity participates in attractive, higher growth sectors of the global specialty chemicals industry. Our specialty chemicals products serve as critical inputs used in a variety of high performance applications, primarily in three product families: pavement technologies, oilfield technologies and industrial specialties. We are also the leading global manufacturer of activated carbon used in gasoline vapor emission control systems in cars, trucks, motorcycles and boats, with over 750 million units installed globally over the 30-year history of this business. We report in two business segments, Performance Chemicals and Performance Materials.
The Performance Chemicals segment develops, manufactures and sells a wide range of specialty chemicals primarily derived from co-products of the kraft pulping process. Products include performance chemicals derived from pine chemicals used in asphalt paving, adhesives, agrochemical dispersants, publication inks, lubricants, petroleum and other diverse industrial uses. The Performance Chemicals segment serves customers globally from its manufacturing operations in the United States and Brazil.
The Performance Materials segment primarily produces automotive carbon products used in gasoline vapor emission control systems in cars, trucks, motorcycles and boats. The automotive carbon products capture gasoline vapor emissions that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere as volatile organic
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compounds (“VOCs”) which contain hazardous air pollutants. Ingevity’s automotive carbon products are typically part of vehicle-based control systems which capture gasoline vapor emissions. The stored vapors are then largely purged from the carbon and directed to the engine where they are used as supplemental power for the vehicle. The Performance Materials segment serves customers globally from its manufacturing operations in the United States and China.
Basis of Presentation
References to Ingevity’s historical business and operations refer to the business and operations of the specialty chemicals business of WestRock Company, or prior to the merger of MWV and Rock-Tenn, which was completed on July 1, 2015, the Specialty Chemicals Business of MWV. The historical business and operations have been or will be transferred to Ingevity in connection with the separation and distribution.
These combined financial statements include all majority-owned or controlled entities of WestRock related to its specialty chemicals business (the “company”), and all significant inter-company transactions have been eliminated. The company does not operate as a separate, stand-alone entity and is comprised of certain WestRock wholly owned legal entities for which the company is the sole business and components of legal entities in which the company operates in conjunction with other WestRock businesses. For purposes of this discussion, the term “WestRock” herein also refers to the legacy operations of MWV prior to the consummation of the Merger.
These combined financial statements include allocated expenses associated with centralized WestRock support functions including legal, accounting, tax, treasury, internal audit, information technology, human resources and other services. The costs associated with these functions generally include all payroll and benefit costs as well as related overhead costs. These combined financial statements also include allocated costs associated with WestRock’s office facilities, corporate insurance coverage and medical, pension, post-retirement and other health plan costs attributed to the company’s employees participating in WestRock’s sponsored plans. Allocations are generally based on a number of utilization measures including employee count and proportionate effort. In situations in which determinations based on utilization are impracticable, WestRock and the company use other methods and criteria such as net sales which are believed to result in reasonable estimates of costs attributable to the company. All such amounts have been assumed to have been immediately settled by the company to WestRock in the period in which the costs were recorded in the combined financial statements. Such amounts are included in net cash provided by operating activities in the combined statements of cash flows.
The company and WestRock management believes the related-party allocations included in these combined financial statements have been made on a reasonable basis. However, these combined financial statements may not necessarily be indicative of the results of operations that would have been obtained if the company had operated as a separate entity during the periods presented. Actual costs that may have been incurred if the company had been a stand-alone business would depend on a number of factors, including organizational structure and what functions were outsourced or performed by employees, as well as strategic decisions made in areas such as information technology and infrastructure. Consequently, Ingevity’s future earnings if operated as an independent business could include items of income and expense that are materially different from what is included in these Combined Statements of Operations. Accordingly, the combined financial statements for the periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the company’s future results of operations, financial position and cash flows.
Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
Ingevity has presented certain financial measures, defined below, which have not been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) and has provided a reconciliation to the most directly comparable financial measure calculated in accordance with GAAP. These financial measures are not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the most directly comparable financial measure calculated in accordance with GAAP. The company believes these non-GAAP measures provide investors, potential investors, securities analysts and others with useful information to evaluate the performance of the business, because such measures, when viewed together with our financial results computed in accordance with GAAP, provide a more complete understanding of the factors and trends affecting our historical financial performance and projected future results.
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Ingevity uses the following non-GAAP measures: Combined Adjusted EBITDA and Segment EBITDA. Combined Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net income plus provision for income taxes, interest expense, depreciation and amortization, separation costs and restructuring and other (income) charges. Segment EBITDA is defined as segment profit plus depreciation and amortization.
These non-GAAP measures are not intended to replace the presentation of financial results in accordance with GAAP and investors should consider the limitations associated with these non-GAAP measures, including the potential lack of comparability of these measures from one company to another. Reconciliations of Combined Adjusted EBITDA and Segment EBITDA to net income and segment profit, respectively, are set forth within this section.
Combined Adjusted EBITDA
Years ended December 31,
In millions
2015
2014
2013
Net income
$ 85 $ 133 $ 118
Provision for income taxes
53 70 66
Interest expense
21 16 13
Depreciation and amortization
35 33 33
Separation costs
17
Restructuring and other (income) charges
(8 ) (5 ) (3 )
Combined Adjusted EBITDA
$ 203 $ 247 $ 227
Segment EBITDA
Performance Chemicals
Years ended December 31,
2015
2014
2013
Segment Profit
$ 87 $ 124 $ 126
Depreciation and amortization
24 23 23
Segment EBITDA
$ 111 $ 147 $ 149
Performance Materials
Years ended December 31,
2015
2014
2013
Segment Profit
$ 81 $ 90 $ 68
Depreciation and amortization
11 10 10
Segment EBITDA
$ 92 $ 100 $ 78
Drivers of Demand and Key Factors Affecting Profitability
Drivers of demand and key factors affecting our profitability differ by segment. In Performance Chemicals, drivers of demand are specific to the various markets. In pavement technologies, demand is influenced by long-term secular growth trends in infrastructure preservation and development. In the United States, for example, which has a very established road system, the trend towards preservation of existing roads compared to construction of new roads has been positive for Ingevity due to our development of innovative chemistries for such applications. Additionally, secular trends in paving are driving the use of more recycled content in roads to both lower construction costs and prolong the life of the road. Ingevity has developed innovative chemistries for these applications as well. In oilfield technologies, demand is influenced by growth in unconventional oil exploration, drilling and production. Current oil prices and the corresponding reduction in exploration, drilling and production have negatively impacted demand for our oilfield technologies products, though there are opportunities for us to continue to innovate and provide innovative chemistries for our customers in the more challenging economic environment as our products aid in reducing the net cost of producing a barrel of oil. Demand in the
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industrial specialties market is driven by levels of global agricultural activity, volume needs from the global graphic arts industry and general industrial production that requires adhesives, metalworking and fuel additives. Global macroeconomic demand factors as well as the strengthening of the U.S. dollar relative to the Euro have put pressure on demand in this market.
Profitability in Performance Chemicals is impacted by sales volume, price and mix of products sold, a secure and stable supply of CTO at appropriate market prices, hydrocarbon-based raw material prices, refinery and post refinery asset operating rates, foreign exchange rates, level of expense investment to serve and develop innovative solutions for our customers and successfully serving new and existing markets that value the company’s ability to meet specialized, complex customer needs. Headwinds in foreign exchange, specifically the strengthening of the U.S. dollar relative to the Euro, as well as headwinds in oil pricing as it relates to our sales in that market and pressure in our industrial specialties end markets have been partially offset by positive demand in our pavement technologies market, stable supply and declining price of CTO, and price declines in other, hydrocarbon based raw materials corresponding to reduced oil prices.
In Performance Materials, demand is a function of global vehicle sales and the impact that increasingly stringent emission standards have on the volume and type of products our customers utilize in their gasoline vapor emission control systems. Increased global vehicle sales and continuing regulatory trends, especially in the NAFTA region, has had a positive effect on our sales and product mix in our automotive market and will continue to positively impact our results. Global macroeconomic weakness in the near term could have a negative impact on vehicle sales and thus our automotive product sales.
Profitability in Performance Materials is impacted by sales volume, price and mix of products sold, the price of raw materials, primarily sawdust and phosphoric acid, the cost of natural gas used to fuel the carbon activation process, the ability to control the yields and technical characteristics of our products during manufacturing, foreign exchange rates and our level of expense investment to serve and develop innovative solutions for our customers. Growth in global vehicle sales and more stringent regulatory standards positively impact volumes, mix and content per vehicle. The cost of recent reinvestment in the business, primarily the expansion of our manufacturing facilities and the greenfield facility startup in China, has partially offset the favorable profit impact of this growth. We expect favorable profitability trends to continue now that the greenfield facility is commercialized.
Results of Operations
For the Years Ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013
The following table presents the combined statements of operations of the company for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 as reported in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States.
Years ended December 31,
In millions
2015
2014
2013
Net sales
$ 968 $ 1,041 $ 980
Cost of sales
687 718 685
Gross Profit
281 323 295
Selling, general and administrative expenses
114 112 103
Separation costs
17
Interest expense
21 16 13
Other (income) expense, net
(9 ) (8 ) (5 )
Income before income taxes
138 203 184
Provision for income taxes
53 70 66
Net income
85 133 118
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests, net of taxes
5 4 (1 )
Net income attributable to the company
$ 80 $ 129 $ 119
Combined Adjusted EBITDA (1)
$ 203 $ 247 $ 227
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(1)
Combined Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net income plus provision for income taxes, interest expense, depreciation and amortization, separation costs and restructuring and other (income) charges.
Comparison of Years Ended December 31, 2015 and 2014
The table below shows the 2015 combined net sales and percentage variances from 2014:
In millions
2015
Net Sales
Percentage
change vs.
prior year
Currency
effect
Price/Mix
Volume
Other
Combined
$ 968 (7 )% (3 )% (2 )% (2 )% %
Sales were $968 million and $1,041 million for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The sales decrease in 2015 was driven by foreign exchange of  $31 million (three percent of sales) due to the devaluation of the Euro, Japanese Yen and Brazilian Real versus the U.S. Dollar and unfavorable pricing and mix of  $24 million in performance chemicals (two percent of sales) in the rubber, publication inks, and adhesives markets and certain industrial specialties and oilfield technologies products due to pricing pressure from competitive materials partially offset by favorable pricing and mix of  $5 million in performance materials resulting in an overall reduction in sales by two percent as compared to 2014. Overall, volume declined $23 million (two percent of sales) due to volume declines in process purification markets, oilfield and certain industrial specialties markets that were partially offset by volume growth in high value strategic markets for pavement due to sales penetration and market growth and performance materials due to strength in the NAFTA automotive market and continued regulatory trends.
Cost of sales were $687 million (71% of sales) and $718 million (69% of sales) for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The $31 million decrease in cost of sales was due to a decrease of $18 million due to a two percent decline in sales volume, a decrease of  $17 million due to the devaluation of the Euro and Brazilian Real versus the U.S. Dollar, and $20 million due to lower input costs related to CTO, other petroleum-based raw materials, freight and energy. These decreases were partially offset by $24 million due to unfavorable productivity related to significantly higher planned maintenance outages, particularly in the fourth quarter, higher costs related to the startup of the new Performance Materials plant in China, higher depreciation and amortization with higher capital expenditures, and other manufacturing related spending.
Selling, general and administrative expenses were $114 million (12% of sales) and $112 million (11% of sales) for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The increase of  $2 million was primarily driven by higher employee costs compared to 2014.
Separation costs of  $17 million were one-time expenses related to the spin-off of the business from WestRock. See Note 12 within the Combined Financial Statements within this Information Statement for more information.
Interest expense was $21 million and $16 million for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Interest expense consisted of  $8 million and $6 million related to capital lease obligations and $13 million and $10 million in allocated interest expense from WestRock for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.
Other income, net was $9 million and $8 million for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively, and consisted of the following:
Years ended December 31,
In millions
2015
2014
Foreign currency exchange losses (income)
$ 1 $ 1
Royalty and sundry income (1)
(2 ) (4 )
Restructuring and other (income) charges, net (2)
(8 ) (5 )
Other (income) expense, net
$ (9 ) $ (8 )
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(1)
Primarily represents royalty income for technology licensing.
(2)
See below for more information regarding the company’s restructuring and other (income) charges, net.
Years ended December 31,
In millions
2015
2014
Restructuring and other (income) charges, net
Gain on sale of assets and businesses
$ (12 ) $ (5 )
Insurance and legal settlements
Asset write-downs
4
Total restructuring and other (income) charges, net
$ (8 ) $ (5 )
2015 activities
During 2015, the company sold its 60 percent interest in a subsidiary in China for cash proceeds of  $11 million and recorded a gain on the sale of the subsidiary of  $11 million. Prior to its sale this subsidiary operated under the company’s Performance Materials operating segment. The additional $1 million of income relates to an additional gain on the 2014 sale of Performance Materials’ air purification business as noted below.
As part of a plan that was implemented to restructure a portion of the Company’s operations, we recorded an impairment of  $4 million to write down inventory and property, plant and equipment associated with certain manufacturing operations of the Company’s Performance Chemicals segment.
2014 activities
The company made a strategic decision to sell its Performance Materials’ air purification business. During 2014, the company sold the net working capital and associated customer list related to the air purification business and recorded a $5 million gain on sale.
The company’s effective tax rate was 38% and 35% for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The differences in these effective rates compared to the combined statutory rates were primarily due to non-deductible transaction costs in 2015.
Adjusted EBITDA was $203 million and $247 million for years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. This decrease of  $44 million was primarily driven by declines in segment EBITDA in Performance Chemicals of  $36 million and in Performance Materials of  $8 million. See Segment Operating Results section below for more information on the results of operations for each of the company’s operating segments.
Comparison of Years Ended December 31, 2014 and 2013
The table below shows the 2014 combined net sales and percentage variances from 2013:
In millions
2014
Net Sales
Percentage
change vs.
prior year
Currency
effect
Price/Mix
Volume
Other
Combined
$ 1,041 6 % (1 )% 1 % 6 % %
Sales were $1,041 million and $980 million for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. The sales increase in 2014 was driven by $60 million in volume growth (six percent of sales) in pavement, inks, adhesives, oilfield, other industrial specialties and automotive emissions markets due to market growth and share gains in those markets. Pricing and product mix improved by $6 million (one percent of sales) from gains in high value strategic markets for pavement, inks, adhesives, automotive emissions and process purification due to changes in customer mix and price. These increases were partially
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offset by negative pricing and product mix in certain industrial specialties and oilfield technologies products. These gains were partially offset by unfavorable foreign currency exchange of  $5 million (one percent of sales) due to the devaluation of the Japanese Yen and the Brazilian Real versus the U.S. Dollar compared to 2013.
Cost of sales were $718 million (69% of sales) and $685 million (70% of sales) for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. Cost of sales increased by $33 million primarily driven by $40 million due to six percent higher volume, $12 million due to input cost inflation related to raw materials, freight and energy compared to 2013. These increases were partially offset by $16 million in productivity improvements and $3 million due to a depreciation in the Brazilian Real versus the U.S. dollar compared to 2013.
Selling, general and administrative expenses were $112 million (11% of sales) and $103 million (11% of sales) for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. Selling, general and administrative expenses increased $9 million primarily driven by $6 million in higher employee costs primarily driven by higher incentive compensation and investments in sales and technical support capabilities, $2 million in higher commissions due to higher sales in pavement technologies, and $2 million in higher travel, entertainment and consulting expenses partially offset by a decrease in legal spending and other costs of  $1 million compared to 2013.
Interest expense was $16 million and $13 million for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. Interest expense consisted of  $6 million and $7 million related to capital lease obligations and $10 million and $6 million in allocated interest expense from WestRock for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.
Other income, net was $8 million and $5 million for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively, and consisted of the following:
Years ended December 31,
In millions
2014
2013
Foreign currency exchange losses (income)
$ 1 $
Royalty and sundry income (1)
(4 ) (2 )
Restructuring and other (income) charges, net (2)
(5 ) (3 )
Other (income) expense, net
$ (8 ) $ (5 )
(1)
Primarily represents royalty income for technology licensing.
(2)
See below for more information regarding the company’s restructuring and other (income) charges, net.
Years ended December 31,
In millions
2014
2013
Restructuring and other (income) charges, net
Gain on sale of assets and businesses
$ (5 ) $
Insurance and legal settlements
(13 )
Asset write-downs
10
Total restructuring and other (income) charges, net
$ (5 ) $ (3 )
2014 activities
The company made a strategic decision to sell its Performance Materials’ air purification business. During 2014, the company sold the net working capital and associated customer list related to the air purification business and recorded a $5 million gain on sale.
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2013 activities
During 2013, the company incurred pre-tax charges of  $10 million ($6 million attributable to the company and $4 million associated with noncontrolling interests) in connection with certain asset write-downs at one of the company’s Performance Materials’ foreign manufacturing locations.
The company’s Performance Chemical operating segment benefited from favorable non-recurring insurance and legal settlements during 2013.
The company’s effective tax rate was 35% and 36% for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. The differences in these effective rates compared to the combined statutory rates were primarily due to the mix and levels of domestic versus foreign earnings. In 2014, Ingevity recorded a tax provision of $70 million, reflecting an increase of  $4 million from 2013 primarily due to an increase in earnings. The decrease in the effective tax rate to 35% in 2014 compared to 36% in 2013 was primarily due to the increase in a valuation allowance in 2013 partially offset by an increased benefit recognized in 2014 relating to IRC Section 199 deductions.
Combined Adjusted EBITDA was $247 million and $227 million for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. This increase of  $20 million was primarily driven by improvements in segment EBITDA in Performance Materials of  $22 million and a slight decline in segment EBITDA Performance Chemicals of  $2 million. See “Segment Operating Results” section below for more information on the results of operations for each of the company’s operating segments.
Segment Operating Results
In addition to the information discussed above, the following sections discuss the results of operations for each of the company’s segments. The company’s segments are (i) Performance Chemicals and (ii) Performance Materials.
In general, the accounting policies of the segments are the same as those described in the Summary of Significant Accounting Policies in the Annual Combined Financial Statements.
Performance Chemicals
Years ended December 31,
In millions
2015
2014
2013
Net sales
$ 711 $ 792 $ 759
Segment profit
87 124 126
Plus: Depreciation and amortization
24 23 23
Segment EBITDA
$ 111 $ 147 $ 149
Comparison of Years Ended December 31, 2015 and 2014
In millions
2015
Net Sales
Percentage
change vs.
prior year
Currency
effect
Price/Mix
Volume
Other
Performance Chemicals
$ 711 (10 )% (3 )% (3 )% (4 )% %
Segment sales for the Performance Chemicals segment were $711 million and $792 million for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The sales decrease was driven by $28 million (three percent of sales) of unfavorable foreign currency exchange due to the devaluation of the Euro and Brazilian Real versus the U.S. Dollar and $24 million (three percent of sales) of unfavorable pricing and product mix in the rubber, publication inks, and adhesives markets and certain other industrial specialties and oilfield technologies products. Volume declined by $29 million (four percent of sales) driven by unfavorable volume in oilfield and certain industrial specialties markets partially offset by volume growth in high value strategic markets for pavement, adhesives, and agrochemicals markets compared to 2014.
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Segment EBITDA for Performance Chemicals segment was $111 million and $147 million for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Segment EBITDA decreased primarily due to $24 million from unfavorable pricing and product mix in the rubber, publication inks, and adhesives markets and certain industrials specialties and oilfield technologies products, $9 million from unfavorable foreign currency exchange due to the devaluation of the Euro and Brazilian Real versus the U.S. Dollar, $7 million from lower sales volume, and $14 million from unfavorable productivity, higher costs related to higher planned maintenance downtime, costs from continued investments in sales and technical support capabilities, and investments in product development and innovation. These decreases were partially offset by $18 million of deflation on CTO and other petroleum-based raw materials compared to 2014.
Comparison of Years Ended December 31, 2014 and 2013
In millions
2014
Net Sales
Percentage
change vs.
prior year
Currency
effect
Price/Mix
Volume
Other
Performance Chemicals
$ 792 4 % % % 5 % (1 )%
Segment sales for the Performance Chemicals segment were $792 million and $759 million for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. The sales increase in 2014 was driven by $39 million (five percent of sales) of volume growth in pavement, inks, adhesives, oilfield and other industrial specialties markets. These gains were partially offset by unfavorable foreign currency exchange of  $3 million (less than one percent of sales) due to the devaluation of the Brazilian Real versus the U.S. Dollar. Pricing and product mix was unfavorable by $3 million (less than one percent of sales) due to certain industrial specialties and oilfield technologies standard product offerings partially offset by improvements from gains in the pavement, inks and adhesives markets compared to 2013.
Segment EBITDA for Performance Chemicals segment was $147 million and $149 million for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. Segment profit decreased in 2014 primarily due to $10 million of CTO and other pine-based raw material input cost increases and other input cost inflation primarily related to energy, $3 million from unfavorable pricing and product mix within industrial specialty markets and $5 million from continued investments in sales and technical support capabilities and investments in product development and innovation. These decreases were partially offset by $9 million from higher volumes and $7 million manufacturing productivity associated with higher plant operating rates compared to 2013.
Performance Materials
Years ended December 31,
In millions
2015
2014
2013
Net sales
$ 257 $ 249 $ 221
Segment profit
81 90 68
Depreciation and Amortization
11 10 10
Segment EBITDA
$ 92 $ 100 $ 78
Comparison of Years Ended December 31, 2015 and 2014
In millions
2015
Net Sales
Percentage
change vs.
prior year
Currency
effect
Price/Mix
Volume
Other
Performance Materials
$ 257 3 % (1 )% 2 % 2 % %
Segment sales for the Performance Materials segment were $257 million and $249 million for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The sales increase in 2015 was driven by $6 million (two percent of sales) in volume improvements in the automotive emissions market due to strength in the NAFTA market and continued regulatory trends partially offset by declines in process purification markets
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and $5 million (two percent of sales) in pricing and mix improvements from gains in the automotive emissions market. These gains were partially offset by $3 million (one percent of sales) of unfavorable foreign currency exchange due to the devaluation of the Japanese Yen and the Euro versus the U.S. Dollar compared to 2014.
Segment EBITDA for the Performance Materials segment was $92 million and $100 million for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Segment EBITDA was down by $8 million primarily due to $13 million from unfavorable productivity related to higher planned maintenance outages and project expenses incurred during the construction of our greenfield plant in China, and $3 million from unfavorable foreign currency exchange due to the devaluation of the Japanese Yen and Euro versus the U.S. Dollar which was partially offset by $5 million in favorable pricing and mix in automotive emissions and $3 million in favorable volume compared to 2014.
Comparison of Years Ended December 31, 2014 and 2013
In millions
2014
Net Sales
Percentage
change vs.
prior year
Currency
effect
Price/Mix
Volume
Other
Performance Materials
$ 249 13 % (1 )% 4 % 10 % %
Segment sales for the Performance Materials segment were $249 million and $221 million for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. The sales increase in 2014 was driven by $22 million (ten percent of sales) in volume growth in the automotive emissions market partially offset by volume declines in process purification markets. Revenue benefited by $8 million (four percent of sales) in pricing and product mix improvements in both the automotive emissions and process purification markets. These gains were partially offset by $2 million (one percent of sales) of unfavorable foreign currency exchange due to the devaluation of the Japanese Yen versus the U.S. Dollar compared to 2013.
Segment EBITDA for the Performance Materials segment was $100 million and $78 million for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. Segment EBITDA increased in 2014 primarily due to $10 million from higher volumes in automotive emissions, $9 million from favorable productivity, including savings from cost reduction initiatives and increased plant throughput and operating rates and $8 million from favorable pricing and product mix in automotive emissions and process purification markets compared to 2013. These benefits were partially offset by $3 million of inflation on raw materials and other input costs and $2 million from unfavorable foreign currency exchange due to the devaluation of the Japanese Yen versus the U.S. Dollar compared to 2013.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Historically, the primary source of liquidity for Ingevity’s business is the cash flow provided by operations which has historically been transferred to WestRock to support its overall cash management strategy. Prior to separation, transfers of cash to and from WestRock have been reflected in Net Parent Investment in the historical Combined Balance Sheets, Statements of Cash Flows and Statements of Changes in Net Parent Investment. We expect WestRock to continue to fund us with cash as needed through the date of the separation.
Cash and cash equivalents totaled $32 million at December 31, 2015. Cash equivalents are comprised of short-term investments in U.S. and Brazilian government securities. Management continuously monitors deposit concentrations and the credit quality of the financial institutions that hold the company’s cash and cash equivalents, as well as the credit quality of its insurance providers, customers and key suppliers.
Due to the global nature of the company’s operations, a portion of its cash is held outside the United States. We believe that our foreign holdings of cash will not have a material adverse impact on our liquidity. The company does not currently expect to repatriate cash earnings from its foreign operations in order to fund U.S. operations. If these earnings were distributed, such amounts would be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the statutory rate less the available foreign tax credits, if any, and potentially subject to withholding taxes in the various jurisdictions.
Ingevity has entered into certain financing arrangements. For a description of such financing arrangements, see “Description of Material Indebtedness”.
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Cash flow comparison of Years Ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013
Years ended December 31,
In millions
2015
2014
2013
Net cash provided by operating activities
$ 73 $ 143 $ 137
Net cash used in investing activities
(90 ) (102 ) (64 )
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities
27 (31 ) (79 )
Operating activities
During 2015, cash flow from operations decreased primarily due to lower year-over-year cash earnings as well as net increases in working capital compared to 2014. During 2014, cash flow increased due to higher year-over-year cash earnings, which was partially offset by net increases in working capital compared to 2013. Working capital increases are driven primarily by increases in inventory balances offset by increases in accounts payable when compared to 2013.
Investing activities
For all periods, the cash used in investing activities are primarily attributable to capital expenditures. In 2015 and 2014, capital spending included base maintenance capital supporting ongoing operations and significant growth spending primarily related to the construction of an activated carbon manufacturing facility in China and new derivative equipment in Charleston supporting the adhesives, pavement and oilfield markets.
December 31,
In millions
2015
2014
Maintenance capital expenditures
$ 33 $ 28
Safety, health and environment
12 11
Growth and cost improvement capital expenditures
57 62
Total capital expenditures
$ 102 $ 101
Projected 2016 capital expenditures are expected to be $65 million to $80 million.
Financing activities
As WestRock manages the company’s cash and financing arrangements, all excess cash generated through earnings is remitted to WestRock and all sources of cash are funded by WestRock.
Cash provided by financing activities in 2015 was $27 million and was driven by cash provided by WestRock of  $30 million. Cash used in financing activities in 2014 was $31 million and was driven by excess cash remitted to WestRock of  $31 million. Cash used in financing activities in 2013 was $79 million and was driven primarily by excess cash remitted to WestRock of  $70 million and distributions to noncontrolling interests of  $8 million.
Current Assets and Liabilities
December 31,
In millions
2015
2014
Cash and cash equivalents
$ 32 $ 20
Accounts receivable, net
96 108
Inventories
151 130
Prepaid and other current assets
20 13
Total current assets
$ 299 $ 271
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Current assets as of December 31, 2015 increased $28 million compared to December 31, 2014 primarily due to increases in cash and inventories. Accounts receivable, net as of December 31, 2015 decreased $12 million consistent with the lower revenues in 2015 compared to 2014. Inventories increased by $21 million, driven by higher raw materials, including CTO, as well as higher finished goods supporting automotive emissions and pavement technologies year over year growth as well as seasonality in the pavement technologies market.
December 31,
In millions
2015
2014
Accounts payable
$ 65 $ 105
Accrued expenses
13 13
Accrued payroll and employee benefits
10 18
Notes payable
9 3
Total current liabilities
$ 97 $ 139
Current liabilities as of December 31, 2015 decreased by $42 million compared to December 31, 2014 primarily driven by decreases in accounts payable partially offset by increases in notes payable. Accounts payable decreased $40 million primarily due to decreases in fourth quarter 2015 capital expenditures when compared to the fourth quarter of 2014. Notes payable increased $6 million due to an increase in borrowing related to the funding of the construction of our new Chinese activated carbon manufacturing facility.
Contractual Obligations
The company enters into various contractual obligations throughout the year. Presented below are the contractual obligations of the company as of December 31, 2015, and the time period in which payments under the obligations are due. Disclosures related to capital lease obligations are included in Note 9 of Notes to Combined Financial Statements. Also included below are disclosures regarding the amounts due under purchase obligations. A purchase obligation is defined as an agreement to purchase goods or services that is enforceable and legally binding on the company and that specifies all significant terms, including fixed or minimum quantities to be purchased; fixed, minimum or variable price provisions; and the approximate timing of the transaction. The company has included in the below disclosure all normal and recurring purchase orders, take-or-pay contracts, supply arrangements as well as other purchase commitments that management believes meet the above definition of a purchase obligations.
Payments due by period
In millions
Total
Less than
1 yr – 2016
1 – 3 yrs
2017 – 2018
3 – 5 yrs
2019 – 2020
More than
5 yrs
2021 and
beyond
Contractual obligations:
Capital lease obligations (1)
$ 150 $ 6 $ 12 $ 12 $ 120
Operating lease obligations
33 10 14 7 2
Purchase obligations
158 158
Total
$ 341 $ 174 $ 26 $ 19 $ 122
(1)
Amounts include the interest payments under the capital lease as well as the principle payment due in 2027.
New Accounting Guidance
Refer to the Note 3 to the Combined Financial Statements included within this Information Statement beginning on page F-1 for a full description of recent accounting pronouncements including the respective expected dates of adoption and expected effects on the company’s Combined Financial Statements.
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Critical Accounting Policies
Our principal accounting policies are described in Note 2 to the Combined Financial Statements included within this Information Statement beginning on page F-1. The preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of some assets and liabilities and, in some instances, the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from these estimates. Management believes the accounting policies discussed below represent those accounting policies requiring the exercise of judgment where a different set of judgments could result in the greatest changes to reported results.
Revenue recognition:    The company recognizes revenues at the point when title and the risk of ownership passes to the customer. Substantially all of the company’s revenues are generated through product sales and shipping terms generally indicate when title and the risk of ownership have passed. Revenue is recognized at shipment for sales where shipping terms are FOB (freight on board) shipping point unless risk of loss is maintained under freight terms. For sales where shipping terms are FOB destination, revenue is recognized when the goods are received by the customer. The company provides allowances for estimated returns and other customer credits such as discounts and volume rebates, when the revenue is recognized, based on historical experience, current trends and any notification of pending returns.
Accounts receivable and allowance for doubtful accounts:    Accounts receivable, net on the Combined Balance Sheets are comprised of both trade receivable and non-trade receivable balances less allowances for doubtful accounts. Trade receivable consist of amounts owed to the company from customer sales and are recorded at the invoiced amounts when revenue is recognized and generally do not bear interest. Non-trade receivables represent $3 million and $6 million at December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The allowance for doubtful accounts is the company’s best estimate of the amount of probable loss in the existing accounts receivable. The company determines the allowance based on historical write-off experience, current collection trends, and external business factors such as economic factors, including regional bankruptcy rates, and political factors. Past due balances over a specified amount are reviewed individually for collectability. Account balances are charged off against the allowance when it is probable that the receivable will not be recovered. Accounts receivables have been reduced by an allowance for doubtful accounts of $0.1 million and $0.5 million at December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.
Concentration of credit risk:    The financial instruments that potentially subject the company to concentrations of credit risk are accounts receivable. The company limits its credit risk by performing ongoing credit evaluations and, when necessary, requiring letters of credit, guarantees or collateral. The company had accounts receivable from its largest customer of  $24 million and $20 million as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Sales to this customer, which are included in the Performance Chemicals segment, were 11 percent, 11 percent and 10 percent of total net sales for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively. No other customers individually accounted for greater than 10 percent of the company’s combined net sales.
Impairment of long-lived assets:    The company periodically evaluates whether current events or circumstances indicate that the carrying value of its long-lived assets, including intangible assets, to be held and used may not be recoverable. If such circumstances are determined to exist, an estimate of undiscounted future cash flows produced by the long-lived asset, or the appropriate grouping of assets, is compared to carrying value to determine whether impairment exists.
If an asset is determined to be impaired, the loss is measured based on quoted market prices in active markets, if available. If quoted market prices are not available, the estimate of fair value is based on various valuation techniques, including a discounted value of estimated future cash flows. The company reports an asset to be disposed of at the lower of its carrying value or its estimated net realizable value.
Income taxes:    As a division of WestRock, the company is not an income tax payer in the United States as its domestic results and related tax obligations, if any, are included in the tax returns of WestRock. The income tax provision included in these combined financial statements related to domestic income was calculated on a separate return basis, as if the company was a separate taxpayer and the resulting current tax receivable or liability, including any liabilities related to uncertain tax positions, was settled with WestRock through equity.
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In tax jurisdictions located in Brazil and China, the operations of the company are conducted by discrete legal entities, each of which files separate tax returns. All resulting current income tax assets and liabilities are reflected in the combined balance sheets of the company.
Deferred income taxes are recorded for temporary differences between financial statement carrying amounts and the tax basis of assets and liabilities for each segment. Deferred tax assets and liabilities reflect the enacted tax rates in effect for the years the differences are expected to reverse. The company evaluates the need for a deferred tax asset valuation allowance by assessing whether it is more likely than not that it will realize its deferred tax assets in the future.
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
Foreign currency
The company has foreign-based operations, primarily in South America, Europe and Asia, which accounted for approximately 35 percent of its 2015 net sales. In addition, certain of the company’s domestic operations have sales to foreign customers. In the conduct of its foreign operations, the company also makes inter-company sales. All of this exposes the company to the effect of changes in foreign currency exchange rates.
Flows of foreign currencies into and out of the company’s operations are generally stable and regularly occurring and are recorded at fair market value in the company’s financial statements. The company’s foreign currency management policy permits it to enter into foreign currency hedges when these flows exceed a threshold, which is a function of these cash flows and forecasted annual operations. There are no foreign currency derivative contracts outstanding at December 31, 2015.
Concentration of credit risk
The financial instruments that potentially subject the company to concentrations of credit risk are accounts receivable. The company limits its credit risk by performing ongoing credit evaluations, and when necessary, requiring letters of credit, guarantees or collateral. The company had accounts receivable relating to its largest customer of  $24 million and $20 million as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.
Natural gas
In order to better predict and control the future cost of natural gas consumed at the company’s plants, the company may engage in financial hedging of future gas purchase prices. Gas usage is relatively predictable month-by-month. The company hedges primarily with financial instruments that are priced based on New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) natural gas futures contracts. There are no natural gas derivatives contracts outstanding at December 31, 2015.
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BUSINESS
Ingevity
Ingevity is a leading global manufacturer of specialty chemicals and high performance carbon materials. We provide innovative solutions to meet our customers’ unique and demanding requirements through proprietary formulated products. Our deep technical expertise and experience, flexible manufacturing, distinctive chemistry, global reach and focus on innovation and application development provide our customers with the ability to enhance their own products and competitive position in the markets they serve.
Ingevity’s specialty chemicals products serve as critical inputs used in a variety of high performance applications, including asphalt paving, oil exploration and production, agrochemicals, adhesives, lubricants and printing inks. The company is also the leading global manufacturer of activated carbon used in gasoline vapor emission control systems in cars, trucks, motorcycles and boats, with over 750 million units installed globally over the 30-year history of this business. Our products meet highly specialized, complex customer needs in the industries in which they are used. As customer applications become more demanding, Ingevity’s products become increasingly specialized and represent a critical component of our customers’ products, typically at a modest input cost relative to the customer’s overall product cost. This value creation  — significant performance impact versus relatively low input cost — provides some measure of stability as customers may be reluctant to face the performance risk potentially associated with switching over to competitors’ offerings.
With a history of innovation spanning 100 years, we have grown into a global leader in the markets we serve with nearly $1 billion in sales, serving customers in approximately 65 countries from our United States, Brazil and China manufacturing facilities. Our global engineering, technical, sales and application support teams closely collaborate with our customers, and, importantly, with their customers. With our deep technical expertise and experience in our customers’ applications and end markets, we have the capacity and flexibility to anticipate and respond to changing market conditions and customer demands to develop proactive solutions which provide our customers — and therefore us — with a distinct competitive advantage. Additionally, the quality and diversity of our product portfolio, and the flexibility of our manufacturing assets, gives us the capability to direct our resources towards their most profitable and attractive uses and geographies in response to changing markets.
We participate in attractive, higher growth sectors of the global specialty chemicals industry. The broadly defined specialty chemicals industry is expected to experience a 3.6% CAGR from 2014 through 2019, according to IHS. Ingevity focuses on targeted markets within that space that are expected to outpace the broader specialty chemicals market growth rate, supported by long-term secular growth trends in infrastructure preservation and development, growth in unconventional oil exploration and production and increasing global food production demands. We also participate in more commoditized sectors, where we sell our functional chemistries, including TOFA and biofractions directly into the marketplace without differentiation, and where we sell certain activated carbons for use in some purification processes. Additionally, the company’s proprietary automotive carbon business, which engineers, manufactures and sells wood-based activated carbon used in gasoline vapor emission control systems, is expected to benefit from increasingly stringent vehicle emission standards worldwide that the company’s products are uniquely designed and qualified to meet. The annual global sales of light duty vehicles (i.e. passenger and light commercial vehicles) that are powered with gasoline are forecast to grow from approximately 71 million to approximately 91 million vehicles (+28%) from 2014 to 2025. Most of this growth is expected to occur outside of the United States and Canada in countries and regions where gasoline vapor emission standards significantly lag the modern, highly effective standards of the United States and Canada. This provides significant upside potential in addition to the already favorable macroeconomic growth trends of the global automotive industry.
We report in two business segments, Performance Chemicals and Performance Materials. Our Performance Chemicals segment primarily addresses applications in three product families: pavement technologies, oilfield technologies and industrial specialties. Our Performance Materials segment consists of our carbon technologies business which primarily produces automotive carbon products used in gasoline vapor emission control systems.
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The chart below illustrates our revenue by segment, product family and sales by geography in 2015. For more information about the company’s U.S. and foreign operations, see Note 15 of Notes to the Combined Financial Statements beginning on page F-1 included within this Information Statement.
[MISSING IMAGE: T1502921_TAB-PERFORMANCE.JPG]
*
Based on location of customer
Our Core Strengths
Ingevity is committed to continued value creation for its customers and stockholders by focusing on its core strengths:
Leading Global Market Positions
We are a leader in the global pine chemicals industry, further distinguished by our focus on target markets that offer the potential for profitable growth, supported by long-term secular growth trends in infrastructure preservation and development, growth in unconventional oil exploration and production and increasing global food production demands. Our products serve as critical inputs used in a variety of high performance applications, including asphalt paving, oil exploration and production, agrochemicals, lubricants and printing inks. The quality and diversity of our product portfolio, and the flexibility of our manufacturing assets, gives us the capability to direct our differentiated products towards their most profitable and attractive uses and geographies.
Ingevity is the leading global manufacturer of activated carbon used in gasoline vapor emission control systems in cars, trucks, motorcycles and boats, with over 750 million units installed globally over the 30-year history of our automotive carbon business. This business is expected to benefit from increasingly stringent vehicle emission standards worldwide that the company’s products are uniquely designed and qualified to meet. The annual global sales of light duty vehicles (i.e. passenger and light commercial vehicles) that are powered with gasoline are forecast to grow from approximately 71 million to approximately 91 million
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vehicles (+28%) from 2014 to 2025. Most of this growth is expected to occur outside of the United States and Canada in countries and regions where gasoline vapor emission standards significantly lag the modern, highly effective standards of the United States and Canada. This provides significant upside potential in addition to the already favorable macroeconomic growth trends of the global automotive industry.
Flexible Manufacturing Capabilities Optimize Asset Utilization
The quality and diversity of our product portfolio, and the flexibility of our manufacturing assets, gives us the capability to direct our resources to their most profitable uses and geographies.
The company’s Performance Chemical assets include multipurpose chemical reactors that are capable of manufacturing products of varying chemistries that can serve multiple markets. For example, in its South Carolina facility, the newest reactor that was commissioned in 2015 is capable of producing products for asphalt, oilfield and adhesives applications, while our Louisiana assets can be redirected with relative ease among various applications including asphalt, oilfield, adhesives and inks.
The company’s carbon facilities, which primarily produce automotive carbon, are also capable of producing a number of other activated carbon products for the food, water, beverage and chemical purification industries, maximizing the productivity of these assets.
Deep Technical Expertise and Product Innovation Capability and Experience
We have deep technical expertise and market knowledge and insights, derived from customer relationships and research and development capabilities, that enable our innovation capacity. Innovation efforts are led and supported by our teams of technical experts and industry veterans, many of whom are considered the foremost experts in their fields, spread throughout our organization in key positions from product development to manufacturing and sales. Each of our business units has its own development and application laboratories that work in partnership with our customers to refine existing products and develop new innovations that will drive value for Ingevity and our customers.
With our technical expertise and product innovation capability and experience, and by working closely with our customers, our technical experts can quickly offer application solutions that address our customers’ most difficult challenges. For example, when our road contractor customers vary the aggregate and/or asphalt to be used in a particular job mix, they call on our expertise to quickly reformulate the Ingevity additive chemistry needed for the revised mix, so that they can meet the original job specifications on time, regardless of the change. Our ability to swiftly understand and address our customers’ performance needs allows Ingevity to maintain and grow its relationships with its customer base.
Unique Decades-Long Track Record of Automotive Carbon Products Meeting Emission Compliance Standards
Current U.S. federal and California regulatory standards require that gasoline vapor control devices remain effective for the entire life of the vehicles on which installed. Ingevity has a substantial, decades long track record of providing life-of-vehicle product performance in a properly designed gasoline vapor control system. Our unique capability to engineer a very specific nanoscale porosity into the carbons on a large commercial scale allows the system designers to minimize the system’s size based on our carbons’ ability to remain highly effective over the vehicle’s lifetime. Given the imperative for automotive manufacturers to produce vehicles capable of meeting these long-term requirements, or potentially face expensive recalls and unfavorable publicity, there is an increased risk to use other producers who do not have a comparable, proven history and technical capability, particularly given the significant costs associated with non-compliance should a competitor’s offering fail to maintain effectiveness over vehicle lifetimes.
Global Manufacturing and Supply Chain Reach
We have a global reach which allows us to effectively service multinational customers through a combination of our manufacturing facilities located in the United States, China and Brazil and local talent strategically placed around the globe. In addition, our technology centers located in the United States, China, Europe and India give us the ability to service our customers throughout these regions, and provide us with market insights that allow us to develop customized solutions for local and regional markets. We
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serve customers in approximately 65 countries, with our global engineering, technical, sales and application support teams. Our global reach enables us to more effectively serve — and be the business partner of choice to — multinational companies that look to partners who can meet their needs on a consistent basis wherever they do business.
This capability also allows us to take advantage of market trends. For example, our oilfield technology business has in the past been primarily focused on the North American market. Our global reach will allow us to pursue growth opportunities outside of the United States, particularly in the Middle East, which has not undergone as significant an output decline during the recent global slowdown in the oil and gas exploration industry.
Collaborative Customer and End User Relationships Drive Profitable Growth Opportunities
We take a partnership approach with our customers, investing resources to deeply understand their customers’ markets so that we can provide technologically advanced, tailored solutions that allow our customers to maintain a competitive advantage in the markets they serve. Our knowledge of our customers’ end markets provides us with insights that enable us to develop solutions that address opportunities or challenges and create value for our customers. For example, through our relationships with several automobile manufacturers (“OEMs”) (often, our customers’ customer), we learned that certain vehicles were having trouble passing emissions certification tests based on a small amount of VOCs migrating from the engine via the vehicles’ air intake systems. To address this issue, we developed several generations of activated carbon-based solutions (activated carbon honeycombs and engineered carbon sheets) that manage these emissions while minimizing pressure drop in the air intake system — a key performance advantage to the OEMs. This drove demand for our product by addressing the needs of our customers’ customer. We believe this approach — driving demand for our products by developing solutions for our customers’ end markets — has been and will continue to be a significant driver of profitable growth.
Education of Government and Regulatory Bodies on Scientifically Based Policies and Specifications
Many of our customers’ markets are subject to increasing regulatory standards and mandates, for example more stringent air quality standards in the case of automotive emissions or the use of recycled materials in the case of pavement technologies. With our technical expertise and experience, our teams are a valued resource and work directly with government and regulatory bodies, in support of our customers, as experts in their field to educate regulators about existing and innovative technologies that support their objectives or solve specific challenges. As the trend continues in mature and emerging markets towards more advanced solutions, we believe the ability to leverage our expertise to educate, advocate and promote sensible regulatory solutions will benefit our customers while driving incremental value within those markets. For example, Ingevity has globally recognized expertise in the highly specialized field of automotive gasoline vapor emissions. While tailpipe emissions on vehicles are well recognized, understood and regulated, gasoline vapor emissions from vehicles have been lightly regulated in many countries outside the United States and Canada. Our experts have educated authorities in other countries to help them understand and quantify the magnitude of these emissions and evaluate the highly effective solutions currently in use in the United States and Canada that can reduce these gasoline vapor emissions to “near zero” levels at a relatively low cost per vehicle.
Our work with regulators allows us then to work with our customers in order to help them respond and adapt to evolving and varying regulatory standards. For example, because of the stringent and differing regulatory compliance standards applicable to the global oilfield industry, our oilfield customers often turn to us over smaller, less sophisticated vendors in order to help them manage the complexities of compliance risk throughout the world.
Highly Engaged, Performance and Safety-driven Culture
We have assembled a highly talented, collaborative, committed and creative team which drives the success of our business. We believe in empowerment and accountability and encourage our employees to think boldly. Our collective ambition is keenly focused on creating value for today and tomorrow. Further, we are committed to protecting human health and the environment while using resources in a responsible and sustainable manner: as a long-standing member of the American Chemistry Council (ACC), we
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subscribe to the Guiding Principles of the American Chemistry Council’s Responsible Care ® program — a global chemical industry performance initiative that is implemented in the United States through the ACC. Our ISO 9001, ISO/TS 16949 and Responsible Care ® Certifications are internationally recognized measures of consistent superior performance and responsibility to health, safety, security and the environment. We believe this track record is something that differentiates us from our competitors in the eyes of many of our customers.
Long-term Secured Raw Material Supply
At the time of the separation, we intend to enter into a 25-year supply agreement with WestRock pursuant to which we will purchase all of the CTO output from WestRock’s existing kraft mills, subject to certain exceptions. See “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions — Crude Tall Oil and Black Liquor Soap Skimmings Agreement.” This agreement will include market-based pricing terms. Based on WestRock’s current output and our current operating rates, we expect to source approximately 45 – 55% of our current CTO requirements under this agreement. This represents an important strategic benefit for our Performance Chemicals business due to the limited supply of CTO globally, of which we believe a significant portion is already under long-term supply agreements with other consumers of CTO. This increment of stable supply, in conjunction with other contracted sources of CTO, enhances our position to serve customer demand while providing a foundation for our Performance Chemicals business to continue to grow. See also “Risk Factors — Our Performance Chemicals segment is highly dependent on CTO which is limited in supply; lack of access to sufficient CTO would impact our ability to produce CTO-based products.”
Our Plans for Additional Growth
We have a demonstrated history of profitable growth. As an independent company, we believe we can accelerate our growth while maintaining our profitability. We intend to take the following steps as a newly independent public company:
Expand Sales to Existing Customers and into New Geographies
We believe we are well positioned to organically expand our sales through a combination of continued global sales growth, leveraging our significant application knowledge to apply our existing products to new applications and capitalizing on the investments we have made in our global sales, technical centers and distribution network. Our global reach allows us to effectively compete in new geographies, delivering proven innovative solutions where opportunities to apply our technologies exist. We continue to leverage our significant application knowledge and intimate customer relationships to target opportunities where we know our products perform, creating demand for our products by driving value for our customers.
We intend to continue to strengthen our position in emerging markets such as China, India and Brazil where we believe there are significant opportunities for growth. Opportunities include the expansion of sales of our asphalt products into areas increasingly in need of newly paved roads and increased sales of carbon technology solutions driven by anticipated regulatory expansion in the global automotive vapor emissions control market. As a result, we completed a new facility in China for the global automotive emissions control market during the fourth quarter of 2015 and have continued to invest in our Brazilian performance chemicals refinery.
Increase our Offering of Specialized, Higher Margin Products
We employ a world-class team of engineering, technical, sales and application specialists, along with experienced industry professionals, which provide us with deep technical knowledge and the ability to be a leading provider of specialty products in the markets we serve. We have the experience and capability to further develop and expand upon the products we currently produce, further differentiating them into higher value, increasingly specialized products, or developing new applications and end uses.
We have a history of success in such product development and differentiation. For example, our oilfield technologies business transitioned from providing basic TOFA to our customers to the development and marketing of specialized tall oil emulsifiers and corrosion inhibitors. We also grew our pavement technologies from asphalt chemicals into specialized additives used in ultra-thin paving technologies.
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We believe that there is significant upside in further developing and expanding upon products produced from TOFA, displacing some of our lower margin business where we sell TOFA directly to certain customers. This will have the added benefit of improved insulation from the cyclical nature of the direct natural fats and oils market of which TOFA is a part. Over the next few years, our goal is to meaningfully increase the portion of our sales of specialized, higher value products derived from TOFA, including addressing new markets or opportunities to upgrade TOFA into product categories where we might not participate today.
Additionally, we search to supply the right chemistry for the applications within our market segments regardless of the raw materials required. Applying our unique insights into our end use applications, our team will search to find novel solutions outside of our current CTO-based materials to problems and work to create the supply chain needed to provide those products to our customers. As an example, we have developed, manufacture and sell product solutions in our asphalt business that are hydrocarbon based.
Innovate to Enable Our Customers to Adapt to Increasingly Stringent Regulatory Standards
We are a valued resource with government and regulatory agencies around the world, from California to China, including national, regional and local environmental regulatory bodies. We work directly with such bodies, in support of our customers, to help them develop sensible standards based on the availability of technological solutions that make such standards commercially achievable. As standards are adopted and become increasingly demanding, the products that can be used to achieve compliance with such standards become increasingly technologically complex to design and manufacture on a commercial level. The company’s ability to meet these complexities provides the company with a distinctive commercial edge — as our customers in many applications depend on us to help them meet their compliance standards. For example, when paving contractors were having difficulty meeting the Florida Department of Transportation’s initiative to use more recycled tire rubber, the pavement technologies group developed an innovative delivery system, Evoflex RMA, and educated contractors on how to use it to achieve the desired environmental and performance benefits. We also work closely with automotive companies and their suppliers to ensure that they understand and can meet increasingly stringent vehicle emission standards.
Invest Organically and Selectively Pursue Acquisitions that Further Strengthen Our Product Portfolio
We plan to continue to invest capital organically in attractive cost reduction projects and in capacity expansions as necessary to meet demand growth.
In addition, we intend to pursue value-creating acquisitions that represent attractive opportunities in our target markets as well as in high-value niche applications which complement our current product portfolio and capabilities. Following the separation, we will continue seeking to add product lines and portfolios, as well as marketing and manufacturing alliances, that will play an important role in strengthening our leadership positions. We intend to pursue acquisitions both domestically and globally.
Segments
Performance Chemicals
Ingevity’s Performance Chemicals segment develops, manufactures and sells a wide range of specialty chemicals primarily derived from co-products of the kraft pulping process. Products include performance chemicals derived from pine chemicals used in asphalt paving, adhesives, agrochemical dispersants, printing inks, lubricants, oilfield exploration and production and other diverse industrial uses. Our application expertise is often called upon to provide unique solutions to our customers that maximize resource efficiency.
The primary raw material used in our Performance Chemicals segment is CTO. Our flexible manufacturing processes allow us to take advantage of our steady availability of CTO supply and respond to changing customer and market demands, which enables us to fully utilize our manufacturing assets.
The company’s Performance Chemicals business serves customers globally from two manufacturing locations in the United States and a third in Brazil.
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In 2015, our Performance Chemicals segment delivered sales of  $711 million and Segment EBITDA of $111 million. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of Ingevity” for a reconciliation of Segment EBITDA to segment profit under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”).
Production
Most of our performance chemicals are derived from CTO, a co-product of the kraft pulping process, where pine is used as the source of the pulp. CTO is produced by acidulating black liquor soap skimmings, which is recovered during the kraft pulping process. The CTO is further separated by distillation into TOR or TOFA and other biofractions. As such products are further refined or chemically modified, higher value derivative products are created, making their way into a wide variety of industrial and consumer goods. The company also produces performance chemicals derived from lignin, also a co-product of the kraft pulping process. TOR and TOFA are sold directly to customers in some instances, or, along with lignin, further refined or chemically modified into higher value derivative products.
Our differentiated performance chemicals are engineered to meet specific industry standards and customer requirements. Examples of the company’s products and their primary end uses or applications are illustrated in following graphic:
[MISSING IMAGE: T1502186_EXAMPLE-CHRT.JPG]
Pavement Technologies
Our pavement technologies group supplies a broad line of innovative additives, systems and technologies for road construction, resurfacing, preservation, maintenance and recycling globally. As a specialty asphalt additive supplier for over 50 years, we have a long history of work with transportation agencies, university research consortiums, paving contractors and asphalt refiners around the world to design, develop and implement innovative additives and novel paving systems that protect existing roadways and enhance the performance of new road construction.
Our pavement technologies team combines broad downstream technical, application and construction experience with a strong direct sales and marketing presence. Our combined expertise in the disciplines of chemistry and civil engineering provides a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between
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molecular structure of our chemistries and their impact on the performance of pavement systems. This allows us to develop products customized to local markets and consistently deliver cost-effective solutions for our clients. We also introduce and commercialize new technologies globally through consultative relationships with ministries and departments of transportation to stimulate customer demand for our products.
We supply over 100 asphalt additive products and technologies to approximately 500 customers under numerous well-known industry brands such as Evotherm ® , Ralumac ® and Indulin ® . Technology centers located in the United States, China, Europe and India give us the ability to service our customers throughout these regions, and provide us with market insights that allow us to develop customized solutions for local and regional markets.
We are a global leader in the rapidly expanding Warm Mix Asphalt (“WMA”) enhanced paving segment with our Evotherm ® family of products, with over 50,000 miles of Evotherm ® asphalt having been placed into service in the United States. Evotherm’s ® unique chemistry allows paving at temperatures up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit lower than traditional hot mix asphalt (which typically runs between 300 and 325 degrees Fahrenheit), and lower than temperatures achieved by competing WMA technologies. The product, which is added during the mixing of rock aggregate and liquid asphalt, requires no other modification to the paving process. Performance benefits of the Evotherm ® product include extending the paving season into colder weather conditions, enabling service to more distant jobsites, accelerating project completion and improving worker safety. According to industry standard predictive lab tests, roads constructed with Evotherm ® technology have improved aggregate adhesion properties and longer pavement life. Evotherm ® carries environmental benefits as well, reducing production-related CO 2 emissions up to 30 – 35% and lowering jobsite emissions by reducing the fumes typically associated with hot mix asphalt paving. Evotherm ® also delivers significant savings per ton of mix, making this an attractive product during times of constrained municipal resources and budgets.
According to the National Asphalt Paving Association, WMA paving technology is used annually in 30% of all new highway construction in the U.S. The relevant advantages of WMA paving, and of Evotherm ® in particular, are expected to lead to growth, both in the United States and internationally. The product is already gaining market acceptance in China and Europe, with 15,000 kilometers placed in service in each region. We believe additional growth opportunities exist in Europe, Latin America and elsewhere in Asia, addressable through our existing distribution capabilities in each of these regions.
Customers
We supply over 100 asphalt additive products and technologies to approximately 500 customers under numerous well-known industry brands such as Evotherm ® , Ralumac ® and Indulin ® . Technology centers located in the United States, China, Europe and India create market insights for product development customized to local and regional markets.
Competition
We compete on the basis of deep knowledge of our customers’ business and extensive insights into road building technologies and trends globally. We use these strengths to develop consultative relationships with government departments of transportation, facilitating new technology introduction into key markets around the world. Our combined expertise in the disciplines of chemistry and civil engineering provides a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between molecular structure of our chemistries and their impact on the performance of pavement systems. This allows us to develop products customized to local markets and consistently deliver cost-effective solutions for our clients. Our competitors in pavement technology include AkzoNobel, Arkema and ArrMaz, as well as other competitors.
Oilfield Technologies
Our oilfield technologies group produces and sells a wide-range of innovative specialty chemical products for the global oilfield industry, including well service additives and chemical solutions for production and downstream applications.
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Well Service Additives.    Our well service additive products are formulated to increase emulsion stability and aid in fluid loss control for oil-based drilling fluids. Other additives include rheology modifiers, which are used to improve the viscosity properties of oil-based fluids, and are typically used in deep water or cold temperature applications and wetting agents, which provide improved wetting of solids and aid in the efficiency of the drilling process. This family of products aids in accessing difficult to reach oil and gas reserves, both on and offshore around the globe.
Production and Downstream.    Our production and downstream products serve as corrosion inhibitors or their components. Crude oil and natural gas production is characterized by variable production rates and unpredictable changes due to the nature of the produced fluids including but not limited to water and salt content. Our corrosion inhibitors maximize production rates by reducing equipment downtime from corrosion of key equipment and pipe.
Customers
We sell our oilfield technologies to over 60 customers around the globe. Our relationships with our top ten customers have been in place for more than ten years, and we work extremely closely with our customers on their product requirements.
Competition
We compete on the basis of our ability to understand our customers’ applications and deliver solutions that aid in their improvement of the exploration and production of oil and gas for the end users. Additionally, this application expertise coupled with our strong understanding of CTO based chemistry allows for rapid development of solutions to challenges in the field. Our scale and flexibility of manufacturing are the final piece that helps deliver the creativity, expedience and peace of mind the customers in oilfield require from their best suppliers. Our competitors include Georgia-Pacific, Lamberti, Kraton and several others.
Industrial Specialties
Our industrial specialties group manufactures specialty chemicals — including adhesive tackifiers, agrochemical dispersants, lubricant additives, corrosion inhibitors and ink resins — used in industrial settings. Our technical expertise and formulation capabilities allow us to develop innovative products to meet our customers’ various needs.
Adhesives.    We are a leading global supplier of tackifier resins which provide superior adhesion to difficult-to-bond materials to the adhesives industry. Adhesive applications for our products include construction, product assembly, packaging, pressure sensitive labels and tapes, hygiene and road markings.
Agrochemicals.    We produce dispersants for crop protection products as well as other naturally derived products for agrochemicals. Crop protection formulations are highly engineered, highly regulated and cover a range of different formulation types, from liquids to solids. We deliver a wide range of dispersants that are high performing and consistent. In addition, our crop protection products are approved for use as inert ingredients in agrochemicals by regulatory agencies throughout the world.
Lubricants.    We supply lubricant additives and corrosion inhibitors for the metalworking and fuel additives markets. Our lubricant products are multi-functional additives which contribute to lubricity, wetting, corrosion inhibition, emulsification and general performance improvement. Our products are also valued because of their ease in handling, robust performance and improved formulation stability.
Printing Inks.    We are a leading supplier of ink resins from renewable resources to the global graphic arts industry for the preparation of printing inks. Our products improve gloss, drying speed, viscosity, adhesion and rub resistance of the finished ink to the substrate. We produce a wide array of resins, typically specifically tailored to a customer’s use, which can vary by application, pigment type, end use, formulation and manufacturing and printing process.
Intermediates.    Our functional chemistries are sold across a diverse range of industrial markets including, among others, paper chemicals, textile dyes, rubber, cleaners, mining and nutraceuticals.
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Customers
We sell our industrial specialty chemicals to approximately 500 customers around the globe. We have an over twenty-year relationship with many of our significant customers in this business. We work extremely closely with our customers on their product requirements. Our sales to the Flint Group accounted for more than 10% of the Company’s total sales for 2015.
Competition
In industrial specialties, our customers select the product that provides the best balance of performance, consistency and price. Reputation and commitment to our customer’s industry are also valued by our customers and allow us to win business when other factors are equal. In our adhesives business, our products compete against other tackifiers, including other TOR-based tackifiers as well as tackifiers produced from gum rosin and hydrocarbon starting materials. In addition, the choice of polymer used in an adhesive formulation drives the selection of tackifier. In agrochemicals, the selection of a dispersant is made early in the product development cycle and the formulator has a choice among Ingevity’s sulfonated lignin products, lower quality lignosulfonates and other surfactants such as naphthalene sulfonates. In lubricants, we compete against other producers of distilled tall oil and additives. In inks, our products compete against other resins that can be derived from TOR, gum rosin and, to a lesser extent, hydrocarbon sources. In our intermediates business, our TOFA competes against widely available fats and oils derived from soy, rapeseed, palm, cotton and tallow sources.
Competitors are different depending on the product, application and region and include Kraton, Georgia-Pacific, Eastman Chemical, ExxonMobil, Borregaard, Lawter, Respol/Forchem, as well as several others.
Performance Materials
We engineer, manufacture and sell wood-based, chemically activated carbon products, produced through a highly technical and proprietary process primarily for use in gasoline vapor emission control systems in cars, trucks, motorcycles and boats. We have produced and sold activated carbon for over 100 years, including over 30 years for our automotive application. We are the global leader in this automotive category, with over 750 million units installed globally since we entered this business. We also produce a number of other activated carbon products for the food, water, beverage and chemical purification industries, to maximize the productivity of our manufacturing assets.
Our automotive carbon products capture gasoline vapor emissions that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere as volatile organic compounds (“VOCs”) which contain hazardous air pollutants and can photochemically react to form ozone and secondary organic aerosols which themselves lead to the formation of haze and particulate pollution. These gasoline vapor emissions (which are distinct from tailpipe emissions) are released primarily (i) during refueling, (ii) when a vehicle is parked during the daytime, as a result of the expansion of the fuel tank in warmer daytime temperatures and (iii) as “running loss”, as a result of the expansion of vapors in the fuel tank from increased temperatures as a result of operation of the vehicle.
The company’s automotive carbon products are typically part of vehicle based gasoline vapor emissions control systems which can range from systems equipped with an approximately one liter carbon canister that captures one day of diurnal parking emissions, to more sophisticated Onboard Refueling Vapor Recovery (“ORVR”), running loss and multiday diurnal parking systems with a two to three liter carbon canister that captures over 98% of the gasoline vapor emissions.
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The captured gasoline vapors are then largely purged from the carbon and directed to the engine where they are used as supplemental power for the vehicle. In this way, the company’s automotive carbon products are part of a system that is both an environmental control and energy recovery application. We estimate that for 2015 the company’s products collectively prevented over 10,000 metric tons of VOC emissions each day and returned the equivalent of 3.7 million gallons of gasoline each day to supplementally power vehicles which would have otherwise been lost to the atmosphere.
Environmental standards drive the implementation of gasoline vapor emission control systems by automotive manufacturers. While tailpipe emissions on vehicles are well recognized, understood and regulated, gasoline vapor emissions from vehicles have been lightly regulated in many countries outside the United States and Canada. For those countries that have not significantly regulated gasoline vapor emissions, enacting more stringent regulations represents a low-cost, high-return opportunity to address their air quality issues. The annual global sales of light duty vehicles (i.e. passenger and light commercial vehicles) that are powered with gasoline are forecast to grow from approximately 71 million to approximately 91 million vehicles (+28%) from 2014 to 2025. Most of this growth is expected to occur outside of the United States and Canada in countries and regions where gasoline vapor emission standards significantly lag the modern, highly effective standards of the United States and Canada. Adoption of modern gasoline vapor emission standards in these regions would have significant, positive environmental and energy efficiency impacts and provide significant upside growth potential for the company’s automotive carbon products.
The United States and Canada have led the world in recognizing and addressing the harm to air quality caused by gasoline vapor emissions, and have recently enacted regulatory standards that will further reduce these emissions to “near zero” levels by 2022 and will result in significant increases in the use of our patented canister “scrubber” technologies over the next several years. Other countries have significantly lagged in the adoption of regulatory standards that would reduce these gasoline vapor emissions, focusing instead on regulating the more “visible” tailpipe emissions. These other countries are using a gasoline vapor emission standard that is functionally equivalent to a 1981 U.S. regulatory standard. As a result, in Europe, Asia and South America, gasoline vapor emissions are the primary source of automotive VOC emissions. In China alone, hydrocarbon emissions from gasoline vapor emissions sources on an automobile are five to ten times higher than from the tailpipe.
As recognized experts in the field of gasoline vapor emission control, Ingevity has been working with regulatory bodies and relevant third parties in China, Japan, Mexico, Brazil and the European Union to help them understand and move towards more effective regulatory standards similar to those in place in the United States and Canada. Regulatory indications of adoption and implementation of more stringent vapor emissions standards outside of the United States and Canada include the following:

On September 2, 2013, the Beijing Environmental Pollution Bureau (“EPB”) declared “war on pollution” and released a detailed plan to reduce pollution and improve air quality. The primary goal is to reduce Beijing’s 2017 particulate matter (PM2.5) levels by 25% from a 2012 baseline. Stated in the EPB’s plan is that by 2015, they will complete an ORVR standard and implementation plan for gasoline vehicles. Ingevity believes that implementation could be delayed until 2017. Beijing EPB published draft test procedures for public comment in late 2015 that included provisions for both ORVR and a 48-hour diurnal and hot soak test that is based upon the U.S. Tier 2 requirements. Beijing EPB stated their intended implementation date for the new standards is December 1, 2017. These changes should result in an increase in size of the system from an approximately 0.5 – 1 liter carbon canister that captures one day of diurnal parking emissions, to a more sophisticated ORVR and multiday diurnal parking system with a two to three liter carbon canister containing a higher performance carbon product.

The European Commission (“EC”) is considering incrementally more stringent gasoline vapor emission regulations with its Euro 6c standards. A working group was established by the EC that has outlined increasing the stringency of their current standards to a 2-day diurnal parking emission standard that would generally increase canister volumes from 0.5 – 1 to 1.5 liters. Ingevity believes the test procedures and standards will be finalized by the middle of 2016 and implemented within the Euro 6c standards package.
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Sao Paulo is experiencing tremendous ozone problems and needs VOC reductions for improvement. CONAMA is the national authority with responsibility for establishing new vehicle emissions standards in Brazil and is presided over by the Minister of Environment. Sao Paulo’s CETESB, the technical arm under the Secretary of the Environment, desires to have CONAMA add ORVR to the next phase of vehicle standards, called Proconve 7. They must first get an approval and recommendation from AEA (Brazil’s Association of Automotive Engineers) and ABNT (Brazil Association for Technical Norms) before also seeking alignment with IBAMA. AEA has been working to finalize a set of test procedures that includes ORVR for addition to Proconve 7, and adding ORVR to Proconve 7 is likely in our view. The target date for Proconve 7 implementation is 2019, but this date could slip as a result of the economic problems currently facing Brazil. Brazil’s tailpipe standards are similar to U.S. Tier 2 but corrected for the high ethanol content of Brazilian fuels. Due to CETESB’s strong preference for ORVR and its low overall cost, Ingevity believes that Proconve 7 could implement by 2020.

South Korea is currently phasing in some U.S. Tier 2 diurnal parking emission standards, which generally require activated carbon canister volumes greater than 1.3 liters and an increased use of pelletized carbon. In 2018, South Korea will begin phasing in portions of the U.S. Tier 3 “near zero” full vehicle diurnal parking emission standards that will favor the use of low emission and air induction system diurnal parking emission activated carbon technologies.
See also “Risk Factors — Adverse conditions in the automotive market may adversely affect demand for our automotive carbon products,” and “Risk Factors — If increasingly more stringent air quality standards worldwide are not adopted, our growth could be impacted.”
Current regulatory standards in the United States and Canada require that gasoline vapor control devices remain effective for the entire life of the vehicles on which installed. The end of lifetime requirements for most vehicles is 10 years or 120,000 miles, but will increase to 15 years or 150,000 miles for a large segment of these U.S. vehicles. Ingevity has a substantial, decades long track record of providing life-of-vehicle product performance based on our unique capability to engineer a very specific nanoscale porosity into the carbons on a large commercial scale. Given the imperative for automotive manufactures to produce vehicles capable of meeting these long term requirements, or potentially face expensive recalls and unfavorable publicity, there is an increased risk to use other producers who do not have a comparable, proven history, particularly given the significant costs associated with non-compliance should a competitor’s offering fail to maintain effectiveness over vehicle lifetimes. Additionally, because these gasoline vapor control systems are certified as “environmental devices” for models currently in production, it is difficult and costly to replace the company’s products within the vehicle’s control system with a competitive product during the vehicle’s model/platform production life due to the high cost of recertification.
As a result of decades of innovation and production, Ingevity is able to produce products that are effective in smaller amounts than competitors’ offerings, meaning less product is required — which results in savings through the use of a smaller and less costly canister in the overall emissions control system. Continued innovation and manufacturing know how should allow this edge to continue even as competitors improve their product offerings.
Furthermore, Ingevity is further uniquely positioned to capitalize on the opportunity afforded by the adoption of these modern vapor emission regulatory standards, which will, as a practical matter (given current technology), require manufacturers of light duty vehicles in these countries to incrementally install advanced gasoline vapor control technology with carbon capable of meeting the new regulatory standards. Ingevity, through its proprietary technology, trade secrets and confidential manufacturing know-how, has unparalleled capability and expertise to manufacture the high performance carbon products required to meet these regulatory standards, as well as more stringent standards likely to be imposed in the years to come. These same capabilities and expertise will enable Ingevity to maintain its position in the United States and Canada markets as they advance their standard to “near zero” gasoline vapor emission levels.
The company also produces a number of other activated carbon products for the food, water, beverage and chemical purification industries, to maximize the productivity of our manufacturing assets.
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The company’s automotive carbon products are not a part of the automotive emissions systems that are the subject of the announcement by Volkswagen AG concerning the failure of certain of its diesel engine vehicles to meet certain clean air standards. The company’s carbon products capture the emission of fuel vapors from gasoline tanks, and have been in service reliably for decades. See “Core Strengths — Unique Decades-Long Track Record of Automotive Carbon Products Meeting Emission Compliance Standards.” The Volkswagen emission systems at issue involve tailpipe emissions from their diesel vehicles, and are not at all related to capturing gasoline vapor emissions from fuel tanks.
In 2015, our Performance Materials segment provided sales of  $257 million and Segment EBITDA of $92 million. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of Ingevity” for a reconciliation of Segment EBITDA to segment profit under U.S. GAAP.
Production
Activated carbon is an amorphous form of carbon characterized by a high volume of nanoscale pores. “Activation” refers to the process of developing these pores. The size, shape and volume of the pore structure and the surface chemistry of the pore are critical for driving performance in various applications.
Activated carbons are typically produced from either a thermal or chemical process utilizing a wide variety of carbonaceous raw materials. The thermal process, the most widely used activation process, uses rotary kilns or multi-hearth furnaces to carbonize and activate the raw material. This process operates at a much higher temperature and at a lower yield than the chemical activation process. Typical raw materials include bituminous coal, lignite and coconuts. Thermally activated carbons are usually used for “catch and dispose” applications, whereby the carbon is used to capture certain compounds and the carbon product is then disposed of or regenerated.
Ingevity employs a more specialized activation process, whereby chemical catalysts (most often phosphoric acid or zinc chloride) and various heating methods are used to facilitate the development of porosity. This process operates at a lower temperature and typically has higher yields than a thermal process. Carbons produced by this method typically have larger pores than thermally activated carbons and can be used in both “catch and dispose” applications and “catch and release” applications, whereby the carbon is used to capture and temporarily hold on to certain compounds which are then released in a controlled manner under specific operating conditions.
We use hardwood sawdust to produce chemically activated carbon, which, because of its higher pore volume, pore structure and high surface area, is well-matched for a variety of applications and ideally suited for the “catch and release” automotive application of capturing and reusing gasoline vapor emissions.
Customers
We sell our automotive products to over 60 customers around the globe. We are the trusted source of these products for many of the world’s largest automotive parts manufacturers, including Aisan Industry, Delphi Automotive, MAHLE, and many other large and small components manufacturers throughout the global supply chain. Our relationship with many of our customers and their customers — the vehicle manufacturers themselves (including every one of the top 15 global automotive manufacturers) — have been in place for most of our history in this application. Ingevity also produces activated carbon products for the food, water, beverage and chemical purification industries, which are sold to nearly 90 customers throughout the world.
The company operates primarily through a direct sales force in North America as well as its other major markets and also has a smaller, focused network of agents and distributors that have established a strong direct sales and marketing presence.
Competition
In automotive carbon, Ingevity has a unique decades long track record of providing life-of-vehicle performance, with over 750 million units installed. Given the imperative for automotive manufacturers to produce vehicles for the United States and Canadian markets capable of meeting life-of-vehicle emission standards, or potentially face expensive recalls and unfavorable publicity, our automotive carbon products
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provide our customers the low-risk choice in this high performance application. Our competitors in the automotive application include Cabot Corp. and Kuraray, among others. Our process purification business competes mainly in the United States in the food, beverage, chemical and water purification applications. Our competitors in this segment include Cabot, Calgon Carbon, Osaka Gas/Jacobi Carbons and several domestic U.S. manufacturers and distributors of imported products.
Capital Expenditures
On average steady-state required spending on continuity capital ( e.g. , maintenance, HS&E and regulatory) for the business is estimated to be equal to or slightly less than annual Depreciation and Amortization (“D&A”) expense. In any given year, however, continuity capital spending can vary from the average significantly given the nature of some required projects. In addition to continuity capital spending, we would expect to invest additional capital as attractive opportunities for high rate of return cost reduction or expansionary projects warrant. This spending amount may also vary significantly on a year to year basis depending on factors such as timing of project spending and the opportunities at hand.
Raw Materials and Energy
Performance Chemicals.    The primary raw material used in our performance chemicals segment is CTO, a co-product of the kraft pulping process, where pine is used as the source of the pulp. CTO is produced by acidulating BLSS, which is recovered during the kraft pulping process. The CTO is separated by distillation into TOR, TOFA and other biofractions. Consumers of CTO can purchase BLSS from pulping mills that do not have acidulation capacity (in which case the BLSS will need to be acidulated into CTO), and purchase CTO from pulping mills that do have acidulation capacity.
The availability of CTO is directly linked to the production output of kraft mills using pine as their source of pulp. As a result, there is a finite global supply of CTO — with global demand for kraft pulp driving the global supply of CTO, rather than demand for CTO itself. Most of the CTO made available for sale by its producers is covered by long-term supply agreements, further constraining availability.
At the time of the separation, we intend to enter into a 25-year supply agreement with WestRock pursuant to which we will purchase all of the CTO output from WestRock’s existing kraft mills, subject to certain exceptions. See “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions — Crude Tall Oil and Black Liquor Soap Skimmings Agreement.” This agreement will include market-based pricing terms. Based on the current mill footprint and 2015 output, the company expects to source approximately 45 – 55% of our current CTO requirements. The company also has agreements with other suppliers to satisfy substantially all of the balance of our expected requirements of CTO for 2016.
We believe that we are well positioned to acquire the CTO required for our operations. However, if any of our suppliers (including WestRock) fail to meet their respective demands under our supply agreements or we are otherwise unable to procure an adequate supply of CTO, we would be unable to produce the quantity of products that we have historically produced. Additionally, there are other pressures on the availability of CTO. Some kraft pulp mills may choose to consume their production of CTO to meet their energy needs rather than sell the CTO to third parties. Furthermore, weather conditions have in the past and may in the future affect the availability and quality of pine trees used in the kraft pulping process and therefore the availability of CTO meeting the company’s quality standards. See “Risk Factors — Our Performance Chemicals segment is highly dependent on CTO which is limited in supply; lack of access to sufficient CTO would impact our ability to produce CTO-based products.”
Also, regulatory incentives and mandates in Europe for the use of biofuel have placed additional pressure on CTO availability. See “Risk Factors — The European Union’s directive on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable resources and similar legislation in the United States and elsewhere may incentivize the use of CTO as a feedstock for production of alternative fuels.”
Finally, CTO as a raw material is subject to significant pricing pressures. See “Risk Factors — Pricing for CTO is subject to particular pricing pressures by reason of limited supply and competing demands for end use, and we may be limited in our ability to pass on increased costs to our customers,” and “Risk Factors — The company’s oilfield technologies business is significantly affected by trends in oil and natural gas prices that affect the level of exploration, development and production activity.”
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The other key raw materials used in the Performance Chemicals business are nonylphenol, pentaerythritol and ethylene amines. These are sourced through multiple suppliers to protect against supply disruptions and to maintain competitive pricing.
Performance Materials.    The primary raw material (by volume) used in in the manufacture of our activated carbon is hardwood sawdust. Sawdust is readily available, and is sourced through multiple suppliers to protect against supply disruptions and to maintain competitive pricing.
We also consume phosphoric acid, which is used to chemically activate the hardwood sawdust. This phosphoric acid is sourced through multiple suppliers to protect against supply disruptions and to maintain competitive pricing. The market price of phosphoric acid is affected by the global agriculture market as the majority of global phosphate rock production is used for fertilizer production and only a portion of that production is used to manufacture purified phosphoric acid. In the recent past, there have been price run-ups in phosphoric acid due to increased phosphate rock demands in global agriculture, which have in turn negatively affected our business.
Energy.    Our manufacturing processes require a significant amount of energy. In particular, the company is dependent on natural gas to fuel its carbon activation processes and is therefore subject to the market fluctuations in the price of natural gas. Although the company believes that it currently has a stable supply of and infrastructure for natural gas sufficient for its operations, we are subject to volatility in the market price of natural gas.
Environment
The company’s operations are subject to extensive regulation by federal, state and local authorities, as well as regulatory authorities with jurisdiction over foreign operations of the company, including relating to the discharge of materials into the environment and the handling, disposal and clean-up of waste materials, and otherwise relating to the protection of the environment. It is not possible to quantify with certainty the material effects that compliance with these may have upon the capital expenditures, earnings or competitive position of the company, but it is anticipated that such compliance will not have a material adverse effect on any of the foregoing. For a further discussion, see “Risk Factors — Our business involves hazards associated with chemical manufacturing, storage, transportation and disposal,” and “Risk Factors — The company’s operations are subject to a wide range of general and industry specific environmental laws and regulations.” Environmental regulation and legal proceedings have the potential for involving significant costs and liability for the company.
Intellectual Property
Intellectual property, including patents, closely guarded trade secrets and highly proprietary manufacturing know-how, as well as other proprietary rights, is a critical part of maintaining our technology leadership and competitive edge. Our business strategy includes filing patent and trademark applications where appropriate for proprietary developments, as well as protecting our trade secrets. We work actively to create, protect and enforce our intellectual property rights. The protection afforded by the company’s patents and trademarks varies based on country, scope and coverage, as well as the availability of legal remedies. Although our intellectual property taken as a whole is material to the business, other than our “canister bleed emissions” patent, which is part of our automotive business, there is no individual patent or trademark the loss of which could have a material adverse effect on the business. Our Evotherm ® Warm Mix Asphalt technology is supported by numerous global patents. See “Risk Factors — If we are unable to adequately protect our intellectual property, we may lose significant competitive advantages,” and “Risk Factors — We are subject to cyber-security risks related to our intellectual property and certain other data.”
Research and Development
We employ a world-class team of engineering and scientific professionals, many of whom hold Ph.D. degrees and are considered some of the foremost experts in their fields, with deep knowledge of our customers’ markets. We spent $7 million, $8 million and $11 million for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively, on research and development which were expensed as incurred.
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Seasonality
There are a variety of seasonal dynamics that impact our businesses, though none materially affect financial results, except in the case of the pavement technologies business, where roughly 75% of its revenue is generated between April and September. From a supply perspective, this seasonality is effectively managed through pre-season inventory build then active inventory management throughout the year.
Employees
We currently employ approximately 1,600 employees, of whom 71% are employed in the United States and 29% are employed internationally. Approximately 34% are represented by labor unions, domestic and international, under various collective bargaining agreements. We engage in negotiations with labor unions for new collective bargaining agreements from time to time based upon expiration dates of agreements and statutory requirements. We consider our relationships with employees to be generally good.
The collective bargaining agreement with the Covington Paperworkers Union (“CPU”) covering certain employees in the company’s Covington, Virginia facility also covers production employees of the adjoining WestRock Company paper mill. Similarly, there is a collective bargaining agreement with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (“IBEW”) for WestRock Covington hourly employees that affects certain hourly employees working at the company’s Covington facility. The CPU agreement has been extended until December 2016 and the IBEW agreement has been extended until January 2016. The manner in which these current shared collective bargaining arrangements will be separated and what new terms may be included in any new contracts that may be negotiated, has not been fully determined. See “Risk Factors — Work stoppages and other labor relations matters may have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.”
Properties
We are headquartered in North Charleston, South Carolina and operate manufacturing facilities in the United States, Brazil and China and warehouse and distribution facilities globally. The following locations represent the principal properties of Ingevity.
Own / Lease
Functional Use
North Charleston, South Carolina
Own
Corporate Headquarters;
Application Labs;
Performance Chemicals
Manufacturing
Covington, Virginia
Lease
Performance Materials
Manufacturing
DeRidder, Louisiana
   Lease (1)
Performance Chemicals
Manufacturing
Duque de Caxias, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Own
Performance Chemicals
Manufacturing
Palmeira, Santa Catarina, Brazil
Own
Performance Chemicals
Manufacturing
Waynesboro, Georgia
Own (JV)
Performance Materials
Manufacturing
Wickliffe, Kentucky
Own
Performance Materials
Manufacturing
Wujiang, People’s Republic of China
Lease
Performance Materials
Manufacturing
Zhuhai, People’s Republic of China
Lease
Performance Materials
Manufacturing
(1)
This is a capital lease with the Industrial Development Board of the City of DeRidder, Louisiana, Inc.
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Legal Proceedings
We are from time to time, involved in routine litigation incidental to our operations. None of the litigation in which we are currently involved, individually or in the aggregate, is material to our combined financial condition, liquidity or results of operations nor are we aware of any material pending or contemplated proceedings.
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MANAGEMENT
Executive Officers Following the Distribution
The following individuals currently serve as our executive officers and are expected to continue to serve following the separation. After the separation, none of these individuals will continue to be executive officers or employees of WestRock.
Name
Age
Position
D. Michael Wilson
53
President and Chief Executive Officer
John C. Fortson
48
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
Edward A. Rose
54
Executive Vice President and President of Performance Chemicals
S. Edward Woodcock, Jr.
50
Senior Vice President and President of Performance Materials
Katherine Pryor Burgeson
58
Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
Mr. Wilson serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Ingevity. Mr. Wilson came to Ingevity from Albemarle Corporation, where he served as Executive Vice President of Albemarle and President of Albemarle’s Performance Chemicals business in 2015. Mr. Wilson served as President of Albemarle’s Catalyst Solutions business from September 2013 through 2015 and held a variety of business unit leadership roles at FMC Corporation over the course of over fifteen years, including President of the Specialty Chemicals group from 2011 to 2013. Prior to FMC Corporation, Mr. Wilson served various roles at Wausau Papers and Rexam. He holds a bachelor of science degree in chemistry from the University of North Carolina and a master of business administration from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina. With three decades of global manufacturing experience and more than 15 years in the chemicals industry, Mr. Wilson is a proven leader with a strong background in business operations and a track record of achieving growth through strategic positioning and mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Wilson will also serve on the Board of Directors as a director.
Mr. Fortson serves as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Ingevity. Mr. Fortson came to Ingevity from AAR Corporation where he previously served as Vice President, Finance since May 2013, and became Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer in July 2013. Prior to joining AAR Corporation, Mr. Fortson was a Managing Director in the Investment Banking Department of Bank of America Merrill Lynch working in the firm’s New York, London and Chicago offices. Mr. Fortson is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and has a master’s in business administration from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. Mr. Fortson spent seven years as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army. His last assignment was as a parachute rifle company commander in the 82nd Airborne Division.
Mr. Rose serves as Executive Vice President and President of the Performance Chemicals segment of Ingevity. Mr. Rose previously served as President of WestRock’s (previously Westvaco’s, and later, MeadWestvaco’s) Specialty Chemicals Division, a position he held since 2010. From 2004 to 2009, he served as Vice President, Resins Polymers and Coating for MeadWestvaco. Over the course of 31 years with the business, Mr. Rose has led teams in business development and strategy, including new product development, bolt-on acquisitions and strategic alliances. He has held various roles as development engineer, national sales manager, business development manager, industry manager, marketing manager and group manager. He holds a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from Clemson University.
Mr. Woodcock serves as Senior Vice President and President of Ingevity’s Performance Materials. He served as vice president of MeadWestvaco’s, and later, WestRock’s Carbon Technologies business from 2010 to 2015 after holding multiple positions of increasing responsibility within that business, most recently global business director, Automotive. During his 27-year career with the company, Mr. Woodcock has held various roles including business director, Automotive, for the Asia-Pacific region, worldwide marketing manager for the chemical division’s non-U.S. business, area sales manager for Latin America, and technical manager for the Process Technology business. At various stages of his career, he has had direct responsibility for products from each of our businesses. Mr. Woodcock holds a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering from the University of Virginia.
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Ms. Burgeson serves as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Ingevity. Ms. Burgeson came to Ingevity from WestRock, where she served as Associate General Counsel, a position she held since July 1, 2015. Prior to the merger of MeadWestvaco Corporation and Rock-Tenn Company which resulted in the formation of WestRock, Ms. Burgeson served as Deputy General Counsel of MeadWestvaco, where she was lead legal counsel for commercial, corporate and mergers and acquisition-related matters. Ms. Burgeson joined Westvaco Corporation, MeadWestvaco’s predecessor in 2000. Prior to joining Westvaco, Ms. Burgeson was a partner at Cummings & Lockwood in Stamford, Connecticut. Ms. Burgeson began her legal career as an associate at Shearman & Sterling. Ms. Burgeson received her J.D. from Fordham University School of Law and her B.A. from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut.
Board of Directors Following the Distribution
The following table sets forth information as of March 4, 2016, regarding those individuals who are expected to serve on the Company’s board of directors following the separation. All of the nominees will be presented to WestRock Company, as the Company’s sole shareholder, for election prior to the separation.
Name
Age
Position
Richard B. Kelson
69
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Jean S. Blackwell
61
Director
Luis Fernandez-Moreno
53
Director
J. Michael Fitzpatrick
69
Director
Frederick J. Lynch
50
Director
Daniel F. Sansone
62
Director
D. Michael Wilson
53
Director, Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Kelson is the Chairman, President, and CEO of ServCo LLC, where he has served in that capacity since July 2009. Mr. Kelson also served as Alcoa’s Executive Vice President and CFO for nearly a decade, retiring in 2006 as Chairman’s Counsel. Prior to that, he was Alcoa, Inc.’s Executive Vice President – Environment, Health and Safety and General Counsel, and a member of the Executive Counsel, the senior leadership group that provides strategic direction for the company. He also served as an Operating Advisor with Pegasus Capital Advisors, L.P., a private equity fund manager from September 2006 through March 2010. Mr. Kelson served as a member of the Board of Directors of MeadWestvaco Corporation, and its predecessor, Westvaco Corporation, from 2001 to 2015, and has served as a member of the Board of Directors of PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. since 2002, Anadigics, Inc. since February 2015 and Commercial Metals Company since 2010, where he is lead director. He served as a Director of Lighting Science Group Corporation from October 2007 through March 2010. He was a member of the Board of Trustees at Carnegie Mellon University from 2000 to 2006 and serves on the board of the University of Pittsburgh Law School Board of Visitors. Mr. Kelson was a member of the Board of Directors for the non-profit KaBOOM, Inc. from April 2008 to November 2014, where he served as Chairperson of that board from November 2008 to November 2013.
Ms. Blackwell has served as a member of the Board of Directors and member of the Audit and Nominating and Governance Committees of Celanese Corporation, a global technology and specialty materials company, since March 2014. She has also served as a member of the Board of Directors of Essendant Inc. (formerly United Stationers Inc.), a leading national wholesale distributor of business products, since May 2007. She is currently Chair of the Governance Committee and a member of the Finance Committee at Essendant. She previously served as a member of the Board of Directors and Chairperson of the Audit Committee of Phoenix Companies, Inc., a life insurance company, from April 2004 to November 2009. Ms. Blackwell served as CEO of Cummins Foundation and Executive Vice President of Corporate Responsibility of Cummins Inc. from March 2008 until her retirement in March 2013. At Cummins Inc. she previously served as Executive Vice President and CFO from 2003 to 2008, Vice President, Cummins Business Services from 2001 to 2003, Vice President, Human Resources from 1998 to 2001, and Vice President and General Counsel from 1997 to 1998. Prior to joining Cummins, Ms. Blackwell served as the Budget Director for the State of Indiana from 1993-1995, and as the Executive
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Director of the Indiana State Lottery Commission from 1991-1992. Prior to her service on the State Lottery Commission, Ms. Blackwell was a partner at Bose McKinney & Evans LLP, where she practiced in the area of financial and real estate transactions. Ms. Blackwell has in-depth knowledge of the business operations of a publicly-traded company from her long tenure at Cummins and a strong financial acumen from her senior management experience. She has a thorough understanding of public company financial reporting and is well-versed in internal controls.
Mr. Fernandez-Moreno has been Senior Vice President of Ashland Inc., a specialty chemical company, since October 2013 and President of its Chemicals Group since April 2015. He previously served as President of Ashland Specialty Ingredients from October 2013 until April 2015. From November 2012 to October 2013, he was President of Ashland Water Technologies. Mr. Fernandez-Moreno served as Executive Vice President of HTH Water Products & Wood Protection for Arch Chemicals, Inc., from September 2010 until October 2011. Prior to joining Arch Chemicals, Mr. Fernandez-Moreno spent approximately 25 years at Rohm & Haas Company until it was acquired by Dow Chemical Company, after which he managed the newly-formed Dow Coatings Materials business until August 2010. Mr. Fernandez-Moreno has a successful history leading complex global businesses and has experience in the development and implementation of merger and acquisitions plans, including successful acquisitions, joint ventures, and divestitures.
Dr. Fitzpatrick is an independent member of the Board of Directors of McCormick & Company, a manufacturer of spices, herbs and flavorings, and serves on its Audit Committee. Dr. Fitzpatrick has served as a director since November 2001. Dr. Fitzpatrick has also served as a director of NOVOLEX, a privately held company, since 2013. Dr. Fitzpatrick has been an Executive Advisor Partner at Wind Point Partners since March 2005, and was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Citadel Plastics Holdings, Inc., a plastics manufacturer, from March 2007 to 2012. Previously, Dr. Fitzpatrick spent thirty years with Rohm & Haas Company, serving most recently as President and COO until 2005. Dr. Fitzpatrick served on the Board of Directors of Carpenter Technology Corporation from 1996 to 2006, and on the Board of Directors of SPX Corporation from February 2007 to 2010. Dr. Fitzpatrick’s qualifications include senior executive experience at a publicly-traded multinational company, general management experience in international operations, a high level of financial literacy, and extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions.
Mr. Lynch has served as President of Masonite International Corporation, a global manufacturer of interior doors and entry door systems, since July 2005 and Chief Executive Officer since May 2007. He has served on the Masonite International Corporation Board of Directors since June 2006. Mr. Lynch joined Masonite from Alpharma Inc., where he served as President of the human generics division and Senior Vice President of global supply chain from 2003 to 2006. Prior to joining Alpharma in 2003, Mr. Lynch spent nearly 18 years at Honeywell International Inc., most recently as Vice President and General Manager of its specialty chemical business. Mr. Lynch has extensive global operating experience in midsize to Fortune 100 multinational manufacturing corporations.
Mr. Sansone served as Executive Vice President of Strategy at Vulcan Materials Company from January 2014 to December 2014. Vulcan, an S&P 500 company, is the largest U.S. producer of construction aggregates and a major producer of ready-mixed concrete, asphalt mix and cement. At Vulcan he served as Executive Vice President and CFO from February 2010 to January 2014 and Senior Vice President and CFO from May 2005 to January 2010. From May 1997 to May 2005, he served as President of one of Vulcan’s significant operating divisions. Mr. Sansone joined Vulcan in February 1988 as Corporate Controller after serving as Director of Finance, Europe at Monroe Auto Equipment and in various roles at FMC Corporation and Kraft Incorporated. Mr. Sansone is a proven business leader with four decades of broad domestic and international experience in finance and general management in major public corporations.
Upon completion of the separation, Ingevity’s board of directors will initially be divided into three classes, with Class I comprised of two directors, Class II comprised of two directors and Class III comprised of three directors. The directors designated as Class I directors will have terms expiring at the first annual meeting of stockholders following the distribution, which Ingevity expects to hold in 2017. The directors designated as Class II directors will have terms expiring at the following year’s annual meeting of
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stockholders, which Ingevity expects to hold in 2018, and the directors designated as Class III directors will have terms expiring at the following year’s annual meeting of stockholders, which Ingevity expects to hold in 2019. Commencing with the first annual meeting of stockholders following the distribution, directors elected to succeed those directors whose terms then expire shall be elected for a term of office to expire at the 2019 annual meeting of stockholders. Beginning at the 2019 annual meeting, all of our directors will stand for election each year for annual terms, and our board will therefore no longer be divided into three classes.
At any meeting of stockholders for the election of directors at which a quorum is present, the election will be determined by a majority of the votes cast by the stockholders entitled to vote in the election, except that in the case of a contested election, the election will be determined by a plurality of the votes cast by the stockholders entitled to vote in the election.
Director Independence
We expect that a majority of our board of directors will meet the criteria for independence as defined by the rules of the NYSE.
We expect that our board of directors will determine the independence of directors annually based on a review by the directors and the Nominating and Governance Committee (“N&G Committee”). In determining whether a director is independent, we expect that the board of directors will determine whether each director meets the objective standards for independence set forth in the rules of the NYSE.
Committees of the Board of Directors
Following the distribution, the standing committees of our board of directors will include an Executive Committee, Audit Committee, Compensation Committee and the N&G Committee, each as further described below. Following our listing on the NYSE and in accordance with the transition provisions of the rules of the NYSE applicable to companies listing in conjunction with a spin-off transaction, each of these committees will, by the date required by the rules of the NYSE, be composed exclusively of directors who are independent. Other committees may also be established by the board of directors from time to time.
Executive Committee.    The members of the Executive Committee are expected to be Mr. Kelson, Ms. Blackwell, Mr. Fitzpatrick and Mr. Lynch. It is expected that Mr. Kelson will be the chairman of the Executive Committee. This committee will have the ability to exercise all the authority of the board in the management of Ingevity, except for matters expressly reserved by law for board action.
Audit Committee.    The members of the Audit Committee are expected to be Ms. Blackwell, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Fernandez-Moreno and Mr. Sansone. It is expected that Ms. Blackwell will be the chairman of the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee will have the responsibility, among other things, to review and monitor (1) the integrity of the financial statements of the company and internal controls over financial reporting, (2) the performance of the company’s internal audit function and independent auditors, including the independence and qualifications of the company’s independent auditors, (3) the compliance by the company with legal and regulatory requirements, (4) the company’s financial management and resources and (5) specific financial strategy initiatives as requested by the board or management. The responsibilities of the Audit Committee, which are anticipated to be modeled as a combination of the responsibilities of WestRock’s Audit and Finance Committees, will be more fully described in our Audit Committee charter. The Audit Committee charter will be posted on our website at www.ingevity.com and will be available in print to any stockholder that requests it. Further, the board of directors is expected to determine that Ms. Blackwell and Mr. Sansone possess accounting or related financial management expertise within the meaning of the NYSE listing standards and that each qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” as defined under the applicable SEC rules.
Compensation Committee.    The members of the Compensation Committee are expected to be Mr. Lynch, Mr. Kelson, Ms. Blackwell and Mr. Sansone. It is expected that Mr. Lynch will be the chairman of the Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee will have the responsibility of assisting the Board in fulfilling its responsibilities with respect to compensation of the company’s executives and non-employee directors and will have oversight of matters relating to the company’s equity compensation and employee benefits plans. The Compensation Committee (1) considers and approves all compensation
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and benefits, as well as goals and objectives, underlying such compensation for the company’s executive officers, (2) reviews compensation of the company’s non-employee directors, (3) approves plans for cash and equity compensation and sets the overall compensation strategy and compensation policies for the company’s executives and non-employee directors and (4) monitors compliance of such plans and policies with SEC rules. The responsibilities of the Compensation Committee, which are anticipated to be substantially identical to the responsibilities of WestRock’s Compensation Committee, will be more fully described in the Compensation Committee charter. The Compensation Committee charter will be posted on our website at www.ingevity.com and will be available in print to any stockholder that requests it. Each member of the Compensation Committee will be a non-employee director.
Nominating and Governance Committee.    The members of the N&G Committee are expected to be Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Kelson, Mr. Lynch and Mr. Fernandez-Moreno. It is expected that Mr. Fitzpatrick will be the chairman of the N&G Committee. The N&G Committee is responsible for studying and making recommendations concerning the qualifications of all directors, and selecting and recommending candidates for election and re-election to the board of directors and persons to fill vacancies on the board of directors. The N&G Committee also reviews and considers other matters of corporate governance, including trends and emerging expectations, as well as best practices. In advising the board of directors and management, the N&G Committee may consider a range of governance matters, including board structure, board composition, committees and criteria for committee appointment, board meeting policies and the ongoing relationship between the board of directors and management. The N&G Committee also oversees the development of the company’s board leadership succession plan. The responsibilities of the N&G Committee, which are anticipated to be substantially identical to the responsibilities of WestRock’s Nominating and Governance Committee, will be more fully described in the N&G Committee charter. The N&G Committee charter will be posted on our website at www.ingevity.com and will be available in print to any stockholder that requests it.
Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation
During the company’s fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, Ingevity was not an independent company, and did not have a compensation committee or any other committee serving a similar function. Decisions as to the compensation of those who currently serve as Ingevity’s executive officers were made by WestRock, as described in the section of this information statement captioned “Compensation Discussion and Analysis.”
Corporate Governance
Stockholder Recommendations for Director Nominees.    Ingevity’s amended and restated bylaws will contain provisions that address the process by which a stockholder may nominate an individual to stand for election to the board of directors. Ingevity expects that the board of directors will adopt a policy concerning the evaluation of stockholder recommendations of board candidates by the N&G Committee.
Corporate Governance Guidelines.    The board of directors is expected to adopt a set of corporate governance guidelines in connection with the separation to assist it in guiding Ingevity’s governance practices. These practices will be regularly re-evaluated by the N&G Committee in light of changing circumstances in order to continue serving the company’s best interests and the best interests of its stockholders.
This assessment will address the candidate’s qualifications in light of the needs of the board and the company at that time given the current mix of director attributes. The company’s corporate governance guidelines are expected to contain specific criteria for board and board committee membership. In accordance with the corporate governance guidelines, the board of directors will strive to select as candidates for board membership a mix of individuals who represent diverse experience, background and thought at policy-making levels that are relevant to the company’s activities as well as other characteristics that will contribute to the overall ability of the board to perform its duties and meet changing conditions. The corporate governance guidelines will also provide that each director must meet the following criteria:

Be free of conflicts of interest and other legal and ethical issues that would interfere with the proper performance of the responsibilities of a director (recognizing that some directors may also be executive officers of our company).
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Be committed to discharging the duties of a director in accordance with the corporate governance guidelines and applicable law.

Be willing and able to devote sufficient time and energy to carrying out his or her duties effectively and be committed to serve on the board for an extended period of time.

Have sufficient experience to enable the director to meaningfully participate in deliberations of the board and one or more of its committees and to otherwise fulfill his or her duties.
The corporate governance guidelines are also expected to provide that any director who has a significant change in his or her full-time job responsibilities must give prompt written notice to the board of directors, specifying the details, and must submit to the board of directors a letter of resignation from the board of directors and from each committee of the board of directors on which the director serves. Submission of a letter of resignation provides the board of directors the opportunity to review the continued appropriateness of the director’s membership on the board of directors and committees of the board of directors under the circumstances. The board of directors may reject or accept the letter of resignation due to change in job responsibilities as it deems to be appropriate.
The N&G Committee will consider each candidate’s independence, as defined in the corporate governance guidelines and in the corporate governance standards of the NYSE. A high level of commitment will be expected from directors and consideration will be given to a candidate’s service on other boards and board committees to ensure that the candidate has sufficient time to effectively serve the company.
Board Leadership Structure.    There will be no fixed policy on whether the roles of chairman of the board of directors and chief executive officer should be separate or combined. This decision will be made in the best interests of Ingevity considering the circumstances at the time. Ingevity’s corporate governance guidelines are expected to provide that when the chairman is not an independent director, the independent directors will also select from among themselves a director to serve as a lead independent director. The lead independent director, if any, will (i) preside at all meetings of the board of directors at which the Chairman is not present, including executive sessions of the non-management directors; (ii) serve as liaison between the Chairman and the non-management directors; (iii) have authority to call meetings of the non-management directors; and (iv) perform such other functions as the board of directors may direct.
Board’s Role in Oversight of Risk Management
The board of directors is expected to have responsibility for the oversight of risk management at the company and to implement its oversight function both as a whole and through delegation to its committees. The board of directors and its committees will receive regular reports from members of senior management on areas of material risk to the company, including operational, financial, strategic, competitive, reputational, legal and regulatory risks, and how those risks are managed.
Various aspects of the board of directors’ risk oversight will be delegated to its committees, which will meet regularly and report back to the full board. The following committees are expected to play significant roles in carrying out the risk oversight function:

The Audit Committee will oversee risks related to the company’s financial statements, the financial reporting and disclosure processes, the financial and other internal controls, accounting and legal matters. The Audit Committee will select and retain the company’s independent auditor and will also oversee the internal audit function. The company’s independent outside auditors and the vice president of the company’s internal audit department will be expected to regularly identify and discuss with the Audit Committee risks and related mitigation measures that may arise during their regular reviews of the company’s financial statements and audit work. The Audit Committee will meet separately on a regular basis with representatives of the independent auditing firm and the vice president of the company’s internal audit department. The Audit Committee will also be expected to review management’s annual capital expenditure plans and management’s assessment of the company’s capital structure, including dividend policies and stock repurchase programs,
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debt capacity, liquidity and refinancing risk. The Audit Committee will review financing and liquidity initiatives to be proposed by management for board action and will review steps taken by management to ensure compliance with the company’s financial management policies.

The Compensation Committee will be expected to evaluate the risks and rewards associated with the company’s compensation philosophy and programs. The Compensation Committee will review and approve compensation programs with features designed to reward long-term achievement and discourage excessive short-term risk taking. It is expected that an independent executive compensation consulting firm hired by the Compensation Committee will advise the committee with respect to executive compensation practices and programs, including the risks associated with each of them.

The N&G Committee will monitor our corporate governance practices against applicable requirements, including those of the NYSE, and against evolving developments and will be responsible for our codes of conduct and ethics, including the code of business conduct applicable to the company’s employees. The N&G Committee will also consider issues associated with the independence of the company’s board members.
The company’s general counsel will be expected to inform each committee and the board of directors of relevant legal and compliance issues, and each committee will also have access to the company’s outside counsel when they deem it advisable. Each committee will have the authority to engage such independent counsel as the committee deems necessary to carry out its duties and responsibilities.
Annually, the company’s CEO and other senior executives, as deemed appropriate by management or the board members, will make a presentation to our board of directors about risks associated with our business and how the company manages and mitigates those risks. Because overseeing risk is an ongoing process, the board of directors also will be expected to discuss risk throughout the year at other meetings in relation to proposed actions or discussions with respect to various aspects of our operations.
Policies on Business Ethics.    In connection with the separation, Ingevity is expected adopt a Code of Conduct that requires all of its business activities to be conducted in compliance with laws, regulations and ethical principles and values. The Ingevity Code of Conduct will apply to all Ingevity directors and employees worldwide, including the CEO and the CFO. These policies and principles will support the company’s core values of integrity, respect for the individual, commitment to excellence and teamwork.
The Code of Conduct will be posted on our website at www.ingevity.com and will be available in print to any stockholder that requests it. Any future changes or amendments to the Code of Conduct and any waiver of the Code of Conduct that applies to our CEO, CFO, principal accounting officer or member of the board of directors, will be posted on the company’s website at www.ingevity.com.
Procedures for Treatment of Complaints Regarding Accounting, Internal Accounting Controls and Auditing Matters.    In accordance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, Ingevity expects that its Audit Committee will adopt procedures for the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints regarding accounting, internal accounting controls and auditing matters and to allow for the confidential, anonymous submission by employees and others of concerns regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters.
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compensation discussion and analysis
This section presents information concerning compensation arrangements for Ingevity’s named executive officers. Ingevity’s named executive officers are the individuals who will be Ingevity’s chief executive officer, chief financial officer and the three most highly compensated Ingevity executive officers based on their compensation at WestRock (and as applicable MWV) during the calendar year ending December 31, 2015. We provide historical information concerning the compensation of the Ingevity named executive officers who are listed below:

D. Michael Wilson — President and Chief Executive Officer

John C. Fortson — Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

Edward A. Rose — Executive Vice President and President of Performance Chemicals

Katherine Pryor Burgeson — Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

S. Edward Woodcock, Jr. — Senior Vice President and President of Performance Materials
Background
Ingevity is not yet an independent company, and does not have a compensation committee or any other committee serving a similar function. Therefore, decisions as to the compensation of those who currently serve as Ingevity’s executive officers were made by WestRock since the Merger and by MWV prior to the Merger. Following the Separation, the compensation philosophy of Ingevity and compensation decisions for Ingevity’s executive officers will be made by the Compensation Committee. In addition, following the Separation, the Compensation Committee will review the impact of the Separation on all aspects of compensation and determine, in its sole discretion, whether to make appropriate adjustments to compensation to reflect the Separation. Each of Ingevity’s five named executive officers is currently, and was as of December 31, 2015, an executive of WestRock.
Three of Ingevity’s named executive officers (Ms. Burgeson and Messrs. Rose and Woodcock) served as executives of MWV prior to the Merger. Therefore, the historic compensation information provided below for each of Ms. Burgeson and Messrs. Rose and Woodcock for the fiscal years 2014 and 2013 reflects the compensation each earned at MWV according to its legacy compensation and benefit plans and agreements (“MWV Legacy Programs”). The initial compensation of Ms. Burgeson and Messrs. Rose and Woodcock for the calendar year 2015 was set by MWV prior to the Merger pursuant to the MWV Legacy Programs; provided that the compensation of Ms. Burgeson and Messrs. Rose and Woodcock was subsequently adjusted by WestRock to reflect each executive officer’s role at Ingevity. Messrs. Rose and Woodcock have historically worked exclusively for the Specialty Chemicals division of MWV and will work for Ingevity in the roles of Executive Vice President of Performance Chemicals and Senior Vice President of Performance Materials, respectively. Ms. Burgeson worked in the legal department at the parent company MWV, and then WestRock, until November 1, 2015, at which time she was named Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Ingevity.
Both Mr. Wilson and Mr. Fortson joined WestRock in 2015 after the Merger. Accordingly, the compensation reported in the tables below for both Messrs. Wilson and Fortson was determined by WestRock according to its current compensation programs and philosophy while taking into account the transitional nature of the year in anticipation of the Separation.
In connection with the Merger, WestRock assumed the sponsorship of each of the MWV Legacy Programs as well as any rights and obligations of MWV under such MWV Legacy Programs. For details on how the Merger impacted specific awards originally granted by MWV, see “Historical Compensation of Executive Officers Prior to the Separation — Grants of Plan Based Awards in 2015” below.
The Ingevity named executive officers were compensated largely in accordance with WestRock’s compensation philosophy and structure, although due to the Merger in July of 2015 and in anticipation of the Separation, the 2015 fiscal year was not a typical year. After the Separation, the compensation of the Ingevity named executive officers will likely remain in place for the immediate future and any changes in the compensation philosophy and structure will be subject to the review and approval of the Compensation Committee.
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Historical Compensation of Executive Officers Prior to the Separation
The following tables provide information concerning historical compensation paid to each of the Ingevity named executive officers. Amounts presented for fiscal 2013 and 2014 were paid to the named executive officers by MWV prior to the Merger. Amounts presented for the year 2015 were paid by MWV until the closing of the Merger on July 1, 2015 and by WestRock following the closing of the Merger through December 31, 2015. Amounts presented herein do not necessarily reflect the compensation that these individuals will receive following the Separation as employees of Ingevity.
Prior to the Merger, MWV fiscal years ended on December 31. For 2015, WestRock operated on a September 30 fiscal year end. Since Ingevity will also operate on a December 31 fiscal year end, for the purposes of comparison, the amounts reported for 2015 are reported as of the end of the calendar year.
Summary Compensation Table.
The following table presents information concerning total compensation paid to Ingevity’s named executive officers.
Name and
Principal Position
Year
Salary (1)
Bonus (2)
Stock
Awards (3)
Option
Awards (3)
Non-Equity
Incentive
Plan
Compensation (4)
Change in
Pension
Value &
Non-qualified
Deferred
Comp
Earnings (5)
All
Other
Compensation (6)
Total
D. Michael Wilson
President & CEO
2015 $ 266,667 $ 500,000 $ 0 $ 0 $ 0 $ 0 $ 20,184 $ 786,851
John C. Fortson
EVP, CFO & Treasurer
2015 $ 95,000 $ 250,000 $ 0 $ 0 $ 0 $ 0 $ 6,506 $ 351,506
Edward A. Rose
EVP & President of
Perf. Chemicals
2015 $ 379,166 $ 0 $ 199,874 $ 0 $ 203,500 $ 378,846 $ 34,716 $ 1,196,102
2014 $ 326,000 $ 0 $ 209,957 $ 82,953 $ 284,625 $ 755,432 $ 20,185 $ 1,679,152
2013 $ 298,940 $ 0 $ 205,448 $ 90,036 $ 150,000 $ 144,004 $ 25,220 $ 913,648
Katherine Pryor Burgeson
SVP, Gen’l Counsel &
Secretary
2015 $ 312,966 $ 50,000 $ 185,636 $ 77,322 $ 148,721 $ 159,025 $ 24,963 $ 958,812
2014 $ 312,966 $ 0 $ 192,370 $ 82,459 $ 122,526 $ 387,147 $ 14,713 $ 1,112,181
2013 $ 312,966 $ 0 $ 171,207 $ 69,132 $ 25,000 $ 0 $ 22,945 $ 601,250
S. Edward Woodcock, Jr.
SVP & President of
Perf. Materials
2015 $ 243,127 $ 0 $ 87,616 $ 0 $ 98,929 $ 125,024 $ 18,159 $ 572,855
2014 $ 216,758 $ 0 $ 44,863 $ 0 $ 114,255 $ 331,445 $ 11,886 $ 719,207
2013 $ 206,855 $ 0 $ 61,433 $ 24,887 $ 60,617 $ 25,467 $ 13,802 $ 393,061
(1)
Mr. Wilson’s annualized salary is prorated based on his date of hire of September 1, 2015 and Mr. Fortson’s annualized salary is prorated based on his date of hire of October 12, 2015. The amounts included in this column represent salary for each Ingevity named executive officer before compensation reduction payments under the Ingevity Corporation Retirement Plan. The Ingevity Corporation Retirement Plan is a plan qualified under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code.
(2)
As a part of their hiring packages, Mr. Wilson received a one-time cash bonus of  $500,000 and Mr. Fortson received a one-time cash bonus of  $250,000. As a part of her new employment arrangement with Ingevity, Ms. Burgeson received a one-time cash bonus of  $50,000.
(3)
In the columns “Stock Awards” and “Option Awards,” SEC regulations require us to disclose the aggregate grant date fair value of the award of stock or options measured in dollars and calculated in accordance with ASC 718. For grants of restricted stock and stock units, the fair value per share is equal to the closing sale price of WestRock’s common stock or MWV’s common stock (as applicable) on the NYSE on the dates of the applicable grants. For stock options granted in 2015, the fair value per share is based on certain assumptions which are explained in Note 15 to WestRock financial statements included in WestRock’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2015. For options granted in 2014 and 2013, the fair value per share is based on certain assumptions which are explained in Note K to MWV’s financial statements included in MWV’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014.
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(4)
Amounts shown in this column include payments made to the Ingevity named executive officers under the annual performance bonus program.
(5)
This column shows the increase from December 31, 2014 to December 31, 2015 in the actuarial present value of accumulated benefits for each Ingevity named executive officer who participates in the MWV Pension Plan (as defined below) and Retirement Restoration Plan (as defined below). It does not include any above-market or preferential earnings on deferred compensation, as we do not provide above-market or preferential earnings on the deferred compensation of our named executive officers. The amounts set forth in this column were calculated using the assumptions from WestRock’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2015. The discount rates used as of December 31, 2013, December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2015 were 4.88%, 4.03% and 4.48%, respectively, for both the MWV Pension Plan and the Retirement Restoration Plan. The post-retirement mortality assumptions used for the MWV Pension Plan as of December 31, 2015 were based on the adjusted Society of Actuaries RP-2014 table and a future mortality improvement scale based on Social Security Administration data and assumptions. The RP-2014 table was adjusted to substitute the Social Security Administration mortality improvement assumptions after 2012, to reflect white collar life expectancies, and to reflect that WestRock’s white collar male and female populations have 106% and 113% higher mortality experience, respectively, than otherwise expected using these assumptions.
The amounts shown in this column for 2015 are derived as follows:
D. Michael
Wilson
John C.
Fortson
Edward
Rose
Katherine
Pryor
Burgeson
S. Edward
Woodcock, Jr.
Financial Planning/​
Counseling (1)
$ 0 $ 0 $ 650 $ 0 $ 0
Qualified Savings Plan Contributions (2)
$ 10,600 $ 0 $ 10,600 $ 10,600 $ 10,600
Non-Qualified Savings Plan Contributions (3)
$ 0 $ 0 $ 22,252 $ 13,169 $ 6,736
Life Insurance Premiums (4)
$ 1,018 $ 453 $ 1,214 $ 1,194 $ 823
Relocation Expenses
$ 8,566 $ 6,053 N/A N/A N/A
Total Other Compensation
$ 20,184 $ 6,506 $ 34,716 $ 24,963 $ 18,159
(1)
Reimbursement for financial planning
(2)
Annual contribution by WestRock (or, if prior to the Merger, MWV) to qualified 401(k) savings plan
(3)
Annual contribution by WestRock (or, if prior to the Merger, MWV) to non-qualified deferred compensation plan
(4)
Annual life insurance premium paid by WestRock (or, if prior to the Merger, MWV).
(5)
Reimbursement for relocation expenses including temporary housing and commuting expenses.
Grants of Plan Based Awards in 2015
The table below shows the cash and equity awards that were granted to each of the named executive officers during 2015 under various plans. See the footnote disclosures below for a description of each such award and its treatment as a result of the Merger, as applicable.
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Estimated
Possible
Payouts
Under
Non-
Equity
Incentive
Plan
Awards
Estimated
Future
Payouts
Under
Equity
Incentive
Plan
Awards
All
Other
Stock
Awards
or Units
(#
of
awards)
All
Other
Option
Awards
(#
of
awards)
Exercise
or
Base
Price
of
Option
Awards
($)
Grant
Date
Fair
Market
Value
of
Stock
&
Option
Awards
($)
Name
Grant
Date
Threshold
($)
Target
($)
Maximum
($)
Threshold
(#
of
awards)
Target
(#
of
awards)
Maximum
(#
of
awards)
D. Michael Wilson
Spin-Off Bonus (1)
$ 533,333
John C. Fortson
Spin-Off Bonus (2)
$ 182,875
Edward A. Rose
Annual Perf.
Bonus (3)
$ 125,000 $ 240,000 $ 480,000
Incentive Comp. Award (4)
$ 200,000
RSUs (5)
2/23/2015 2,861 $ 199,874
Katherine Pryor Burgeson
Annual Perf.
Bonus (3)
$ 72,000 $ 144,000 $ 288,000
Spin-Off Bonus (6)
$ 72,000
Options (7)
2/23/2015 624 $ 54.76 $ 17,959
Options (8)
8/5/2015 3,285 $ 62.75 $ 66,258
PSUs (9)
2/23/2015 746 $ 46,812
PSUs (10)
8/5/2015 1,233 2,465 4,930 $ 154,679
S. Edward Woodcock, Jr.
Annual Perf.
Bonus (3)
$ 68,750 $ 137,500 $ 275,000
RSUs (5)
2/23/2015 1,255 $ 87,616
Incentive Comp. Award (4)
$ 87,500
(1)
As a part of his sign on package, WestRock set Mr. Wilson’s participation level in the annual performance bonus program at a threshold payout of 50%, target payout of 100% and maximum payout of 200% of his base pay of  $800,000. For the time period between his start date (September 1, 2015) and the Separation, his annual performance bonus will be pro-rated and paid out at such time assuming target performance. The amount listed above assumes the Separation will occur on May 2, 2016.
(2)
As a part of his sign on package, WestRock set Mr. Fortson’s participation level in the annual performance bonus program at a threshold payout of 35%, target payout of 70% and maximum payout of 140% of his base pay of  $475,000. For the time period between his start date (October 12, 2015) and the Separation, his annual performance bonus will be pro-rated and paid out at such time assuming target performance. The amount listed above assumes the Separation will occur on May 2, 2016.
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(3)
For the 2015 performance period, MWV approved an annual incentive award program based on the attainment of pre-established performance goals as follows: Earnings Before Interest and Taxes (“EBIT”) (weighted at 50%) and Revenue (weighted at 50%). Due to the Merger, awards under this program were prorated to reflect the six-month period from January 1 through June 30, the last day prior to completion of the Merger. Award payments were made based on MWV’s actual achievement of 140% of target performance. For the post-Merger period (July 1 through December 31), WestRock approved a program using the following pre-established performance metrics: Operating EBIT (weighted at 80%); Safety TWCC (weighted at 10%) and Safety LDW (weighted at 10%). Only Messrs. Rose and Woodcock received payments for the post-Merger period based on the achievement of the two safety goals.
(4)
These service-based cash awards were granted to Mr. Rose and Mr. Woodcock by MWV on February 23, 2015. These awards will vest in full on the third anniversary of the grant date, provided the grantee continues to be employed by Ingevity.
(5)
These restricted stock units were granted to Mr. Rose and Mr. Woodcock by MWV on February 23, 2015. On July 1, 2015, following the Merger, the units underlying these awards were converted into WestRock units at a ratio of 1 to 0.78. The grant date fair value of the award is based on the closing price of MWV common stock on February 23, 2015, or $54.76 per share, and the number of MWV restricted stock units originally granted by MWV on that date (3,650 shares for Mr. Rose and 1,600 shares for Mr. Woodcock). The restricted stock units are subject to three year cliff vesting upon the third anniversary of the original grant date, subject to continued employment through the vesting date.
(6)
As a part of her employment terms, WestRock set Ms. Burgeson’s participation level in the Annual Performance Bonus program at a target payout of 45% of her base pay of  $320,000. For the time period October 1, 2015 and the Separation, her Annual Performance Bonus will be pro-rated and paid out at such time assuming target performance. The amount listed above assumes the Separation will occur on May 2, 2016.
(7)
These options were awarded by MWV prior to the Merger on February 23, 2015. On that date Ms. Burgeson was granted options to purchase 4,800 shares of MWV stock at an exercise price of $54.76 per share, the closing stock price of MWV common stock on the grant date. Following the Merger, this option award was prorated through the closing of the Merger and converted to options to purchase 624 shares of WestRock common stock and the exercise price was adjusted to $70.21. These options have a 10-year term and vested in full on February 23, 2016.
(8)
These options were granted to Ms. Burgeson by WestRock in light of the forfeited portion of the options originally granted by MWV on February 23, 2015. They have a 9.5-year term and vest in one-third increments on each of February 23, 2016, February 23, 2017 and February 23, 2018.
(9)
This long-term performance-based restricted stock unit award (PSU) was granted to Ms. Burgeson by MWV prior to the Merger on February 23, 2015. At the time the PSU was originally granted, the target amount was 3,390 shares of MWV common stock (with a threshold of 1,695 shares and a maximum of 6780 shares) and was subject to the successful attainment of a pre-established economic profit performance goal. On July 1, 2015, the effective date of the Merger, the award amount was prorated based on the number of months completed from January 1, 2015 through the closing of the Merger. Based on this proration, out of the 3,390 MWV shares in the original award, 2,837 MWV shares were forfeited, resulting in a new target amount of 444 shares of WestRock using a conversion ratio of  .78 WestRock shares for each MWV share. This converted award was then deemed earned based on MWV’s actual performance from January 1, 2015 through the effective time of the Merger at 168% of target performance, resulting in 746 shares of WestRock and will vest based on the executive’s continued employment through February 22, 2018. The grant date value of the award listed in the table is based on 746 WestRock shares at $62.75, the WestRock per share price as of July 1, 2015.
(10)
This long-term performance-based restricted stock unit award was granted to Ms. Burgeson by WestRock in light of the forfeited portion of the performance-based restricted stock unit award originally granted by MWV on February 23, 2015. The performance conditions for this award are
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based on a pre-determined cash flow per share performance metric to be achieved over the performance period beginning July 1, 2015 through December 31, 2017. The grant date value of the award assumes target performance and is based on the closing price of WestRock common stock on the grant date, or $62.75 per share.
Treatment of Outstanding MWV Equity Awards at the time of the Merger.
Each MWV restricted stock unit award granted to the Ingevity named executive officers, other than the 2015 MWV PSU Award (as defined below), that was outstanding immediately prior to the effective time of the Merger was converted at the effective time of the Merger into a WestRock restricted stock unit award relating to the number of shares of WestRock common stock (rounded up to the nearest whole share) determined by multiplying the number of shares of MWV common stock subject to the MWV restricted stock award by 0.78. Performance-based MWV restricted stock unit awards were deemed earned at target performance and the related WestRock restricted stock unit awards remain subject to any applicable time-based vesting criteria. For a description of the treatment of the MWV performance-based restricted stock award granted to Ms. Burgeson on February 23, 2015 (the “2015 MWV PSU Award”), see footnote 9 to the Grants of Plan Based Awards Table above.
Each MWV option award granted to the Ingevity named executive officers, other than the 2015 MWV Option Award (as defined below), that was outstanding immediately prior to the effective time of the Merger was converted at the effective time of the Merger into an option to purchase a number of shares of WestRock common stock (rounded down to the nearest whole share) determined by multiplying the number of shares of MWV common stock subject to the MWV option award by 0.78, with an exercise price (rounded up to the nearest whole cent) determined by dividing the exercise price of the MWV option award immediately prior to the merger by 0.78. For a description of the treatment of the MWV option award granted to Ms. Burgeson on February 23, 2015 (the “2015 MWV Option Award”), see footnote 7 to the Grants of Plan Based Awards Table above.
Outstanding Equity Awards at December 31, 2015
The following table summarizes stock-based compensation awards outstanding as of December 31, 2015. The following table provides information concerning unexercised options, and other stock-based awards that have not vested, and equity incentive plan awards for each named executive officer outstanding as of December 31, 2015. We computed the market value of stock awards by multiplying the closing sale price of WestRock common stock on December 31, 2015 by the number of shares of stock or the amount of equity incentive plan awards, respectively.
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Option Awards
Stock Awards
Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options
Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Unearned
Options
(d)
Option
Exercise
Price
(e)
Option
Expiration
Date
(f)
Number of
Shares of
Stock that
Have
Not Yet
Vested
(g)
Market
Value of
Unvested
Shares of
Stock ($)
(h)
Equity
Incentive
Plan
Awards:
Number of
Unearned,
Unvested
Units or
Shares
(i)
Plan
Awards
Payout
Value
of
Unearned,
Unvested
Units or
Shares
($) (6)
(j)
Name
(a)
Exercisable
(b)
Unexercisable
(c)
D. Michael Wilson
John C. Fortson
Edward A. Rose
4,446 $ 35.04 6/25/2022
2,473 2,473 (1) $ 43.04 2/25/2023
2,379 4,758 (2) $ 46.02 2/24/2024
12,910 (7) $ 588,954
Katherine Pryor Burgeson
4,381 $ 26.48 2/22/2020
6,619 $ 32.62 2/28/2021
12,224 $ 35.04 6/25/2022
6,183 $ 43.04 2/25/2023
6,536 $ 46.02 2/24/2024
624 (3) $ 70.21 2/23/2025
3,285 (4) $ 62.75 2/23/2025
9,185 (8) $ 419,020
4,396 $ 35.04 6/22/2022 2,500 $ 114,050
S. Edward Woodcock, Jr.
1,485 741 (5) $ 43.04 2/25/2023
3,860 (9) $ 176,093
(1)
Remaining unexercisable options become exercisable on February 25, 2016.
(2)
One-third of the options became exercisable on February 24, 2015, one-third of the options became exercisable on February 24, 2016 and one-third become exercisable on February 24, 2017.
(3)
These options vested in full on February 23, 2016.
(4)
These options vest in one-third increments on each of February 23, 2016, February 23, 2017 and February 23, 2018.
(5)
These options vested in full on February 25, 2016.
(6)
This table reflects award values as of December 31, 2015. Market and payout values based on stock price of  $45.62, which was the closing price of the WestRock’s stock on December 31, 2015.
(7)
5,256 RSUs vested in full on February 25, 2016. 4,753 RSUs will vest in full on February 24, 2017 and 2,901 RSUs will vest in full on February 23, 2018.
(8)
4,380 RSUs vested in full on February 25, 2016. 4,355 RSUs will vest in full on February 24, 2017 and 450 RSUs will vest in full on February 23, 2018.
(9)
1,572 RSUs vested in full on February 25, 2016. 1,016 RSUs will vest in full on February 24, 2017 and 1,272 RSUs will vest in full on February 23, 2018.
(10)
This PSU award granted in August of 2015 is subject to three year cliff vesting on the third anniversary of the award date, February 23, 2018; see footnotes 9 and 10 to the Grants of Plan Based Awards in 2015 Table for a description of the performance criteria attached to such award.
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Option Exercises and Stock Vested during 2015
The following table provides information concerning exercises of options during the year 2015, including the number of securities for which the options were exercised and the aggregate dollar value realized upon exercise of options. None of the Ingevity named executive officers had stock awards vest during 2015.
Option Awards
Name
Number of Shares
Acquired on Exercise
(#)
Value Realized
Upon Exercise (1)
($)
D. Michael Wilson
0 $ 0
John C. Fortson
0 $ 0
Edward A. Rose
0 $ 0
Katherine Pryor Burgeson
0 $ 0
S. Edward Woodcock, Jr.
3,058 $ 77,796
(1)
The value realized is calculated by determining the difference between the market price of the underlying securities at exercise and the exercise price.
Retirement Plans
MWV Pension Plan.    In connection with the Merger, effective July 2, 2015, the RockTenn Pension Plan and MWV Pension Plan merged into the WestRock Company Consolidated Pension Plan (the “Pension Plan”). Messrs. Rose and Woodcock and Ms. Burgeson participate in the legacy MWV portion of the Pension Plan’s defined benefit plan for former MWV salaried and nonunion hourly employees (the “MWV Pension Plan”). Effective as of December 31, 2015, WestRock froze benefit accruals under the Pension Plan, generally. WestRock will continue to maintain the frozen Pension Plan and no Pension Plan liabilities will be transferred to Ingevity. Following the Separation, Ingevity will not maintain any pension plans for its salaried and nonunion hourly employees.
The MWV Pension Plan is a qualified retirement plan that covers all salaried employees of Ingevity who were employees of MWV before the Merger. One element of the retirement benefit applicable to Messrs. Rose and Woodcock and Ms. Burgeson under the MWV Pension Plan (which we refer to as the “Final Average Pay Benefit”) provides an unreduced benefit payable at age 65 (or 62 if the employee has 20 years of service) that is equal to 1.6% of his or her final average earnings (or pay) times years of benefit service (up to a maximum of 40 years), minus his primary social security benefit multiplied by 1.25% times years of benefit service (up to a maximum of 40 years of service). The formula for determining the Final Average Pay Benefit is illustrated below:
[MISSING IMAGE: T1502921_PENSION.JPG]
Final average pay generally includes all income reported on Form W-2 but excludes long-term incentive compensation, severance pay, and retention and hiring bonuses. Final average pay includes the participant’s highest 5 years of pay within the last 10 year period.
Effective January 1, 2015, MWV added a supplemental cash balance benefit to the MWV Pension Plan (which we refer to as the “Retirement Plus Benefit”) for all salaried employees, which was funded by company contributions equal to 4% of each participant’s eligible compensation, which contributions were made in lieu of contributions to the participants’ 401(k) plans. The Retirement Plus Benefit was terminated effective as of December 31, 2015 for all participants of the MWV Pension Plan.
The compensation committee of the WestRock board of directors (the “WestRock compensation committee”) determined that there will be no further pension accruals under other components of the MWV Pension Plan for salaried and nonunion hourly employees after December 31, 2015, unless, on December 31, 2015, a participant is at least age 50 years old and the sum of his or her age and service equal
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at least 75, in which case pension benefits under the MWV Pension Plan will continue to accrue for 5 additional years to December 31, 2020, or earlier upon such participant’s termination of employment with Ingevity. Messrs. Rose and Woodcock each qualify for this additional accrual period under the MWV Pension Plan.
No employee’s compensation for purposes of the Pension Plan includes amounts in excess of the compensation limit under the Code. This limit is periodically adjusted for inflation by the United States Secretary of the Treasury and this limit, as adjusted, was $255,000 for calendar year 2013, was $260,000 for calendar year 2014, was $265,000 for 2015 and will be $265,000 for 2016.
MWV Retirement Restoration Plan.    Ms. Burgeson and Messrs. Rose and Woodcock also participate in a non-qualified retirement restoration plan (which we refer to as the “Retirement Restoration Plan”) that mirrors the benefits provided under the MWV Pension Plan following the same formulas but recognizing compensation in excess of the limits set forth under the Code limit as described above. Benefits under this plan attributable to the Retirement Plus Benefit are payable in either annuity or lump sum form.
The following table illustrates the actuarial present value as of December 31, 2015 of benefits accumulated by Ms. Burgeson and Messrs. Rose and Woodcock under the MWV Pension Plan and the Retirement Restoration Plan using the methodology required by the SEC pursuant to the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s Accounting Standard’s Codification 715, “Compensation — Retirement Benefits,” at the earliest unreduced retirement age under the plan. As new hires and in anticipation of the Separation, Mr. Wilson and Mr. Fortson did not participate in the Pension Plan or the retirement restoration plan during 2015.
Name
Plan Name
Number of
Years of
Credited Service
(#)
Present
Value of
Accumulated
Benefit (1)
($)
Payments
During Last
Fiscal Year
($)
Edward A Rose
MWV Pension Plan
31.583 $ 1,258,251 $ 0
Restoration Plan
31.583 $ 1,999,477 $ 0
Katherine Pryor Burgeson
MWV Pension Plan
15.5 $ 784,066 $ 0
Restoration Plan
15.5 $ 1,145,351 $ 0
S. Edward Woodcock, Jr.
MWV Pension Plan
27.5 $ 923,239 $ 0
Restoration Plan
27.5 $ 314,399 $ 0
(1)
The amounts set forth in this column were calculated using the assumptions from the corresponding end-of-year disclosure. Accrued benefits payable at age 62 were determined as of the end of the calendar year using compensation data through December 31. The accrued benefits were discounted back to the disclosure date with the discount rate only. Each participant is assumed to work until age 62 and then retire. The discount rates used as of December 31, 2015 were 4.48% for the MW Pension Plan and 7.10% for the Retirement Restoration Plan. The post-retirement mortality assumptions used as of December 31, 2015 were based on the adjusted Society of Actuaries RP-2014 Annuitant table and a future mortality improvement scale based on the Social Security Administration’s data and assumptions. The RP-2014 table was adjusted to substitute the Social Security Administration mortality improvement assumptions after 2012, to reflect white collar life expectancies, and to reflect that WestRock’s white collar male and female populations have 106% and 113% higher mortality experience, respectively, than otherwise expected using these assumptions.
Non-qualified Deferred Compensation
MeadWestvaco Deferred Income Plan.    MWV maintained a non-qualified deferred compensation plan that permitted executives to voluntarily defer up to 80% of base salary and annual incentive cash compensation. In fiscal year 2015, Ms. Burgeson and Messrs. Rose and Woodcock each participated in the plan. Following the Merger, WestRock assumed the sponsorship of the MWV deferred compensation plan
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as well as any rights and obligations of MWV under such plan. As new hires and in anticipation of the Separation, Mr. Wilson and Mr. Fortson did not participate in the MWV Deferred Income Plan during 2015. Following the Separation, Ingevity will maintain a deferred compensation plan substantially similar in design to the MWV Deferred Income Plan.
The plan also operates as an excess benefit plan enabling employees to defer salary and company matching contributions in excess of Internal Revenue Code limits that apply to MWV’s qualified 401(k) plan. Any amounts contributed by executives may be allocated towards notional accounts into a broad range of investment funds as directed by the participant except with respect to company matching contributions, which are automatically invested in a company “phantom” stock fund. There is no guaranteed investment return with respect to any of the funds. Executives may choose to receive a distribution of their account balance in the year after termination of employment, or early or normal retirement in either a lump sum or installment payments. Limited in-service withdrawals are permitted based on future dates specified in advance by participants and evidenced by written distribution elections.
The investment funds available to an executive under the deferred income plan generally mirror the investment options available to all employees who participate in the company’s broad based qualified 401(k) savings plan, plus three additional funds which are available to investors.
Non-qualified Deferred Compensation at 2015 Calendar Year End
The table below presents information on Ms. Burgeson’s and Messrs. Rose’s and Woodcock’s non-qualified deferred compensation plan accounts for 2015.
Name
Executive
Contributions in
2015
Registrant
Contributions in
2015 (1)
Aggregate
Earnings in
2015
Aggregate
Withdrawals/​
Distributions
Aggregate
Balance at
2015 Year-End
Edward A. Rose
$ 155,137 $ 22,252 $ (9,221 ) $ 0 $ 332,765
Katherine Pryor Burgeson
$ 40,584 $ 13,169 $ (54,322 ) $ 0 $ 1,182,200
S. Edward Woodcock, Jr.
$ 11,339 $ 6,734 $ (23 ) $ 0 $ 21,181
(1)
Amounts shown as Registrant Contributions in 2015 are also included as 2015 compensation in the Summary Compensation Table, in the “All Other Compensation” column. Full company match provided relative to annual incentive award if Internal Revenue Code limitations prevented executive from deferring applicable portion of the incentive award.
Potential Payments Upon Termination and Change of Control
The table below reflects the amount of compensation that would have become payable to each of the named executive officers under existing plans and arrangements if the named executive officer’s employment had terminated on December 31, 2015. These benefits are in addition to benefits available prior to the occurrence of any termination of employment (including benefits under then-exercisable options) and benefits available to all salaried employees, such as distributions under the company’s retirement savings plan, early retirement subsidy and accrued vacation pay.
Employment Letter Severance Commitments.    For a description of the potential cash severance benefits payable to Messrs. Wilson, Fortson and Ms. Burgeson, see “Compensation Discussion and Analysis — Employment Letters,” which details the terms and conditions under which severance is payable.
Change of Control Severance Pay Plan.    During 2015, Messrs. Rose and Woodcock were covered by the Change of Control Severance Pay Plan for Salaried and Non-Union Hourly Employees, a broad-based severance plan (the “MWV Merger-Related Severance Plan”) covering all salaried and non-union hourly employees in the event of an “involuntary termination of employment” (including a “constructive termination”) other than on account of death, disability or absent “misconduct.” As a part of her employment arrangement with Ingevity, Ms. Burgeson waived her rights to severance that she may have had in connection with her employment with WestRock or MWV. The MWV Merger-Related Severance Plan was established for the purpose of providing enhanced financial assistance to those employees experiencing an “involuntary” or “constructive” termination of employment within two years following the “change of
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control” resulting from the Merger. This plan was the only plan in effect applicable to Messrs. Rose and Woodcock during 2015, as a result of the Merger. It is not an Ingevity severance plan and will not apply with respect to any termination of an Ingevity named executive officer after the effective time of the Separation.
Under the MWV Merger-Related Severance Plan in the event of an involuntary or constructive termination following a change of control, a lump sum cash amount is payable equal to 104 weeks for Mr. Rose and 78 weeks for Mr. Woodcock of each executive’s base salary in effect at the time of termination, plus any actual incentive compensation paid in the current or year prior to termination, whichever is greater, (and for Mr. Woodcock, such amount shall be multiplied by 120%). Each executive is also entitled to receive a cash lump sum payment in lieu of health care continuation coverage for a period of 104 weeks in the case of Mr. Rose and 78 weeks in the case of Mr. Woodcock.
Name
Benefit
Before
Change of
Control,
Termination
w/o Cause
After
Change of
Control,
Termination
w/o Cause
D. Michael Wilson
Severance (1)(2)
$ 3,200,000 $ 4,800,000
Stock Options (3) N/A N/A
RSUs & PSUs (4) N/A N/A
Incentive Compensation Award (5) N/A N/A
Post-Termination Health Care (6) N/A N/A
Total value: $ 3,200,000 $$ 4,800,000
John C. Fortson
Severance (1)(2)
$ 1,211,250 $ 1,615,000
Stock Options (3) N/A N/A
RSUs & PSUs (4) N/A N/A
Incentive Compensation Award (5) N/A N/A
Post-Termination Health Care (6) $ 0 $ 0
Total value: $ 1,211,250 $ 1,615,000
Edward A. Rose
Severance (1)(2)
$ 1,684,250 $ 1,684,250
Stock Options (3) $ 4,477 $ 4,477
RSUs & PSUs (4) $ 456,602 $ 456,602
Incentive Compensation Award (5) $ 200,000 $ 200,000
Post-Termination Health Care (6) $ 34,156 $ 34,156
Total value: $ 2,379,485 $ 2,379,485
Katherine Pryor Burgeson
Severance (1)(2)
$ 696,000 $ 928,000
Stock Options (3) $ 0 $ 0
RSUs & PSUs (4) $ 310,128 $ 546,787
Incentive Compensation Award (5) N/A N/A
Health Care (6) $ 0 $ 0
Total value: $ 1,006,128 $ 1,474,787
S. Edward Woodcock, Jr.
Severance (1)(2)
$ 837,421 $ 837,421
Stock Options (3) $ 1,912 $ 1,912
RSUs & PSUs (4) $ 118,060 $ 118,060
Incentive Compensation Award (5) $ 132,500 $ 132,500
Health care (6) $ 18,441 $ 18,441
Total value: $ 1,108,334 $ 1,108,334
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(1)
The numbers in this column assume an involuntary termination of employment absent “Cause” as defined in the respective employment offer letters for Ms. Burgeson and Messrs. Wilson and Fortson. Each employment offer letter provides for the payment of the named executive officer’s base salary and target bonus for a period of 18 months in the case of Mr. Fortson and Ms. Burgeson, and 24 months in the case of Mr. Wilson. Such payments are to be made in equal monthly installments over the severance period beginning 30 days following the executive’s termination of employment. For a more detailed discussion of such employment offer letter terms see “Compensation Discussion and Analysis — Employment Letters.” With respect to Messrs. Rose and Woodcock, the numbers in this column represent payment in the event of involuntary termination of employment absent “misconduct” or a “constructive termination” payable under the MWV Merger-Related Severance Plan, which provides for enhanced severance in the amount of  (a) for Mr. Woodcock 78 weeks of base and bonus, multiplied by 120% and (b) for Mr. Rose, 104 weeks of base and bonus; such amount generally to be paid in a single lump sum.
(2)
The numbers in this column assume an involuntary termination of employment absent “cause” or the executive’s resignation for “good reason” during the one-year period following a change of control as described in the respective employment offer letters for Ms. Burgeson and Messrs. Wilson and Fortson. The payment is equal to three times the executive’s annual base salary and target bonus in the case of Mr. Wilson, and two times the executive’s annual base salary and target bonus in the case of Mr. Fortson and Ms. Burgeson; all such payments are made in equal monthly installments over the severance period beginning 30 days following the executive’s termination of employment. In the case of Messrs. Rose and Woodcock, the numbers in this column reflect the same payments described in Footnote 1 above, given that the only severance plan in effect for such executives as of December 31, 2015 was the MWV Merger Related Severance Plan providing for enhanced severance assuming a qualifying involuntary termination following the Merger.
(3)
These values cover only grants made to the named executive officers in 2013, 2014 and 2015; since no awards were made to Messrs. Wilson and Fortson during this period, an N/A appears beside their names. As a result of the Merger, and in accordance with the terms and conditions of Ms. Burgeson’s August 2015 grant all options vest and become immediately exercisable in the event of an involuntary termination of employment without “cause” on December 31, 2015. These values represent the intrinsic value of the unvested option and assume a stock price of  $45.62, which was the closing price of WestRock’s stock price on the assumed termination date, December 31, 2015. As of December 31, 2015, certain unvested options had an exercise price that was greater than the closing price of WestRock’s stock price on such date, and, as a result, the value of any accelerated vesting of such options as of December 31, 2015 was $0. In the event of a resignation with “good reason” or a “constructive termination” prior to or following a change of control, all outstanding, unvested options held by the named executive officers would be forfeited.
(4)
These values cover only grants made to the named executive officers in 2013, 2014 and 2015; since no awards were made to Messrs. Wilson and Fortson during this period, an N/A appears beside their names. As a result of the Merger, in the case of an involuntary termination of employment absent “cause”, all RSU awards (including dividend equivalents) granted by MWV prior to the Merger vest in full on the date of termination. With respect to Ms. Burgeson’s August 2015 PSU award, in the event of an involuntary termination of employment absent “cause,” (a) no accelerated vesting is reflected in the pre-change of control column as PSUs are forfeit in the event of such a termination prior to the first anniversary of the grant date of such awards and (b) the post-change of control column reflects accelerated vesting based on double trigger vesting terms, assuming target performance with respect to the PSU award. The values set forth in the table above assume a stock price of  $45.62, which was the closing price of WestRock’s stock price on the assumed termination date, December 31, 2015. In the event of a resignation with “good reason” or a “constructive termination” prior to or following a change of control, all outstanding, unvested RSUs and PSUs held by the named executive officers would be forfeited.
(5)
Only Messrs. Rose and Woodcock received 2014 and 2015 Incentive Compensation Awards so an N/A appears beside the names of other named executive officers. As a result of the Merger, the values in the
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table above reflect full vesting in the event of an involuntary termination of employment absent “cause” following a change of control. In the event of a resignation with “good reason” or a “constructive termination” prior to or following a change of control, all outstanding Incentive Compensation Awards would be forfeited.
(6)
These values reflect the payment due under the terms of the MWV Merger-Related Severance Plan, which provides for a single lump sum payment to Messrs. Rose and Woodcock, representing continued health care COBRA coverage for the two-year severance period.
Potential Payments Upon Termination – Death or Disability (1)
The table below shows the value of any option awards as well as service and performance-based restricted stock unit awards made in 2013, 2014 and 2015 that would vest in the event of termination of employment due to death or disability assuming a December 31, 2015 termination date. Named executive officers are eligible for disability compensation under the company’s disability benefit plans and death benefits under applicable life insurance plans offered by the company to all full-time salaried employees.
D. Michael
Wilson
John C.
Fortson
Edward
Rose
Katherine
Pryor
Burgeson
S. Edward
Woodcock, Jr.
Stock Options (2)
N/A N/A $ 4,477 $ 0 $ 1,912
RSUs (3) N/A N/A $ 493,248 $ 310,128 $ 118,060
Incentive Compensation (Cash) Awards ( 4)
N/A N/A $ 200,000 N/A $ 132,500
(1)
These amounts represent the full value of equity compensation associated with a termination due to death or disability on December 31, 2015; all equity is based on a stock price of  $45.62, which was the closing price of WestRock’s stock on December 31, 2015.
(2)
This represents the intrinsic value of unvested options that would vest due to death or disability on December 31, 2015. Values represent awards made in 2013, 2014 and 2015. Since no option awards were made to Messrs. Wilson and Fortson, an N/A appears by their names. As of December 31, 2015, certain unvested options had an exercise price that was greater than the closing price of WestRock’s stock price on such date, and, as a result, the value of any accelerated vesting of such options as of December 31, 2015 was $0.
(3)
This represents the value of 2013, 2014 and 2015 service-based restricted stock units that would vest in full (including dividend equivalents) upon a termination by reason of death or disability following the Merger. For Ms. Burgeson, her 2015 PSU grant would be forfeited because a termination by reason of death or disability on December 31, 2015 precedes the first anniversary date of the date of grant. Since no such awards were made to Messrs. Wilson and Fortson, an N/A appears by their names.
(4)
Since no Incentive Compensation Awards were made to Messrs. Wilson and Fortson or Ms. Burgeson, an N/A appears beside their names. For Messrs. Rose and Woodcock the 2014 and 2015 awards vest in full upon a termination by reason of death or disability following the Merger.
Employment Letters
Employment Letter with Michael Wilson
On July 27, 2015, WestRock entered into an employment arrangement with Michael Wilson that became effective as of September 1, 2015 and which includes the following terms. Mr. Wilson will serve as the Chief Executive Officer of Ingevity with an annual base salary of  $800,000 and a target annual bonus of 100% of annual base salary. His 2015 annual bonus for the period beginning September 1, 2015 and ending with the Separation will be prorated assuming target performance. In addition to Mr. Wilson’s base salary and annual bonus, he will be eligible for welfare and retirement benefits commensurate with all benefits offered to other Ingevity employees.
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In the event that WestRock determines not to complete the Separation, and Mr. Wilson voluntarily chooses to terminate his employment with WestRock within 60 days thereafter, he will receive $3,200,000, payable in 24 equal monthly installments beginning 30 days after his termination of employment, unless a delay is required by Internal Revenue Code Section 409A.
The employment offer letter terms also provide that beginning in 2017, Mr. Wilson’s annual long-term incentive award will be delivered in the form of restricted stock units, which may be subject to the satisfactory performance of pre-approved company performance metrics, and options. It is anticipated that the annual grant would have a target value of 200% of Mr. Wilson’s base salary and would be subject to a vesting period of three to five years, with the mix of equity subject to change by the Compensation Committee. The performance-based multipliers for restricted stock may range from 0% to 200%, as determined by the level of achievement of applicable performance goals for the performance period attached to each long-term award.
The offer letter further provides that Mr. Wilson will receive a long-term incentive award with a target value equal to $2,000,000, at the time of the Separation, which will be delivered in the form of service-based restricted stock units, performance-based restricted stock units and options. Mr. Wilson will also receive an award of service-based restricted stock units with a value of  $1,000,000 effective as of the date of the Separation (the “Spin-Off RSU Grant”), which will vest ratably over the first, second and third anniversary of the executive’s employment commencement date. Mr. Wilson received a one-time bonus of  $500,000 paid during 2015 (subject to repayment under certain circumstances) to assist in transition expenses associated with his relocation to Charleston, South Carolina from Malvern, Pennsylvania, as well as a Guaranteed Buy Out (GBO) relocation package under the Ingevity relocation policy generally available to all employees. In addition, Mr. Wilson is eligible to receive reimbursement for reasonable commuting expenses during his initial year of employment.
Severance and Change of Control Severance for Mr. Wilson
The terms of Mr. Wilson’s offer letter also provide that in the event his employment is terminated without “cause” before January 1, 2019, he will be entitled to severance pay in the amount of 24 months of his then current base salary and target annual bonus for such period.
Mr. Wilson’s offer letter also provides that his Spin-Off RSU Grant will fully vest in the event his employment is terminated by WestRock or Ingevity without “cause.”
His offer letter further provides that in the event of a termination of employment by WestRock or Ingevity without “cause” or a resignation by Mr. Wilson for “good reason” within twelve months following a change of control, (i) all long-term incentive awards granted to Mr. Wilson during the initial 12 months after he commenced employment with WestRock will vest at target and (ii) if such change of control occurs on or before January 1, 2019, he will be entitled to severance pay in an amount equal to three years of his then current base salary and annual target bonus for such period.
Payment of any severance as reflected in Mr. Wilson’s offer letter will be made over the period of time used to calculate his severance (i.e., two or three years) in accordance with Internal Revenue Code Section 409A and will be payable only after the execution of an agreement of release of claims by him against Ingevity or any of its successors.
Employment Letter with John Fortson
On September 15, 2015, WestRock entered into an employment arrangement with John Fortson that became effective as of October 12, 2015 and which includes the following terms. Mr. Fortson will serve as Chief Financial Officer of Ingevity with an annual base salary of  $475,000 and a target annual bonus of 70% of annual base salary. His 2015 annual bonus for the period beginning October 12, 2015 and ending with the Separation will be prorated assuming target performance. In addition to Mr. Fortson’s base salary and annual bonus, he will be eligible for welfare and retirement benefits commensurate with all benefits offered to other Ingevity employees.
In the event that WestRock determines not to complete the Separation, and Mr. Fortson voluntarily chooses to terminate his employment with WestRock within 60 days thereafter, he will receive $1,638,750, payable in twelve equal monthly installments beginning 30 days after his termination of employment, unless a delay is required by Internal Revenue Code Section 409A.
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The employment offer letter also provides that beginning in 2017, Mr. Fortson’s annual long-term incentive award will be delivered in the form of restricted stock units, which may be subject to the satisfactory performance of pre-approved company performance metrics, and options. It is anticipated that the annual grant would have a target value of 85% of Mr. Fortson’s base salary and would be subject to a vesting period of three to five years, with the mix of equity subject to change by the Compensation Committee. The performance-based multipliers for restricted stock units may range from 0% to 200%, as determined by the level of achievement of applicable performance goals for the performance period attached to each long-term award.
The offer letter further provides that Mr. Fortson will receive a long-term incentive award with an estimated target value equal to $1,000,000 at the time of the Separation, which will be delivered in the form of service-based restricted stock units, performance-based restricted stock units and options. Mr. Fortson will also receive an award of service-based restricted stock units with a value of  $750,000 effective as of the Separation date, which will vest ratably over the first, second and third year anniversary dates of his employment commencement date. Mr. Fortson also received a one-time bonus of  $250,000 paid during 2015 (subject to repayment under certain circumstances) to assist in transition expenses associated with his relocation to Charleston South Carolina from Northfield, Illinois, as well as a Guaranteed Buy Out (GBO) relocation package under the Ingevity relocation policy generally available to all employees.
Employment Letter with Katherine P. Burgeson
On October 8, 2015, WestRock entered into an employment arrangement with Kathy Pryor Burgeson that became effective as of November 1, 2015 and which includes the following terms. Ms. Burgeson will serve as General Counsel and Secretary of Ingevity with an annual base salary of  $320,000 and a target annual bonus of 45% of annual base salary. Her 2015 annual bonus for the period beginning October 1, 2015 and ending with the Separation will be prorated assuming target performance. In addition to Ms. Burgeson’s base salary and annual bonus, she will also be eligible for welfare and retirement benefits commensurate with all benefits offered to other Ingevity employees. The letter provides further that as a condition of Ms. Burgeson’s acceptance of her position with Ingevity she waives any right to severance in connection with her employment with WestRock or MWV.
In the event that WestRock determines not to complete the Separation, and Ms. Burgeson voluntarily chooses to terminate her employment with WestRock within 60 days thereafter, she will receive a severance payment equal to $719,822 payable in 12 equal monthly installments beginning 30 days after her termination of employment, unless a delay in payment is required by Internal Revenue Code Section 409A.
The employment offer terms also provide that, beginning in 2017, Ms. Burgeson’s annual long-term incentive will be delivered in the form of restricted stock units, which may be subject to the satisfactory performance of pre-approved company performance metrics, and options. It is anticipated that the annual grant would have a value of 85% percent of Ms. Burgeson’s base salary and would be subject to a vesting period of three to five years, with the mix of equity subject to change by the Compensation Committee. The performance-based multipliers for restricted stock units may range from 0% to 200%, as determined by the level of achievement of applicable performance goals for the performance period attached to each long-term award.
The employment offer terms also provides that at the time of Separation, Ms. Burgeson will receive a long-term incentive award with an estimated target value equal to $270,000, to be delivered in the form of service-based and performance-based restricted stock units and options. Ms. Burgeson also received a one-time bonus of  $50,000 during 2015 (subject to repayment under certain circumstances) to assist in transition expenses associated with her relocation to Charleston, South Carolina from Richmond, Virginia, as well as a Guaranteed Buy Out (GBO) relocation package under the Ingevity relocation policy generally available to all employees.
Severance & Change of Control Severance for Mr. Fortson and Ms. Burgeson
The terms of each offer letter for Mr. Fortson and Ms. Burgeson also provide that in the event the executive’s employment is terminated without “cause” before January 1, 2019, the executive will be entitled to severance pay in the amount of 18 months of his or her then current base salary and target annual bonus for such period.
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The offer letters further provide that in the event that a change of control, if the executive is terminated by WestRock or Ingevity without “cause” or the executive resigns with “good reason” during the 12 month period following such change of control, (i) all long-term incentive awards granted to each executive during the initial 12 months after each executive commenced employment with WestRock will vest at target, and (ii) if such change of control occurs on or before January 1, 2019, each executive will be entitled to severance pay in an amount equal to 24 months of his or her then current base salary and annual target bonus for such period.
Payment of any severance pay as reflected in each offer letter will be made over the period of time used to calculate the executive’s severance (e.g., 18 or 24 months) in accordance with Internal Revenue Code Section 409A and will be payable only after the execution of an agreement of release of claims by the executive against Ingevity or any of its successors.
Treatment of WestRock Company Equity-Based Incentive Awards Upon the Separation.
Prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this information statement is a part, information regarding the treatment of WestRock equity-based incentive awards upon the Separation following will be disclosed in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC.
Ingevity Compensation Programs Following the Separation
In connection with the Separation, Ingevity expects to adopt benefit plans and executive compensation plans and policies (some of which are already in place, as described below). We anticipate that, immediately after the Separation, Ingevity’s compensation philosophy and executive compensation plans and policies will be similar to WestRock’s, and will be comprised of base salaries, an annual performance-based bonus or short term incentive program, long-term incentive awards and retirement benefits. Following the Separation, the Compensation Committee may consider and further develop Ingevity’s compensation policies, practices and procedures, consistent with Ingevity’s business needs and goals, as appropriate.
Ingevity’s compensation plans and policies are currently being determined and many have not been finalized. Information regarding Ingevity’s compensation programs that have not been finalized will be included in subsequent amendments to this information statement if and as they are finalized prior to the Separation.
The following summarizes the principal components of Ingevity’s compensation plans and policies that have been determined, and that we expect to apply to Ingevity’s named executive officers.
Ingevity Omnibus Incentive Plan
We expect to adopt an incentive plan (the “Ingevity Omnibus Incentive Plan”) prior to the Separation for the purpose of allowing us to grant equity-based and cash-based incentive awards to our eligible employees following the Separation. We expect to reserve a number of our shares sufficient to cover new awards under the plan, plus any additional shares resulting from the treatment of the WestRock outstanding equity awards. The number of reserved shares would be subject to adjustment to reflect stock splits, reverse stock splits, stock dividends, subdivisions, consolidations, recapitalizations, reorganizations, mergers and other similar events.
We expect the terms of the Ingevity Omnibus Incentive Plan to allow us to grant stock options (including incentive stock options), stock appreciation rights (“SARs”), restricted stock, restricted stock units (including performance-vested restricted stock units (“PSUs”)), and cash awards (including short term incentives/bonuses) intended to qualify for the performance-based compensation exemption to the $1 million deduction limit under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code. However, we will reserve the right to grant awards that do not qualify for this exemption, and in some cases, the exemption may cease to be available for some or all awards that otherwise would so qualify. Performance goals to be included in the Plan that the Committee may use in connection with performance awards may include financial and market related metrics. All of our employees would be eligible for awards under the plan. Restricted stock, restricted stock units, PSUs and other full-value awards would count as two shares against the share reserve, while stock options and SARs would count as one share. Shares subject to Replacement Awards that were expired, forfeited or otherwise terminated without the issuance of shares would not be recycled back into the share reserve.
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The Compensation Committee would have broad authority to grant awards and otherwise administer the Ingevity Omnibus Incentive Plan. The plan would become effective upon the effective time of the Separation and would continue in effect for a period of 10 years thereafter, unless earlier terminated by our board of directors. Our board of directors would have the authority to amend the plan in such respects as it deemed desirable, provided that any amendments that would increase the share reserve (other than pursuant to a recapitalization event described above), expand the class of persons eligible to participate in the plan or the types of awards available for grant under the plan, or that would otherwise be considered a material modification for purposes of applicable tax or securities laws or exchange listing requirements, would require the approval of our stockholders.
Ingevity Retirement Savings Plan
In preparation for the Separation, Ingevity adopted a qualified 401(k) savings plan effective as of January 1, 2016, as its primary retirement vehicle for all employees including Ingevity’s named executive officers. The savings plan formula permits an employee who contributes six percent of pay to receive a one-hundred percent matching contribution on such amount (excluding bargained hourly employees eligible to participate in the plan and to whom a different formula applies). Employee and matching contributions under the savings plan are one-hundred percent vested immediately. The plan also provides for a non-elective employer contribution in the amount of three percent of pay, which vests upon the completion of three years of service. In addition, certain grandfathered participants who were participants in the legacy MWV defined benefit plan (including Ingevity’s named executive officers) are eligible for a transition contribution in the amount of ten percent of pay if they were at least age fifty and their age and years of service equaled 75 as of December 31, 2015. Messrs. Rose and Woodcock are eligible to receive this transition contribution, which will be made each year as soon as administratively practicable following the end of each plan year until the earlier of December 31, 2020 or the year in which he retires. The plan offers a broad range of investment vehicles into which plan participants may direct their account balances.
Ingevity Deferred Compensation Plan
In preparation for the Separation, Ingevity also adopted a non-qualified deferred compensation plan effective as of January 1, 2016, that with respect to earnings and benefits, exceed Internal Revenue Code limits on qualified plan benefits and mirror the benefit formulas under the savings plan described above. Employees eligible to participate in this plan include only those participants considered to be a select group of highly paid management employees, including Ingevity’s named executive officers. This plan provides for the same matching contribution formula as the qualified plan described above and also permits executives to defer base salary and annual incentive cash compensation. Similar to the qualified savings plan, the plan offers executives a choice of conventional investment vehicles with no assurance of any particular rate of return and does not guarantee an above market rate of return. The plan also includes a real estate investment trust and a natural resources investment fund not available to qualified 401(k) saving plan participants.
Consulting Agreements with Prospective Board Members
Ingevity has entered into consulting agreements with each prospective non-employee member of the board of directors. Pursuant to the agreements, each prospective member of the board of directors received a lump sum cash payment on March 1, 2016 equal to $18,750 for prospective non-employee directors and $62,500 for the prospective Chairman. The agreements provide for the prospective non-employee directors to engage in advance planning activities with Ingevity management prior to their election to the board. The agreements terminate upon the effective date of the separation, or, if the separation has not occurred by May 30, 2016, on such date.
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STOCK OWNERSHIP
As of the date of this information statement, all of the outstanding shares of Ingevity’s common stock are owned by WestRock. The following tables provide information with respect to the expected beneficial ownership of Ingevity common stock by (1) each of Ingevity’s directors, (2) each officer named in the Summary Compensation Table, (3) all of Ingevity’s executive officers and directors nominees as a group, and (4) each of our stockholders who we believe will be a beneficial owner of more than 5% of Ingevity outstanding common stock based on current publicly available information. We based the share amounts on each person’s beneficial ownership of WestRock common stock as of  [•], 2016, and applying the distribution ratio of  [•] shares of our common stock for every share of WestRock common stock, unless we indicate some other date or basis for the share amounts in the applicable footnotes.
Except as otherwise noted in the footnotes below, each person or entity identified below has sole voting and investment power with respect to such securities. Following the distribution, Ingevity will have outstanding an aggregate of approximately [•] million shares of common stock based upon approximately [•] shares of WestRock common stock outstanding on [•], 2016, excluding treasury shares and assuming no exercise of WestRock options, and applying the distribution ratio of  [•] share of our common stock for every share of WestRock common stock held as of the record date for the distribution.
To the extent our directors and executive officers own WestRock common stock at the record date for the distribution, they will participate in the distribution on the same terms as other holders of WestRock common stock.
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners
The following table reports the number of shares of Ingevity common stock that Ingevity expects will be beneficially owned, immediately following the completion of the distribution, by each person who will beneficially own more than 5% of Ingevity’s common stock. The table is based upon information available as of  [•], 2016, as to those persons who beneficially own more than 5% of WestRock’s common stock.
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
Amount and
Nature of
Beneficial
Ownership
Percent of
Class
[   ]
[         ] [      ]
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Security Ownership of Executive Officers and Directors
The following table sets forth information, immediately following the completion of the separation calculated as of  [•], 2016, regarding (1) each expected director, director nominee and named executive officer of Ingevity and (2) all of Ingevity’s expected directors and executive officers as a group. The address of each director, director nominee and executive officer shown in the table below is c/o Ingevity Corporation, Attention: Secretary, 5255 Virginia Avenue, North Charleston, South Carolina 29406.
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
Amount and
Nature of
Beneficial
Ownership
Exercisable
Stock
Options
Percent of
Class
Richard B. Kelson
[         ] [         ] [         ]
Jean S. Blackwell
Luis Fernandez-Moreno
J. Michael Fitzpatrick
Frederick J. Lynch
Daniel F. Sansone
D. Michael Wilson
John C. Fortson
Edward Rose
S. Edward Woodcock, Jr.
Katherine Pryor Burgeson
All directors and officers as a group (11 persons)
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CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PERSON TRANSACTIONS
Agreements with WestRock
Following the separation and distribution, Ingevity and WestRock will operate separately, each as an independent public company. Ingevity will enter into a separation and distribution agreement with WestRock, which is referred to in this information statement as the “separation agreement” or the “separation and distribution agreement.” In connection with the separation, Ingevity will also enter into various other agreements to effect the separation and provide a framework for its relationship with WestRock after the separation, such as a transition services agreement, a tax matters agreement, an employee matters agreement, a lease agreement and plant services agreement with respect to Ingevity’s operations adjoining WestRock’s Covington, Virginia facility and a long-term supply agreement for CTO. These agreements will provide for the allocation between Ingevity and WestRock of WestRock’s assets, employees, liabilities and obligations (including its investments, property and employee benefits and tax-related assets and liabilities) attributable to periods prior to, at and after Ingevity’s separation from WestRock and will govern certain relationships between Ingevity and WestRock after the separation. The agreements listed above are filed, or will be, as exhibits to the registration statement on Form 10 of which this information statement is a part.
The summaries of each of the agreements listed above are qualified in their entireties by reference to the full text of the applicable agreements, which are incorporated by reference into this information statement. When used in this section, “distribution date” refers to the date on which WestRock distributes Ingevity’s common stock to the holders of WestRock common shares.
The Separation and Distribution Agreement
Ingevity intends to enter into a separation and distribution agreement with WestRock prior to the distribution of our common stock to WestRock stockholders. The separation and distribution agreement will set forth our agreements with WestRock regarding the principal actions needed to be taken in connection with our separation from WestRock. It will also set forth other agreements that govern certain aspects of our relationship with WestRock following the separation.
Transfer of Assets and Assumption of Liabilities.    The separation and distribution agreement will identify certain transfers of assets and assumptions of liabilities, comprising the internal reorganization, that are necessary in advance of our separation from WestRock so that each of Ingevity and WestRock retains both the assets of, and the liabilities associated with, their respective businesses. The separation and distribution agreement will also provide for the settlement or extinguishment of certain liabilities and other obligations between Ingevity and WestRock.
Effective on the distribution date, all agreements, arrangements, commitments and understandings, including all intercompany accounts payable or accounts receivable, including intercompany indebtedness and intercompany work orders, between us and our subsidiaries and other affiliates, on the one hand, and WestRock and its other subsidiaries and affiliates, on the other hand, will terminate, except for certain agreements and arrangements, which are intended to survive the distribution.
Conditions to the Distribution.    The separation and distribution agreement will provide that the distribution is subject to satisfaction (or waiver by WestRock) of certain conditions. For further information regarding these conditions, see “The Separation — Conditions to the Distribution” beginning on page [•]. WestRock has the sole and absolute discretion to determine (and change) the terms of, and to determine whether to proceed with, the separation and, to the extent it determines to so proceed, to determine the record date for the distribution, the distribution date and the distribution ratio. The separation and distribution agreement will provide that the separation may be terminated, and the separation may be modified or abandoned, at any time prior to the distribution date.
The separation and distribution agreement will also contain certain provisions governing, among other things, the allocation of legal claims and liabilities, the release of claims between the parties and indemnification obligations following the separation. Additional descriptions of the material terms of the separation and distribution agreement will be included in an amendment to this information statement.
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The Transition Services Agreement
Ingevity and WestRock will enter into a transition services agreement prior to the distribution pursuant to which WestRock and its subsidiaries will provide, on an interim, transitional basis, various services to Ingevity. The agreed upon charges for such services will be generally intended to allow the servicing party to recover all out-of-pocket costs and expenses of providing such services. Additional descriptions of the material terms of the transition services agreement will be included in an amendment to this information statement.
The Tax Matters Agreement
Prior to the distribution, Ingevity and WestRock will enter into a tax matters agreement that will govern the parties’ respective rights, responsibilities and obligations with respect to taxes, tax attributes, tax refunds, the preparation and filing of tax returns, the control of audits and other tax proceedings and assistance and cooperation in respect of tax matters.
In addition, the tax matters agreement will impose certain restrictions on Ingevity and its subsidiaries (including restrictions on share issuances, business combinations, sales of assets and similar transactions) that will be designed to preserve the qualification of the distribution and certain related transactions under Sections 355 and certain other relevant provisions of the Code. The tax matters agreement will provide special rules that allocate tax liabilities in the event the distribution and/or certain related transactions, does not so qualify. In general, under the tax matters agreement, each party is expected to be responsible for any taxes imposed on, and certain related amounts payable by, WestRock or Ingevity that arise from the failure of the distribution and/or certain related transactions, to qualify under Sections 355 and certain other relevant provisions of the Code, to the extent that the failure to so qualify is attributable to actions, events or transactions relating to such party’s respective stock, assets or business, or a breach of the relevant representations, warranties or covenants made by that party in the tax matters agreement.
The Employee Matters Agreement
Prior to the distribution, Ingevity and WestRock will enter into an employee matters agreement with WestRock that will set forth our agreements with WestRock as to certain employment, compensation and benefits matters. The employee matters agreement will provide for the allocation and treatment of assets and liabilities arising out of employee compensation and benefit programs in which our employees participated prior to the distribution. In connection with the distribution, Ingevity will provide benefit plans and arrangements in which our employees will participate going forward. Generally, Ingevity will assume or retain sponsorship of, and liabilities relating to employees who will be transferred to us from WestRock in connection with the distribution.
Crude Tall Oil and Black Liquor Soap Skimmings Agreement
Ingevity will enter into a long-term supply agreement with affiliates of WestRock whereby Ingevity will agree to purchase the entire output of CTO and BLSS (together, the “products”) from WestRock’s existing kraft mills. Under the agreement, WestRock is not required to produce any minimum quantity of the products, but also may not sell the products to third parties, subject to certain allowances described below. Pricing for the products will be determined by preset formulas and based upon prevailing market prices at the time of purchase.
The initial term of the agreement shall begin on the effective date and end on December 31, 2040, which term may be renewed upon mutual agreement of the parties for additional one (1)-year periods. If either party decides not to renew the initial term, the non-renewing party is required to give notice of non-renewal at least five (5) years prior to the end of the initial term, at which time the quantity of products provided by WestRock under the agreement will be gradually reduced for the remainder of the initial term based on the schedule set forth in the agreement. In addition, either party may terminate the agreement immediately upon the other party’s bankruptcy, liquidation or insolvency or upon a breach of any material provision of the agreement if, after thirty (30) days’ notice of such breach is given, such breach is not cured.
Beginning on or after January 1, 2026, WestRock may elect to reduce the quantity of products sold to Ingevity by up to 10% of the total volume for the prior twelve (12)-month period and instead sell such quantity to third parties. If WestRock elects to exercise such option, it may elect to further reduce the
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quantity of products sold to Ingevity by an additional 10% on or after the date of the third anniversary of the exercise of the first option and, if the second option is exercised, it may again reduce quantity by 10% on or after the third anniversary of the second option. For each option exercised by WestRock, Ingevity will have a matching right to reduce the quantity it is required to buy from WestRock by an additional 10% of the total volume for the prior twelve (12)-month period.
Covington Lease Agreement and Plant Services Agreement
Affiliates of Ingevity and WestRock will enter into a fifty (50)-year lease and corresponding plant services agreement with respect to WestRock’s paperboard and pulp mill located in Covington, Virginia (the “Covington Mill”) where Ingevity currently operates a plant manufacturing its activated carbon product (the “Plant”). Pursuant to the lease, WestRock will transfer all of the economic benefits and burdens of the real property on which the Plant is located to Ingevity in exchange for the payment of nominal annual rent and all taxes against the property. The lease also provides for certain easement rights for Ingevity and WestRock to access parts of the Covington Mill and leased property, as necessary, to conduct their respective businesses and fulfill their obligations under the plant services agreement.
Under the lease, Ingevity has the right to purchase the leased property at any time during the term for one (1) dollar. Ingevity also has the right to expand the lease, upon notice, to include (1) a sawdust storage area, in exchange for an increase in annual rent equal to the fair market rental value of such area and/or (2) a truck repair facility property and the buildings located thereon, in exchange for the payment of WestRock’s actual costs and expenses incurred in constructing or remodeling a replacement truck repair facility and relocating equipment to such facility. If Ingevity exercises its option to expand the leased property to include either or both of the sawdust storage area or truck repair facility, such additional properties shall become subject to Ingevity’s one (1) dollar purchase right with respect to the leased property.
In connection with the lease, affiliates of Ingevity and WestRock will also enter into a fifty (50)-year plant services agreement whereby WestRock will provide certain essential services and utilities to the Plant, including, but not limited to, steam, wastewater treatment, electricity, compressed air, fire, emergency and security, sawdust procurement, medical, and interim natural gas supply. Ingevity will pay for the services and utilities on a monthly basis at rates generally based upon the cost of the services and WestRock’s and Ingevity’s relative use of such services and utilities. The parties will also share responsibility under the agreement to maintain and repair certain continuous or jointly used assets. The plant services agreement may be extended by mutual agreement of the parties beyond the initial term for additional five (5)-year renewal terms and certain indvidual services may be terminated early by either party upon written notice according to the specific terms of the agreement. In the event of a permanent closure of the Plant at any time following the exercise of Ingevity’s purchase option under the lease agreement, WestRock shall have the option to purchase the Plant and related property for the fair market value of such assets and property. Alternatively, in the event of a permanent closure of the Covington Mill or a discontinuance of maintenance or operation of critical services equipment by WestRock, Ingevity shall have the right to operate critical services equipment used by WestRock to provide services and utilities under the plant services agreement. Ingevity’s rights with respect to the interim operation of WestRock’s critical services equipment shall continue until the earlier of: (i) the date WestRock resumes operation of the equipment and provides the services and utilities to Ingevity under the plant services agreement, (ii) the date Ingevity is able to provide the services and utilities for itself or obtain the services and utilities from another source, (iii) the date WestRock is able to prove that operation of such critical services equipment by Ingevity will unreasonably interfere with WestRock’s ability to sell the Covington Mill or (iv) five years after WestRock gives notice to Ingevity of its intent to cease providing the services and utilities under the plant services agreement.
Procedures for Approval of Related Person Transactions
Our board recognizes that related person transactions can present potential or actual conflicts of interest and create the appearance that company decisions are based on considerations other than the best interests of the company and its stockholders. Prior to the spin-off, the board intends to delegate authority to the N&G Committee to review and approve related person transactions, and the N&G Committee will adopt a written policy and procedures for the review, approval or ratification of related person transactions.
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CERTAIN MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE DISTRIBUTION
The following is a discussion of certain material U.S. federal income tax consequences of the distribution to “U.S. holders” (as defined below) of WestRock common stock. This summary is based on the Code, U.S. Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, rulings and other administrative pronouncements issued by the IRS, and judicial decisions, all as in effect on the date of this information statement, and all of which are subject to differing interpretations and change at any time, possibly with retroactive effect. This discussion applies only to U.S. holders of shares of WestRock common stock who hold such shares as a capital asset within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code (generally, property held for investment). This discussion is based upon the assumption that the distribution, together with certain related transactions, will be consummated in accordance with the separation and distribution agreement and the other separation-related agreements and as described in this information statement. This summary is for general information only and is not tax advice. It does not discuss all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be relevant to particular holders in light of their particular circumstances or to holders subject to special rules under the Code (including, but not limited to, insurance companies, tax-exempt organizations, financial institutions, broker-dealers, partners in partnerships (or entities or arrangements treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes) that hold WestRock common stock, pass-through entities (or investors therein), traders in securities who elect to apply a mark-to-market method of accounting, shareholders who hold WestRock common stock as part of a “hedge,” “straddle,” “conversion,” “synthetic security,” “integrated investment” or “constructive sale transaction,” individuals who receive shares of WestRock or Ingevity common stock upon the exercise of employee stock options or otherwise as compensation, holders who are liable for the alternative minimum tax or any holders who actually or constructively own 5% or more of WestRock common stock). This discussion also does not address any tax consequences arising under the unearned Medicare contribution tax pursuant to the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, nor does it address any tax considerations under state, local or foreign laws or U.S. federal laws other than those pertaining to the U.S. federal income tax.
If a partnership, including for this purpose any entity or arrangement that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, holds WestRock common stock, the tax treatment of a partner in such partnership will generally depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. Holders of WestRock common stock that are partnerships and partners in such partnerships should consult their own tax advisors about the U.S. federal income tax consequences of the distribution.
For purposes of this discussion, a “U.S. holder” is any beneficial owner of WestRock common stock that is, for U.S. federal income tax purposes:

an individual who is a citizen or a resident of the United States;

a corporation, or other entity taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, created or organized under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia;

an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or

a trust, (i) if a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over its administration and one or more United States persons have the authority to control all of its substantial decisions or (ii) that has a valid election in place under applicable Treasury Regulations to be treated as a United States person.
THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION IS A SUMMARY OF CERTAIN MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE DISTRIBUTION UNDER CURRENT LAW AND IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY. ALL HOLDERS SHOULD CONSULT THEIR OWN TAX ADVISORS AS TO THE PARTICULAR TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE DISTRIBUTION TO THEM, INCLUDING THE APPLICATION AND EFFECT OF U.S. FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND FOREIGN TAX LAWS.
WestRock received a private letter ruling from the IRS on January 4, 2016, regarding certain U.S. federal income tax matters relating to the separation, distribution and certain related transactions. Conditions to the distribution include that (i) the private letter ruling that WestRock received from the IRS
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regarding certain U.S. federal income tax matters relating to the separation, distribution and related transactions shall not have been modified or revoked, and (ii) WestRock shall have received opinions from its tax advisors, reasonably satisfactory to WestRock, regarding the qualification of the distribution, together with certain related transactions, as a transaction that is generally tax-free, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, under Sections 355 and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code. The IRS private letter ruling and any opinion of outside counsel will be based upon and rely on, among other things, certain facts and assumptions, as well as certain representations, statements and undertakings of WestRock and Ingevity, including those relating to the past and future conduct of WestRock and Ingevity. If any of these facts, assumptions, representations, statements or undertakings is, or becomes, inaccurate or incomplete, or if WestRock or Ingevity breaches any of its respective covenants contained in any of the separation-related agreements or documents relating to any tax opinion, the IRS private letter ruling and/or any opinion of outside counsel may be invalid and the conclusions reached therein could be jeopardized.
Notwithstanding the IRS private letter ruling and any opinion of counsel, the IRS could determine that the distribution should be treated as a taxable transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes if it determines that any of the facts, assumptions, representations, statements or undertakings upon which the IRS private letter ruling or any opinion was based is false or has been violated, or if it disagrees with the conclusions in any such opinion. The IRS private letter ruling will not address all of the issues that are relevant to determining whether the separation, distribution and certain related transactions will be generally tax-free for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and an opinion of outside counsel or other external tax advisor represents the judgment of such counsel or advisor which is not binding on the IRS or any court. Accordingly, notwithstanding receipt of the IRS private letter ruling and the tax opinions referred to above, there can be no assurance that the IRS will not assert that the separation, distribution and/or certain related transactions do not qualify for tax-free treatment for U.S. federal income tax purposes or that a court would not sustain such a challenge. If the IRS were successful in any such challenge, WestRock, Ingevity and WestRock shareowners could be subject to significant U.S. federal income tax liability. See “— Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences if the Distribution is Taxable” below.
Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences if the Distribution Qualifies as a Transaction That is Generally Tax-Free Under Sections 355 and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code.
Assuming the distribution, together with certain related transactions, qualifies as a transaction that is generally tax-free, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, under Sections 355 and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code, the U.S. federal income tax consequences of the distribution generally will be as follows:

no gain or loss will be recognized by, and no amount will be includible in the income of WestRock as a result of the distribution, other than gain or income arising in connection with certain internal restructurings undertaken in connection with the distribution and with respect to any “excess loss account” or “intercompany transaction” required to be taken into account by WestRock under U.S. Treasury regulations relating to consolidated federal income tax returns;

no gain or loss will be recognized by (and no amount will be included in the income of) U.S. holders of WestRock common stock, upon the receipt of shares of Ingevity common stock in the distribution, except with respect to any cash received in lieu of fractional shares of Ingevity common stock (as described below);

the aggregate tax basis of the WestRock common stock and the Ingevity common stock received in the distribution (including any fractional share interest in Ingevity common stock for which cash is received) in the hands of each U.S. holder of WestRock common stock immediately after the distribution will equal the aggregate basis of WestRock common stock held by the U.S. holder immediately before the distribution, allocated between the WestRock common stock and the Ingevity common stock (including any fractional share interest in Ingevity common stock for which cash is received) in proportion to the relative fair market value of each on the date of the distribution; and

the holding period of the Ingevity common stock received in the distribution by each U.S. holder of WestRock common stock (including any fractional share interest in Ingevity common stock for which cash is received) will generally include the holding period at the time of the distribution for the WestRock common stock with respect to which the distribution is made.
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A U.S. holder who receives cash in lieu of a fractional share of Ingevity common stock in the distribution will be treated as having sold such fractional share for cash, and will recognize capital gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between the amount of cash received and such U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in such fractional share. Such gain or loss will be long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. holder’s holding period for its WestRock common stock exceeds one year at the time of the distribution.
If a U.S. holder of WestRock common stock holds different blocks of WestRock common stock (generally shares of WestRock common stock acquired on different dates or at different prices), such holder should consult its tax advisor regarding the determination of the basis and holding period of shares of Ingevity common stock received in the distribution in respect of particular blocks of WestRock common stock.
Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences if the Distribution is Taxable.
As discussed above, notwithstanding receipt by WestRock of an opinion of counsel, the IRS could assert that the distribution does not qualify for tax-free treatment for U.S. federal income tax purposes. If the IRS were successful in taking this position, the consequences described above would not apply and WestRock, Ingevity and WestRock shareowners could be subject to significant U.S. federal income tax liability. In addition, certain events that may or may not be within the control of WestRock or Ingevity could cause the distribution and/or certain related transactions not to qualify for tax-free treatment for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Depending on the circumstances, Ingevity may be required to indemnify WestRock for taxes (and certain related losses) resulting from the distribution and/or certain related transactions not qualifying as tax-free for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
If the distribution fails to qualify as a tax-free transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes, in general, WestRock would recognize taxable gain as if it had sold the Ingevity common stock in a taxable sale for its fair market value (unless WestRock and Ingevity jointly make an election under Section 336(e) of the Code with respect to the distribution, in which case, in general, (i) the WestRock group would recognize taxable gain as if Ingevity had sold all of its assets in a taxable sale in exchange for an amount equal to the fair market value of the Ingevity common stock and the assumption of all of Ingevity liabilities and (ii) Ingevity would obtain a related step up in the basis of its assets) and WestRock shareowners who receive shares of Ingevity common stock in the distribution would be subject to tax as if they had received a taxable distribution equal to the fair market value of such shares.
Even if the distribution, together with certain related transactions, were to otherwise qualify as tax-free, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, under Sections 355 and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code, WestRock could still realize taxable gain under Section 355(e) of the Code if the distribution were later deemed to be part of a plan (or series of related transactions) pursuant to which one or more persons acquire, directly or indirectly, shares representing a 50% or greater interest (by vote or value) in WestRock or Ingevity, taking into account the stock indirectly acquired by Rock-Tenn stockholders in the Merger. For this purpose, any acquisitions of WestRock or Ingevity shares within the period beginning two years before the distribution and ending two years after the distribution, including the acquisition of such shares pursuant to the Merger, are presumed to be part of such a plan, although WestRock or Ingevity may be able to rebut that presumption.
In connection with the distribution, WestRock and Ingevity will enter into a tax matters agreement pursuant to which Ingevity will be responsible for certain liabilities and obligations following the distribution. In general, under the terms of the tax matters agreement, if the distribution and/or certain related transactions were to fail to qualify as a transaction that is generally tax-free, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, under Sections 355 and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code (including as a result of Section 355(e) of the Code) and if such failure were the result of actions taken after the distribution by WestRock or Ingevity, the party responsible for such failure will be responsible for all taxes imposed on WestRock and Ingevity to the extent such taxes result from such actions. However, if such failure were the result of any acquisition of Ingevity shares or assets, or of any of Ingevity’s representations, statements or undertakings being incorrect, incomplete or breached, Ingevity generally would be responsible for all taxes imposed as a result of such acquisition or breach. For a discussion of the tax matters agreement, see “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions — The Tax Matters Agreement.” The indemnification obligations of
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Ingevity to WestRock under the tax matters agreement are not expected to be limited in amount or subject to any cap. If Ingevity is required to pay any taxes or indemnify WestRock and its subsidiaries and their respective officers and directors under the circumstances set forth in the tax matters agreement, Ingevity may be subject to substantial liabilities.
Backup Withholding and Information Reporting.
Payments of cash to U.S. holders of WestRock common stock in lieu of fractional shares of Ingevity common stock may be subject to information reporting and backup withholding (currently, at a rate of 28%), unless such U.S. holder delivers a properly completed IRS Form W-9 certifying such U.S. holder’s correct taxpayer identification number and certain other information, or otherwise establishes an exemption from backup withholding. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules may be refunded or credited against a U.S. holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability provided that the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.
THE FOREGOING DISCUSSION IS A SUMMARY OF CERTAIN MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE DISTRIBUTION UNDER CURRENT LAW AND IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY. ALL HOLDERS SHOULD CONSULT THEIR OWN TAX ADVISORS AS TO THE PARTICULAR TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE DISTRIBUTION TO THEM, INCLUDING THE APPLICATION AND EFFECT OF U.S. FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND FOREIGN TAX LAWS.
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DESCRIPTION OF MATERIAL INDEBTEDNESS
From and after the separation, each of Ingevity and WestRock Company will generally, pursuant to the separation and distribution agreement and other agreements we will enter into with WestRock or its subsidiaries, be responsible for the debts, liabilities and obligations related to the businesses it owns and operates following completion of the spin-off. See “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions — Agreements with WestRock.”
Revolving Credit and Term Loan Facilities
In connection with the spin-off, we have entered into a credit agreement governing a senior secured multi-currency revolving credit facility (the “Revolving Credit Facility”), which provides for maximum borrowings of $400 million for Ingevity, with a €100 million subfacility for a Belgian subsidiary borrower of Ingevity (the “Belgian Borrower”) subject to certain additional conditions on the initial funding date. The Revolving Credit Facility allows for borrowings in U.S. dollars, euros and Japanese yen, with certain sub-limits. The Revolving Credit Facility has a letter of credit sub-limit of $75 million and a swingline facility sub-limit of approximately $40 million. The Revolving Credit Facility will be available, subject to certain customary conditions, on and after the initial funding date for working capital and other general corporate purposes, and is expected to be drawn up to $225 million at closing.
lngevity has also entered into a senior secured term loan facility (the “Term Loan Facility” and together with the Revolving Credit Facility, the “Facilities”) of $300 million, the proceeds of which, together with the funding date draw under the Revolving Credit Facility, we expect will be used to pay a dividend, distribution or other cash transfer of up to $500 million to WestRock or one of its subsidiaries prior to the consummation of the spin-off and to pay fees and expenses associated with the Facilities and the spin-off. The term loan will be funded subject to certain additional conditions on the funding date. We do not expect the financing transactions we have entered or will enter into in connection with the spin-off, including the payment of the dividend, distribution or other cash transfer to WestRock, to impact our cash flow requirements for 2016. We expect our operating free cash flows combined with cash on hand to be sufficient to meet our working capital needs.
The Facilities are documented in a credit agreement, dated March 7, 2016, which allows funding up to 10 business days prior to or substantially concurrently with the spin-off. Such credit agreement is included with this filing as Exhibit 10.8. The Facilities have the terms described below, qualified in their entirety by reference to the actual terms of the credit agreement.
Maturity; Amortization and Prepayments
The Facilities mature on the five-year anniversary of the initial funding date of the Facilities. The Term Loan Facility amortizes at a rate equal to 0% per annum during the first year after the funding date, 5% per annum during the second and third years after the funding date and 10% per annum during the fourth and fifth years after the funding date, with the balance due at maturity. The Term Loan Facility will require the proceeds of certain asset sales and casualty events to be applied to prepay the loans under the Term Loan Facility, subject to certain thresholds, exceptions and reinvestment rights.
Guarantees; Security
All domestic obligations of Ingevity under the Facilities will be unconditionally guaranteed by, subject to certain exceptions, each of its existing and future direct and indirect domestic subsidiaries. In addition, the obligations of the Belgian Borrower under the Revolving Credit Facility will be guaranteed by Ingevity’s existing and future direct and indirect subsidiaries organized in Belgium and by Ingevity and its existing and future direct and indirect domestic subsidiaries, in each case subject to certain exceptions. The Facilities will be secured by a first priority security interest in substantially all tangible and intangible assets of Ingevity and each guarantor, subject to certain exceptions.
Interest; Fees
The interest rates per annum applicable to the loans under the Facilities are based on a fluctuating rate of interest measured by reference to, at the borrowers’ election, either (1) an adjusted London inter-bank offered rate (LIBOR) plus a borrowing margin, or (2) an alternate base rate plus a borrowing margin. The
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borrowing margin for the Facilities is subject to adjustment based on Ingevity’s consolidated total leverage ratio, and is between 1.25% and 2.00% in the case of LIBOR loans and between 0.25% and 1.00% in the case of base rate loans.
Customary fees will be payable in respect of both Facilities. The Revolving Credit Facility fees will include (i) commitment fees, based on a percentage of the daily unused portions of the facility ranging from 0.15% to 0.30%, and (ii) customary letter of credit fees.
Representations and Warranties; Covenants
The Facilities contain various representations and warranties and restrictive covenants that, among other things and subject to specified exceptions, restrict the ability of Ingevity and its restricted subsidiaries to incur indebtedness (including guarantees), grant liens, make investments, make dividends or distributions with respect to capital stock, make prepayments on other indebtedness, engage in mergers or change the nature of their business. In addition, the Facilities include financial covenants requiring Ingevity to maintain on a consolidated basis, as of the end of each fiscal quarter, a maximum total leverage ratio of 3.75 to 1.00, which may be increased to 4.25 to 1.00 under certain circumstances and a minimum interest coverage ratio of 3.00 to 1.00, in each case, as of the first fiscal quarter ending after the funding date.
The Facilities contain certain affirmative covenants, including reporting requirements such as delivery of financial statements, certificates and notices of certain events, maintaining insurance, and providing additional guarantees and collateral in certain circumstances.
Events of Default
The Facilities include customary events of default including non-payment of principal, interest or fees, violation of covenants, inaccuracy of representations or warranties, cross default to certain other material indebtedness, bankruptcy and insolvency events, invalidity or impairment of guarantees or security interests, material judgments and change of control.
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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
Ingevity’s certificate of incorporation and bylaws will be amended and restated prior to the separation. The following is a summary of the material terms of Ingevity’s capital stock that will be contained in the amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws. The summaries and descriptions below do not purport to be complete statements of the relevant provisions of the certificate of incorporation or of the bylaws to be in effect at the time of the distribution, which you must read for complete information on Ingevity’s capital stock as of the time of the distribution. The amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws, each in a form expected to be in effect at the time of the distribution, are included as exhibits to Ingevity’s registration statement on Form 10, of which this information statement forms a part. Ingevity will include its amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws, as in effect at the time of the distribution, in a Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC. The summaries and descriptions below do not purport to be complete statements of the DGCL.
General
Prior to the distribution, our board of directors and WestRock, as our sole stockholder, will approve and adopt our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws. Under our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, authorized capital stock will consist of  [•] million shares of our common stock, par value $0.01 per share, and [•] million shares of our preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share.
Common Stock
We estimate that approximately [•] shares of our common stock will be issued and outstanding immediately after the separation, based on the number of shares of WestRock common stock that we expect will be outstanding as of the record date. The actual number of shares of our common stock outstanding following the separation will be determined on [•], 2016, the record date.
Dividend Rights.    Subject to the rights, if any, of the holders of any outstanding series of our preferred stock, holders of our common stock will be entitled to receive dividends out of any of our funds legally available when, as and if declared by our board of directors.
Voting Rights.    Each holder of our common stock is entitled to one vote per share on all matters on which stockholders are generally entitled to vote. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation does not provide for cumulative voting in the election of directors.
Liquidation.    If we liquidate, dissolve or wind up our affairs, holders of our common stock are entitled to share proportionately in the assets of Ingevity available for distribution to stockholders, subject to the rights, if any, of the holders of any outstanding series of our preferred stock.
Other Rights.    All of our outstanding shares of common stock are fully paid and nonassessable, and the shares of common stock we will issue in connection with the distribution also will be fully paid and nonassessable. The holders of our common stock have no preemptive rights and no rights to convert their common stock into any other securities, and our common stock is not subject to any redemption or sinking fund provisions.
Preferred Stock
Under our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and subject to the limitations prescribed by law, our board of directors may issue our preferred stock in one or more series, and may establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in such series and may fix the designation, powers, privileges, preferences and relative participating, optional or other rights, if any, of the shares of each such series and any qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof. See “— Anti-Takeover Effects of Various Provisions of Delaware Law and Ingevity’s Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws.”
Our preferred stock will, if issued, be fully paid and nonassessable. When and if we issue preferred stock, we will establish the applicable preemptive rights, dividend rights, voting rights, conversion privileges, redemption rights, sinking fund rights, rights upon voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up and any other relative rights, preferences and limitations for the particular preferred stock series.
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Anti-Takeover Effects of Various Provisions of Delaware Law and Ingevity’s Certificate of Incorporation
and Bylaws
Provisions of the DGCL and Ingevity’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws could make it more difficult to acquire Ingevity by means of a tender offer, a proxy contest or otherwise, or to remove incumbent officers and directors. These provisions, including those summarized below, may discourage certain types of coercive takeover practices and takeover bids that Ingevity’s board of directors may consider inadequate and to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of Ingevity to first negotiate with Ingevity’s board of directors. Ingevity believes that the benefits of increased protection of its ability to negotiate with the proponent of an unfriendly or unsolicited proposal to acquire or restructure it outweigh the disadvantages of discouraging takeover or acquisition proposals because, among other things, negotiation of these proposals could result in an improvement of their terms.
Delaware Anti-Takeover Statute.    Ingevity will be subject to Section 203 of the DGCL, an anti-takeover statute. In general, Section 203 of the DGCL prohibits a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested stockholder” for a period of three years following the time the person became an interested stockholder, unless the business combination or the acquisition of shares that resulted in a stockholder becoming an interested stockholder is approved in a prescribed manner. Generally, a “business combination” includes a merger, asset or stock sale or other transaction resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. Generally, an “interested stockholder” is a person who, together with affiliates and associates, owns (or within three years prior to the determination of interested stockholder status did own) 15% or more of a corporation’s voting stock. The existence of this provision would be expected to have an anti-takeover effect with respect to transactions not approved in advance by Ingevity’s board of directors, including discouraging attempts that might result in a premium over the market price for the shares of common stock held by Ingevity’s stockholders.
Classified Board .   Upon completion of the separation, Ingevity’s board of directors will initially be divided into three classes, with Class I comprised of two directors, Class II comprised of two directors and Class III comprised of three directors. The directors designated as Class I directors will have terms expiring at the first annual meeting of stockholders following the distribution, which Ingevity expects to hold in 2017. The directors designated as Class II directors will have terms expiring at the following year’s annual meeting of stockholders, which Ingevity expects to hold in 2018, and the directors designated as Class III directors will have terms expiring at the following year’s annual meeting of stockholders, which Ingevity expects to hold in 2019. Commencing with the first annual meeting of stockholders following the distribution, directors elected to succeed those directors whose terms then expire shall be elected for a term of office to expire at the 2019 annual meeting of stockholders. Beginning at the 2019 annual meeting, all of our directors will stand for election each year for annual terms, and our board will therefore no longer be divided into three classes.
At any meeting of stockholders for the election of directors at which a quorum is present, the election will be determined by a majority of the votes cast by the stockholders entitled to vote in the election, with directors not receiving a majority of the votes cast required to tender their resignations for consideration by the board, except that in the case of a contested election, the election will be determined by a plurality of the votes cast by the stockholders entitled to vote in the election. Before Ingevity’s board is declassified, it would take at least two elections of directors for any individual or group to gain control of Ingevity’s board. Accordingly, while the classified board is in effect, these provisions could discourage a third party from initiating a proxy contest, making a tender offer or otherwise attempting to gain control of Ingevity.
Removal .   Ingevity’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws will provide that (i) prior to the board being fully declassified as discussed above, stockholders may remove Ingevity’s directors only for cause, and that (ii) after the board has been fully declassified, stockholders may remove Ingevity’s directors with or without cause. Removal will require the affirmative vote of holders of a majority of Ingevity’s voting stock.
Size of Board and Vacancies.    Ingevity’s amended and restated bylaws will provide that the number of directors will be fixed exclusively by the board of directors. Any vacancies created on its board of directors resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors or the death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office or other cause will be filled by a majority of the board of directors then in office, even if less than a quorum is present, or by a sole remaining director. Any director appointed
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to fill a vacancy on Ingevity’s board of directors will be appointed until the next annual meeting and until his or her successor has been elected and qualified.
Stockholder Action by Written Consent.    Ingevity’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation will expressly eliminate the right of its stockholders to act by written consent. Stockholder action may only take place at an annual or a special meeting of Ingevity stockholders.
Requirements for Advance Notification of Stockholder Nominations and Proposals.    Ingevity’s amended and restated bylaws will establish advance notice procedures with respect to stockholder proposals and nomination of candidates for election as directors other than nominations made by or at the direction of its board of directors or a committee of its board of directors.
No Cumulative Voting.    The DGCL provides that stockholders are denied the right to cumulate votes in the election of directors unless the company’s certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Ingevity’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation will not provide for cumulative voting.
Undesignated Preferred Stock.    The authority that Ingevity’s board of directors will possess to issue preferred stock could potentially be used to discourage attempts by third parties to obtain control of Ingevity through a merger, tender offer, proxy contest or otherwise by making such attempts more difficult or more costly. Ingevity’s board of directors may be able to issue preferred stock with voting rights or conversion rights that, if exercised, could adversely affect the voting power of the holders of common stock.
Amendments to Bylaws .   Ingevity’s amended and restated bylaws will provide that certain bylaw provisions may only be amended by Ingevity’s board of directors or by the affirmative vote of holders of 75% of Ingevity’s voting stock then outstanding.
Amendments to Charter.    Ingevity’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that certain of its provisions may only be amended by the affirmative vote of holders of 75% of Ingevity’s voting stock then outstanding.
Stock Exchange Listing
We intend to apply for authorization to list Ingevity common stock on the NYSE under the ticker symbol “NGVT”.
Limitation on Liability of Directors and Indemnification of Directors and Officers
Elimination of Liability of Directors.    The DGCL authorizes corporations to limit or eliminate the personal liability of directors to corporations and their stockholders for monetary damages for breaches of directors’ fiduciary duties as directors, and Ingevity’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation will include such an exculpation provision. Ingevity’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that, to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, no director will be personally liable to us or to our stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director. While Ingevity’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide directors with protection from awards for monetary damages for breaches of their duty of care, it will not eliminate this duty. Accordingly, Ingevity’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation will have no effect on the availability of equitable remedies such as an injunction or rescission based on a director’s breach of his or her duty of care. The provisions of Ingevity’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation described above apply to an officer of Ingevity only if he or she is a director of Ingevity and is acting in his or her capacity as director, and do not apply to officers of Ingevity who are not directors.
Indemnification of Directors, Officers and Employees.    Our amended and restated bylaws will require us to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to, or was otherwise involved in, a legal proceeding by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director, officer or employee of Ingevity or, while a director, officer or employee of Ingevity, is or was serving at our request in a fiduciary capacity with another enterprise (including any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, association or other unincorporated organization or other entity and any employee benefit plan, to the fullest extent authorized by the DGCL, as it exists or may be amended, against all expense, liability and loss (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, U.S. Employee Retirement
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Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, excise taxes or penalties and amounts paid in settlement by or on behalf of such person) actually and reasonably incurred in connection with such service. We will be authorized under our amended and restated bylaws to carry directors’ and officers’ insurance protecting us, any director, officer or employee of ours or, against any expense, liability or loss, whether or not we would have the power to indemnify the person under the DGCL. We may, to the extent authorized from time to time, indemnify any of our agents to the fullest extent permitted with respect to directors, officers and employees in our amended and restated bylaws.
The limitation of liability and indemnification provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against our directors for breach of fiduciary duty. These provisions also may reduce the likelihood of derivative litigation against our directors and officers, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our stockholders. In addition, your investment in our common stock may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards under these indemnification provisions.
By its terms, the indemnification that will be provided for in Ingevity’s amended and restated bylaws is not exclusive of any other rights that the indemnified party may be or become entitled to under any law, agreement, vote of stockholders or directors, provisions of Ingevity’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation or amended and restated bylaws or otherwise. Any amendment, alteration or repeal of our amended and restated bylaws’ indemnification provisions is, by the terms of Ingevity’s amended and restated bylaws, prospective only and will not adversely affect the rights of any indemnity in effect at the time of any act or omission occurring prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal.
Exclusive Forum
Ingevity’s amended and restated bylaws will provide that unless Ingevity consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the state courts located within the State of Delaware will be the sole and exclusive forum for any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of Ingevity, any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director or officer or other employee of Ingevity to Ingevity or Ingevity’s stockholders, any action asserting a claim against Ingevity or any director or officer or other employee of Ingevity arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or Ingevity’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation or amended and restated bylaws (as either may be amended from time to time), or any action asserting a claim against Ingevity or any director or officer or other employee of Ingevity governed by the internal affairs doctrine. However, if no state court within the State of Delaware has jurisdiction, the action may be brought in the federal district court for the District of Delaware.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The registrar and transfer agent for our common stock is Wells Fargo Shareowner Services.
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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We have filed a registration statement on Form 10 with the SEC with respect to the shares of our common stock that WestRock stockholders will receive in the distribution. This information statement is a part of that registration statement and, as allowed by SEC rules, does not include all of the information you can find in the registration statement or the exhibits to the registration statement. For additional information relating to Ingevity and the distribution, reference is made to the registration statement and the exhibits to the registration statement. Statements contained in this information statement as to the contents of any contract or document referred to are not necessarily complete and in each instance, if the contract or document is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement, we refer you to the copy of the contract or other document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement. Each such statement is qualified in all respects by reference to the applicable document.
Following the distribution, we will file annual, quarterly and special reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. We intend to furnish our stockholders with annual reports containing consolidated financial statements audited by an independent registered public accounting firm. The registration statement is, and any of these future filings with the SEC will be, available to the public over the Internet on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. You may read and copy any filed document at the SEC’s public reference rooms in Washington, D.C. at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549, at the SEC’s regional offices in New York at 233 Broadway, New York, New York 10279, and in Chicago at Citicorp Center, 500 W. Madison Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois 60661. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information about the public reference rooms.
Ingevity maintains an Internet site at www.ingevity.com. Ingevity’s website and the information contained therein or connected thereto shall not be deemed to be incorporated herein, and you should not rely on any such information in making an investment decision.
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INGEVITY CORPORATION
INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Ingevity Corporation
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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To Stockholders and Board of Directors of WestRock Company:
In our opinion, the accompanying combined balance sheets and the related combined statements of operations, comprehensive income, changes in net parent investment and cash flows present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Ingevity Corporation at December 31, 2015 and 2014, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2015 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits. We conducted our audits of these statements in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management and evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Richmond, Virginia
March 7, 2016
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INGEVITY CORPORATION
Combined Statements of Operations
Years ended December 31,
In millions
2015
2014
2013
Net sales
$ 968 $ 1,041 $ 980
Cost of sales
687 718 685
Gross Profit
281 323 295
Selling, general and administrative expenses
114 112 103
Separation costs
17
Interest expense
21 16 13
Other (income) expense, net
(9 ) (8 ) (5 )
Income before income taxes
138 203 184
Provision for income taxes
53 70 66
Net income
85 133 118
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling
interests, net of taxes
5 4 (1 )
Net income attributable to the company
$ 80 $ 129 $ 119
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these combined financial statements.
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INGEVITY CORPORATION
Combined Statements of Comprehensive Income
Years ended December 31,
In millions
2015
2014
2013
Net income
$ 85 $ 133 $ 118
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax:
Foreign currency translation adjustment (1)
(10 ) (6 ) (6 )
Derivative instruments:
Unrealized gain (loss), net
(1 ) (1 ) 1
Reclassifications of deferred derivative instruments (gain) loss, included in net income (2)
1
Net unrealized gain (loss) on derivative instruments
(1 ) 1
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
(10 ) (7 ) (5 )
Comprehensive income
75 126 113
Less: Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests, net of taxes
5 4 (1 )
Comprehensive income attributable to the company
$ 70 $ 122 $ 114
(1)
Income taxes are not provided on the equity in undistributed earnings of our foreign subsidiaries or affiliates since it is our intention that such earnings will remain invested in those affiliates permanently.
(2)
Amounts reflected in “Cost of sales” on the Combined Statements of Operations.
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these combined financial statements.
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INGEVITY CORPORATION
Combined Balance Sheets
Unaudited Pro
Forma As of
December 31,
2015
December 31,
In millions
2015
2014
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents
$ 32 $ 32 $ 20
Accounts receivable, net
96 96 108
Inventories, net
151 151 130
Prepaid and other current assets
20 20 13
Current assets
299 299 271
Property, plant and equipment, net
438 438 410
Goodwill
12 12 13
Other intangibles, net
10 10 13
Other assets
23 23 11
Total assets
$ 782 $ 782 $ 718
Liabilities and Equity
Accounts payable
$ 65 $ 65 $ 105
Accrued expenses
13 13 13
Accrued payroll and employee benefits
10 10 18
Notes payable
9 9 3
Cash distribution to parent
400
Current liabilities
497 97 139
Capital lease obligations
80 80 86
Deferred income taxes
76 76 67
Other liabilities
7 7 6
Total liabilities
660 260 298
Commitments and contingencies (Note 11)
Net parent investment:
Net parent investment
134 534 424
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
(17 ) (17 ) (7 )
Total net parent investment before noncontrolling interests
117 517 417
Noncontrolling interests
5 5 3
Total net parent investment and noncontrolling interests
122 522 420
Total liabilities and net parent investment
$ 782 $ 782 $ 718
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these combined financial statements.
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INGEVITY CORPORATION
Combined Statements of Changes in Net Parent Investment
In millions
Net Parent
Investment
Accumulated
other
comprehensive
income (loss)
Noncontrolling
interests
Total
Balance at December 31, 2012
$ 277 $ 5 $ 12 $ 294
Net income
119 (1 ) 118
Other comprehensive income, net of tax
(5 ) (5 )
Noncontrolling interest distributions
(8 ) (8 )
Purchase of noncontrolling interest
(1 ) (1 )
Transactions with parent
(70 ) (70 )
Balance at December 31, 2013
$ 326 $ $ 2 $ 328
Net income
129 4 133
Other comprehensive income, net of tax
(7 ) (7 )
Noncontrolling interest distributions
(3 ) (3 )
Transactions with parent
(31 ) (31 )
Balance at December 31, 2014
$ 424 $ (7 ) $ 3 $ 420
Net income
80 5 85
Other comprehensive income, net of tax
(10 ) (10 )
Noncontrolling interest distributions
(3 ) (3 )
Transactions with parent
30 30
Balance at December 31, 2015
$ 534 $ (17 ) $ 5 $ 522
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these combined financial statements.
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INGEVITY CORPORATION
Combined Statements of Cash Flows
Years ended December 31,
In millions
2015
2014
2013
Operating activities:
Net income
$ 85 $ 133 $ 118
Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by
operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization
35 33 33
Deferred income taxes
10 2 2
Impairment/loss on sale of assets
4 1 11
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable, net
9 (9 ) (11 )
Inventories, net
(25 ) (29 ) (20 )
Prepaid and other current assets
(7 ) 2
Accounts payable
(22 ) 10 14
Accrued expenses
6 (4 )
Accrued payroll and employee benefit costs
(8 ) 5 2
Changes in other operating assets and liabilities, net
(8 ) (9 ) (10 )
Net cash provided by operating activities
73 143 137
Investing activities:
Capital expenditures
(102 ) (101 ) (63 )
Proceeds from sale of subsidiary
11
Other investing activities, net
1 (1 ) (1 )
Net cash used in investing activities
(90 ) (102 ) (64 )
Financing activities:
Termination of capital lease obligations
(6 )
Changes in notes payable and other short-term borrowings, net
6 3
Purchase of noncontrolling interests
(1 )
Noncontrolling interest distributions
(3 ) (3 ) (8 )
Transactions with Parent, net
30 (31 ) (70 )
Net cash provided (used) in financing activities
27 (31 ) (79 )
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
10 10 (6 )
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash
2 (2 ) 2
Cash and cash equivalents
At beginning of period
20 12 16
At end of period
$ 32 $ 20 $ 12
Supplemental cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest
$ 7 $ 7 $ 7
Purchases of property, plant and equipment in accounts payable
$ 2 $ 16 $
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these combined financial statements.
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Notes to the Combined Financial Statements
Note 1:   Basis of combination and presentation
On January 8, 2015 MeadWestvaco Corporation (“MWV”) announced that its board of directors approved a plan to fully separate its Specialty Chemicals business from the rest of the company. The separation is expected to be executed by means of a tax-free spinoff of the Specialty Chemicals business to MWV stockholders. The spinoff is expected to be completed around mid-2016.
On July 1, 2015, Rock-Tenn Company (“Rock-Tenn”) and MWV completed a strategic combination of their respective businesses, forming WestRock Company (“WestRock”). The business currently conducted by WestRock is the combined businesses conducted by Rock-Tenn and MWV prior to the combination. The merger consideration was $8,287 million. In connection with the merger, Rock-Tenn stockholders received in the aggregate approximately 130.4 million shares of WestRock Common Stock and approximately $668 million in cash. At the effective time of the merger, each share of common stock of MWV issued and outstanding immediately prior to the merger was converted into the right to receive 0.78 shares of WestRock Common Stock. In the aggregate, MWV stockholders received approximately 131.2  million shares of WestRock Common Stock. Included in the merger consideration is approximately $211 million related to outstanding MWV equity awards that were replaced with WestRock equity awards with identical terms.
Basis of Presentation
These combined financial statements include all majority-owned or controlled entities of WestRock related to its Specialty Chemicals business, Ingevity (the “company”), and all significant inter-company transactions are eliminated. The company does not operate as a separate, stand-alone entity and is comprised of certain WestRock wholly owned legal entities for which the company is the sole business and components of legal entities in which the company operates in conjunction with other WestRock businesses.
For purposes of these combined financial statements, the term “WestRock” herein refers to the legacy operations of MWV, and its subsidiaries, prior to the merger with Rock-Tenn and the combined operations of Rock-Tenn and MWV subsequent to the merger. References to the company’s historical business and operations refer to the business and operations of the Specialty Chemicals business of WestRock, or prior to the merger of MWV and Rock-Tenn Company, MWV, that have been or will be transferred to Ingevity.
The company is a manufacturer, marketer and distributor of specialty chemicals derived from sawdust and co-products of the papermaking process in North America, Europe, South America and Asia. The company’s products include performance chemicals derived from pine chemicals used in publication inks, asphalt paving and adhesives as well as in the agricultural, paper and petroleum industries. The company also produces activated carbon products used in gasoline vapor emission control systems for cars, trucks, motorcycles and boats, as well as applications for water, food, beverage and chemical purification. The company’s segments are (i) Performance Chemicals and (ii) Performance Materials.
Unaudited Pro Forma Balance Sheet
At or prior to the spinoff, the company intends to distribute an estimated $400 million to WestRock. The accompanying unaudited pro forma balance sheet as of December 31, 2015 gives effect to the $400  million expected cash distribution.
Reclassifications
Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation.
Note 2:   Summary of significant accounting policies
Related-party transactions:    These combined financial statements include allocated expenses associated with centralized WestRock support functions including legal, accounting, tax, treasury, internal audit, information technology, human resources and other services. The costs associated with these functions generally include all payroll and benefit costs as well as related overhead costs. These combined
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financial statements also include allocated costs associated with WestRock’s office facilities, corporate insurance coverage and medical, pension, post-retirement and other health plan costs attributed to the company’s employees participating in WestRock’s sponsored plans. Allocations are generally based on a number of utilization measures including employee count and proportionate effort. In situations in which determinations based on utilization are impracticable, WestRock and the company use other methods and criteria such as net sales which are believed to result in reasonable estimates of costs attributable to the company. Such allocated expenses are components of net income in the Combined Statement of Operations and are therefore included as a component of net cash provided by (or used in) operating activities in the Combined Statement of Cash Flows. All such amounts have been assumed to have been immediately settled by the company to WestRock in the period in which the costs were recorded in the combined financial statements.
The company and WestRock management believe the related-party allocations included in these combined financial statements have been made on a reasonable basis. However, these combined financial statements may not necessarily be indicative of the results of operations that would have been obtained if the company had operated as a separate entity during the periods presented. Actual costs that may have been incurred if the company had been a stand-alone business would depend on a number of factors, including organizational structure and what functions were outsourced or performed by employees, as well as strategic decisions made in areas such as information technology and infrastructure. Consequently, the company’s future earnings if operated as an independent business could include items of income and expense that are materially different from what is included in the Combined Statements of Operations. Accordingly, the combined financial statements for the periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the company’s future results of operations, financial position and cash flows.
Net parent investment:    The company’s net parent investment on the Combined Balance Sheets, which includes retained earnings, represents WestRock’s interest in the recorded net assets of the company and is presented as “Equity” in lieu of stockholders’ equity. All significant transactions between the company and WestRock have been included in the accompanying combined financial statements. Transactions with WestRock are reflected in the accompanying Combined Statements of Changes in Equity as “Transactions with WestRock” and in the accompanying Combined Balance Sheets within “Equity.” The transactions with WestRock have been considered cash receipts and payments for the purposes of the Combined Statements of Cash Flows and are reflected in financing activities in the accompanying Combined Statements of Cash Flows.
The net parent investment is affected by the company’s operating results, expense allocations from WestRock and cash transfers between the company and WestRock, including settlement of intercompany transactions and amounts paid or received related to interest and domestic income taxes, as WestRock manages all treasury and domestic tax activities of the company. Central treasury activities include the investment of surplus cash and foreign currency risk management. All WestRock funding to the company since inception has been accounted for as capital contributions from WestRock and all cash remittances from the company to WestRock have been accounted for as distributions to WestRock.
In addition, interest expense associated with WestRock’s debt has been allocated to the company based upon average net assets of the company as a percentage of average net assets plus average consolidated debt not attributable to other operations of WestRock. The company believes this method of allocating interest expense produces reasonable results because average net assets is a significant factor in determining the amount of WestRock borrowings. Interest expense allocated to the company’s Combined Statements of Operations was $13 million, $10 million and $6 million for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively. No WestRock corporate-level debt has been allocated to the company’s Combined Balance Sheets.
Earnings per share data has not been presented in the accompanying Combined Financial Statements because the company does not operate as a separate legal entity with its own capital structure.
Estimates and assumptions:    The preparation of these combined financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of certain assets and liabilities and, in some instances, the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from these estimates.
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Translation of foreign currencies:    The local currency is the functional currency for all of the company’s significant operations outside the United States (“U.S.”). The assets and liabilities of the company’s foreign subsidiaries are translated into U.S. dollars using period-end exchange rates, and adjustments resulting from these financial statement translations are included in accumulated other comprehensive income in the Combined Balance Sheets. Revenues and expenses are translated at average rates prevailing during each period.
Cash equivalents:    Highly liquid securities with an original maturity of three months or less are considered to be cash equivalents. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, the company’s cash equivalents were primarily invested in U.S. government securities.
Accounts receivable and allowance for doubtful accounts:    Accounts receivable, net on the Combined Balance Sheets are comprised of trade receivable less allowances for doubtful accounts. Trade receivable consist of amounts owed to the company from customer sales and are recorded at the invoiced amounts when revenue is recognized and generally do not bear interest. The allowance for doubtful accounts is the company’s best estimate of the amount of probable loss in the existing accounts receivable. The company determines the allowance based on historical write-off experience, current collection trends, and external business factors such as economic factors, including regional bankruptcy rates, and political factors. Past due balances over a specified amount are reviewed individually for collectability. Account balances are charged off against the allowance when it is probable that the receivable will not be recovered. Allowance for doubtful accounts at December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively were $0.1 million and $0.5 million.
Concentration of credit risk:    The financial instruments that potentially subject the company to concentrations of credit risk are accounts receivable. The company limits its credit risk by performing ongoing credit evaluations and, when necessary, requiring letters of credit, guarantees or collateral. The company had accounts receivable from its largest customer of  $24 million and $20 million as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Sales to this customer, which are included in the Performance Chemicals segment, were 11 percent, 11 percent and 10 percent of total net sales for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively. No other customers individually accounted for greater than 10 percent of the company’s combined net sales.
Inventories, net:    Inventories are valued at the lower of cost or market. Cost is determined using the last-in, first-out method (“LIFO”) for substantially all raw materials, finished goods and production materials of U.S. manufacturing operations. Cost of all other inventories, including stores and supplies inventories and inventories of non-U.S. manufacturing operations, is determined by the first-in, first-out or average cost methods.
Property, plant and equipment:    Owned assets are recorded at cost. Also included in the cost of these assets is interest on funds borrowed during the construction period. When assets are sold, retired or disposed of, their cost and related accumulated depreciation are removed from the combined balance sheet and any resulting gain or loss is reflected in cost of sales. Repair and maintenance costs that materially add to the value of the asset or prolong its useful life are capitalized and depreciated based on the extension of the useful life; general costs of maintenance and repairs are charged to expense.
Depreciation:    The cost of plant and equipment is depreciated, utilizing the straight-line method, over the estimated useful lives of the assets, the majority of which range from 20 to 40 years for buildings and leasehold improvements and 5 to 30 years for machinery and equipment. The following table provides the detail behind the useful lives and proportion of our machinery and equipment (“M&E”) in each useful life category.
Percent of
M&E Cost
Depreciable
Life in Years
Types of Assets
68%
20
Production vessels and kilns, storage tanks, piping
10%
15
Control systems, instrumentation, metering equipment
9%
25 to 30
Blending equipment, storage tanks, piping, shipping equipment and platforms, safety equipment
7%
5 to 10
Production control system equipment and hardware, laboratory testing equipment
6%
40
Machinery & equipment support structures and foundations
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Impairment of long-lived assets:    The company periodically evaluates whether current events or circumstances indicate that the carrying value of its long-lived assets, including intangible assets, to be held and used may not be recoverable. If such circumstances are determined to exist, an estimate of undiscounted future cash flows produced by the long-lived asset, or the appropriate grouping of assets, is compared to carrying value to determine whether impairment exists.
If an asset is determined to be impaired, the loss is measured based on quoted market prices in active markets, if available. If quoted market prices are not available, the estimate of fair value is based on various valuation techniques, including a discounted value of estimated future cash flows. The company reports an asset to be disposed of at the lower of its carrying value or its estimated net realizable value.
Goodwill and other intangible assets:    Goodwill represents the excess of cost of an acquired business over the fair value of the identifiable tangible and intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed in a business combination. The company reviews the recorded value of goodwill at least annually at October 1, or sooner if events or changes in circumstances indicate that the fair value of a reporting unit is below its carrying value. If goodwill is required to be tested for impairment, a two-step process is utilized. The first step is to identify a potential impairment and the second step is to measure the amount of the impairment loss, if any. The second step is not necessary unless an impairment indicator is identified in step one. Goodwill is deemed to be impaired after step two if the carrying amount of a reporting unit’s goodwill exceeds its estimated fair value.
The fair value of each reporting unit is estimated primarily using an income approach, specifically the discounted cash flow method. The following assumptions are key to the company’s income approach: 1).  business projections; 2). growth rates; 3). discount rates; 4). tax rates.
Other intangible assets are comprised of finite-lived intangible assets consisting primarily of brand, representing trademarks, trade names and know-how, customer contracts and relationships. Other intangible assets are amortized over their estimated useful lives which range from 5 to 20 years. See Note 7 for further information.
Capitalized software:    Capitalized software for internal use is included in other assets on the Combined Balance Sheets. Capitalized software is amortized using the straight-line over the estimated useful lives ranging from 1 to 7 years. The company records software development costs in accordance with the accounting guidance provided by the Financial Accounting Standards Board.
Environmental and legal liabilities:    Environmental expenditures that increase useful lives of assets are capitalized, while other environmental expenditures are expensed. Liabilities are recorded when remedial efforts are probable and the costs can be reasonably estimated. The company recognizes a liability for other legal contingencies when a loss is probable and reasonably estimable. Liabilities recorded for claims are limited to pending cases based on the company’s historical experience, consultation with outside counsel and consultation with an actuarial specialist concerning the feasibility of reasonably estimating liabilities associated with claims that may arise in the future. The company recognizes insurance recoveries when collection is reasonably assured. Third-party fees for legal services are expensed as incurred.
Revenue recognition:    The company recognizes revenues at the point when title and the risk of ownership passes to the customer. Substantially all of the company’s revenues are generated through product sales and shipping terms generally indicate when title and the risk of ownership have passed. Revenue is recognized at shipment for sales where shipping terms are FOB (freight on board) shipping point unless risk of loss is maintained under freight terms. For sales where shipping terms are FOB destination, revenue is recognized when the goods are received by the customer. The company provides allowances for estimated returns and other customer credits such as discounts and volume rebates, when the revenue is recognized, based on historical experience, current trends and any notification of pending returns.
Shipping and handling costs:    Shipping and handling costs are classified as a component of cost of sales. Amounts billed to a customer in a sales transaction related to shipping and handling are classified as revenue.
Research and development:    Included in selling, general and administrative expenses are expenditures for research and development of  $7 million, $8 million and $11 million for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively, which were expensed as incurred.
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Income taxes:    As a division of WestRock, the company is not an income tax payer in the United States as its domestic results and related tax obligations, if any, are included in the tax returns of WestRock. The income tax provision included in these combined financial statements related to domestic income was calculated on a separate return basis, as if the company was a separate taxpayer and the resulting current tax receivable or liability, including any liabilities related to uncertain tax positions, was settled with WestRock through equity.
In tax jurisdictions located in Brazil and China, the operations of the company are conducted by discrete legal entities, each of which files separate tax returns. All resulting current income tax assets and liabilities are reflected in the combined balance sheets of the company.
Deferred income taxes are recorded for temporary differences between financial statement carrying amounts and the tax basis of assets and liabilities for each segment. Deferred tax assets and liabilities reflect the enacted tax rates in effect for the years the differences are expected to reverse. The company evaluates the need for a deferred tax asset valuation allowance by assessing whether it is more likely than not that it will realize its deferred tax assets in the future.
Pension and postretirement benefits:    The employees of the company are participants in various defined benefit pension and postretirement benefit plans (“the Plans”) sponsored by WestRock and the related assets and liabilities are combined with those related to other WestRock businesses. Significantly all expense was allocated in shared entities and reported within costs of sales and selling, general and administrative expenses in the Combined Statements of Operation. The company has considered the Plans to be part of a multi-employer plan with the other businesses of WestRock. The expense related to the current employees of the company as well as the expense related to retirees of the company are included in the Combined Financial Statements (see Note 11 for further information).
Share-based compensation:    The company records compensation expense from equity awards granted by WestRock for graded and cliff vesting awards on a straight-line basis over the vesting period, which is generally three years. Substantially all compensation expense related to share-based awards is recorded as a component of selling, general and administrative expenses in the Combined Statements of Operations (see Note 10 for further information).
Operating segments:    The company’s operating segments are Performance Chemicals and Performance Materials. The company’s operating segments were determined based upon the nature of the products produced, the nature of the production process, the type of customer for the products, the similarity of economic characteristics, and the manner in which management reviews results. The company’s chief operating decision maker evaluates the business at the segment level when making decisions about allocating resources and assessing performance of the company as a whole. The company evaluates sales in a format consistent with its reportable segments: (1) Performance Chemicals, which includes specialty pine-based chemical co-products derived from the kraft pulping process and (2)  Performance Materials, which includes wood-based, chemically activated carbon products. Each segment operates as a portfolio of various end uses for the relevant raw material used in that segment. Business decisions are made and performance is generally measured based upon the total mix of end uses each raw material is being directed at in the segment. As a result of the breadth and diversity of these products, it is impracticable to provide revenue information by product line. For more information on the company’s operating segments see Note 15.
Note 3:   New accounting guidance
On February 25, 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued its new lease accounting guidance in Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2016-02 “Leases.” Under the new guidance, lessees will be required to recognize for all leases (with the exception of short-term leases) a lease liability, which is a leessee’s obligation to make lease payments arising from a lease measured on a discounted basis and a right-of-use asset, which is an asset that represents the lessee’s right to use, or control the use of, a specified asset for the lease term. The new standard is effective for the fiscal year beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. We are evaluating the effect the guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements.
In November 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-17 “Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes”. The amendment requires deferred tax assets and liabilities, along with related valuation allowances, to be
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classified as non-current on the balance sheet. As a result, each tax jurisdiction will now only have one net non-current deferred tax asset or liability. The new guidance does not change the existing requirement that prohibits offsetting deferred tax liabilities from one jurisdiction against deferred tax assets of another jurisdiction. This standard is applicable for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016 and for interim periods within those years and early adoption is permitted. We early adopted ASU 2015-17 effective December 31, 2015 on a prospective basis. Adoption of this ASU resulted in a reclassification of our net current deferred tax asset to the net non-current deferred tax asset in our Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2015. No prior periods were retrospectively adjusted. For more information on deferred taxes, see Note 14.
In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03 “Interest — Imputation of Interest: Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs.” The amendments in this new standard require that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. The recognition and measurement guidance for debt issuance costs are not affected by the amendments in this standard. This standard is applicable for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015 and for interim periods within those years and early adoption is permitted. We have adopted this standard in the first quarter of 2016. This amendment will be applied on a retrospective basis. however, we do not currently have any debt issuance costs.
In February 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-02 “Consolidation — Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis,” which amends certain provisions of ASC 810 “Consolidation.” The amendment requires the consideration of additional criteria in (i) the analysis and determination of whether limited partnerships and similar legal entities are variable interest entities or voting interest entities and (ii) primary beneficiary determinations. The ASU also eliminates certain fees from the consolidation analysis of reporting entities that are involved with variable interest entities. The ASU is effective for annual periods, and for interim periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2015. The company adopted these provisions on January 1, 2016. The impact of adoption did not have a material effect on the company’s combined financial statements.
In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09 which is codified in ASC 606 “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” and supersedes both the revenue recognition requirement to ASC 605 “Revenue Recognition” and most industry-specific guidance. The core principle of ASC 606 is that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. To achieve that core principle, an entity should apply the five steps set forth in ASC 606. An entity must also disclose sufficient information to enable users of financial statements to understand the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers, including qualitative and quantitative information about contracts with customers, significant judgments and changes in judgments, and assets recognized from the costs to obtain or fulfill a contract. The ASU was scheduled to be effective for annual reporting periods, and for interim reporting periods within those annual reporting periods, beginning after December 15, 2016. However, in July 2015, the FASB voted to amend ASU 2014-09 by approving a one (1)-year deferral of the effective date. As a result, the company expects to adopt these provisions on January 1, 2018, including interim periods subsequent to the adoption date, which can be applied using a full retrospective or modified retrospective approach. The company is currently evaluating the impact of these provisions.
There were no other accounting standards issued that had or are expected to have a material impact on the company’s financial position or results of operations.
Note 4:   Fair value measurements
The following information is presented for assets and liabilities that are recorded in the Combined Balance Sheets at fair value at December 31, 2015 and 2014, measured on a recurring basis. There were no significant transfers of assets and liabilities that are recorded at fair value between Level 1 and Level 2 during 2015 and 2014.
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In millions
Level 1 (1)
Level 2 (2)
Level 3 (3)
Total
December 31, 2015
Recurring fair value measurements:
Cash equivalents
$ 10 $ $ $ 10
December 31, 2014
Recurring fair value measurements:
Natural gas hedge liability (a)
$ $ (2 ) $ $ (2 )
Cash equivalents
6 6
(1)
Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets.
(2)
Quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets.
(3)
Significant unobservable inputs.
(a)
Natural gas hedge instruments are valued using models with market inputs such as NYMEX natural gas futures contract pricing.
At December 31, 2015, the book value of capital lease obligations was $80 million and the fair value was estimated to be $89 million. The fair value of the company’s capital lease obligations is based on the period-end quoted market prices for the obligations, using Level 1 inputs.
Note 5:   Inventories
Inventories are comprised of:
December 31,
In millions
2015
2014
Raw materials
$ 41 $ 36
Production materials, stores and supplies
11 10
Finished and in process goods
119 112
Inventories valued at current costs
171 158
Less: Excess of cost over LIFO cost
(20 ) (28 )
Inventories, net
$ 151 $ 130
Approximately 76 percent and 78 percent of inventories at December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively, are valued using the LIFO method. There was no impact on pre-tax income for LIFO layer decrements for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively.
Note 6:   Property, plant and equipment, net
Property, plant and equipment consist of the following:
December 31,
In millions
2015
2014
Machinery and equipment
$ 658 $ 637
Buildings and leasehold equipment
64 67
Land and land improvements
18 24
Construction in progress
143 122
Total cost
883 850
Less: accumulated depreciation
(445 ) (440 )
Property, plant and equipment, net (1)
$ 438 $ 410
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(1)
Includes capital leases related to the company’s Wickliffe, Kentucky manufacturing facility of (a) machinery and equipment of  $13 million and $16 million, net of accumulated depreciation of  $71 million and $68 million, and (b) buildings of  $3 million and $3 million, net of accumulated depreciation of  $3 million and $3 million at December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Also includes capital leases related to the company’s DeRidder, Louisiana manufacturing facility of machinery and equipment of  $19 million and $21 million, net of accumulated depreciation of  $14 million and $12 million at December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Amortization expense associated with these capital leases are included within depreciation expense. The payments remaining under these capital leases obligations are included within Note 9.
Depreciation expense was $28 million, $27 million and $26 million for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively.
Note 7:   Goodwill and other intangible assets
The company defines its reporting units as its operating segments, and has assigned its goodwill balance to these reporting units based primarily on specific identification of goodwill acquired by reporting unit. In 2015 and 2014, the company performed impairment tests for goodwill and determined that no goodwill impairment existed and the fair value of each reporting unit substantially exceeded its carrying value.
The changes in the carrying amount of goodwill by operating segment for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 are as follows:
Operating Segments
In millions
Performance
Chemicals
Performance
Materials
Total
Balance, December 31, 2013
$ 9 $ 4 $ 13
Foreign currency translation
Balance, December 31, 2014
$ 9 $ 4 $ 13
Foreign currency translation
(1 ) (1 )
Balance, December 31, 2015
$ 8 $ 4 $ 12
All of the company’s other intangible assets are related to the Performance Chemicals operating segment. The following table summarizes intangible assets:
December 31, 2015
December 31, 2014
In millions
Gross
carrying
amount
Accumulated
amortization
Net
Gross
carrying
amount
Accumulated
amortization
Net
Brands (1) $ 14 $ 11 $ 3 $ 14 $ 10 $ 4
Customer contracts and relationships
28 21 7 28 19 9
Other
1 1 1 1
$ 43 $ 33 $ 10 $ 43 $ 30 $ 13
(1)
Represents trademarks, trade names and know-how.
The company recorded intangible amortization expense of  $3 million for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively. Based on the current carrying values of intangible assets, estimated amortization expense for the next five years is as follows: 2016 — $3 million, 2017 — $2 million, 2018 — $2 million, 2019 — $2 million and 2020 — $1 million.
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Note 8:   Allocated costs and related-party transactions
As described in the Note 2, the Combined Statements of Operations include allocations from WestRock as summarized below:
December 31,
In millions
2015
2014
2013
Cost of sales
$ 10 $ 10 $ 11
Selling, general and administrative expenses
17 18 17
Interest expense
13 10 6
Total allocated cost (1)
$ 40 $ 38 $ 34
(1)
Allocated costs represent costs necessary to support the company’s operations which include governance and corporate functions such as information technology, accounting, human resources, accounts payable and other direct services including the interest on WestRock debt incurred to provide such services.
The company and WestRock management believe the related-party allocations included in these combined financial statements have been made on a reasonable basis. However, these combined financial statements may not necessarily be indicative of the results of operations that would have been obtained if the company had operated as a separate entity during the periods presented. Actual costs that may have been incurred if the company had been a stand-alone business would depend on a number of factors, including organizational structure and what functions were outsourced or performed by employees, as well as strategic decisions made in areas such as information technology and infrastructure. Consequently, the company’s future earnings if operated as an independent business could include items of income and expense that are materially different from what is included in these combined statements of income. Accordingly, the Combined Financial Statements for the periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the company’s future results of operations, financial position and cash flows.
The company purchases certain raw materials from WestRock that are included in cost of sales. Total purchases for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 were $35 million, $22 million and $21 million, respectively.
Note 9:   Commitments and contingencies
Lease commitments
The company leases a variety of assets for use in its operations. Leases for administrative offices, manufacturing plants and storage facilities generally contain options, which allow the company to extend lease terms for periods up to 25 years or to purchase the properties. Certain leases provide for escalation of the lease payments as maintenance costs and taxes increase.
Minimum rental payments pursuant to agreements as of December 31, 2015 under operating leases that have non-cancelable lease terms in excess of 12 months and under capital leases are as follows:
In millions
Operating leases
Capital leases
2016
$ 10 $ 6
2017
8 6
2018
6 6
2019
4 6
2020
3 6
Later years
2 120
Minimum lease payments
$ 33 150
Less: amount representing interest
(70 )
Capital lease obligations
$ 80
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Rental expense pursuant to operating leases was $16 million, $16 million and $14 million for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively.
Capital leases
The capital lease obligations consist of  $80 million and $86 million at December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively owed to the city of Wickliffe, KY, associated with the company’s Performance Materials site. During the fourth quarter of 2015 we repaid $6 million in capital lease obligation which were prepayable at the company’s option. The $80 million principal payment on the remaining capital lease obligation is due at maturity in 2027. The interest rate on the $80 million capital lease obligation is 7.67%. Interest payments are payable semi-annually.
We have a $28 million capital lease obligation due in 2017, for certain assets located at the company’s Performance Chemicals, DeRidder, Louisiana site. The lease is with the Industrial Development Board of the City of DeRidder Louisiana (“City”). The City financed the acquisition of these assets by issuing a series of industrial development revenue bonds. The bonds were purchased by the company and the obligations under the capital lease remain with the company. Accordingly, we offset the capital lease obligation and bonds on our Combined Balance Sheets. The leased assets are presented within property, plant and equipment on the Combined Balance Sheets, see Note 6 for more information.
Legal Proceedings
We are, from time to time, involved in routine litigation incidental to our operations. None of the litigation in which we are currently involved, individually or in the aggregate, is material to our combined financial condition, liquidity or results of operations nor are we aware of any material pending or contemplated proceedings.
Note 10:   Share-based compensation
Total pre-tax share-based compensation expense included in the company’s combined statements of operations was $2 million for the year ended December 31, 2015 and $1 million for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.
Certain employees of the company participate in WestRock’s 2005 Performance Incentive Plan, as amended and restated (the “Plan”). There were an aggregate of 33 million shares reserved under the Plan for the granting of stock options, stock appreciation rights (“SARs”), restricted stock and restricted stock units. At December 31, 2015, there were approximately 6 million shares available for grant under this plan.
The vesting of awards granted may be conditioned upon either a specified period of time or the attainment of specific performance goals as determined by the plan.
In March 2014, MWV paid a special dividend of  $1.00 per share and pursuant to existing anti-dilution provisions in MWV’s equity plans, the number of outstanding stock options and SARs as well as the exercise prices were modified. The objective of the modification was to maintain the fair value of these equity awards subsequent to the special dividend. There was no incremental compensation expense recorded as a result of these modifications.
Stock options and stock appreciation rights
Stock options and SARs become exercisable in one-third increments on each anniversary of the award date and are fully exercisable after the third anniversary and expire no later than 10 years from the date of grant. The exercise price of all stock options equals the market price of the company’s stock on the date of grant.
The fair value of stock option and SAR awards is determined using a lattice-based option valuation model. Lattice-based option valuation models utilize ranges of assumptions over the expected term of the options and SARs. Expected volatilities are based on the historical and implied volatility of WestRock’s stock. The company and WestRock use historical data to estimate option and SAR exercises and employee terminations within the valuation model. The expected term of options and SARs granted is derived from the output of the valuation model and represents the period of time that options and SARs granted are
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expected to be outstanding. The risk-free rate for the period within the contractual life of the option is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of the grant. The company and WestRock measure compensation expense related to the SARs at the end of each period.
Changes in the fair value of options (in the event of an award modification) and SARs are reflected as an adjustment to compensation expense in the periods in which the changes occur.
A summary of the assumptions is as follows:
Lattice-based option valuation assumptions
2015
2014
2013
Weighted-average fair value of stock options granted during the period
29.4 9.8 8.7
Weighted-average fair value of SARs granted during the period
Expected dividend yield for stock options
2.40 % 2.79 % 2.91 %
Expected dividend yield for SARs
0.00 % 0.00 % 0.00 %
Expected volatility
23.50 % 32.00 % 32.00 %
Average risk-free interest rate for stock options
1.30 % 1.57 % 0.94 %
Average risk-free interest rate for SARs
0.00 % 0.00 % 0.00 %
Average expected term for stock options and SARs
(in years)
3.7 7.2 6.9
The following table summarizes stock option and SAR activity:
Shares in thousands
Options
Weighted
average
exercise
price
SARs
Weighted
average
exercise
price
Weighted
average
remaining
contractual
term
Aggregate
intrinsic value
(in millions)
Outstanding at December 31, 2012
309 $ 22.57 7 $ 28.76 $ 3
Granted
26 34.34
Exercised
(133 ) 18.39 (3 ) 29.33 2
Canceled
(1 ) 27.39
Outstanding at December 31, 2013
201 26.85 4 28.40 2
Granted
18 35.89
Exercised
(70 ) 25.84 (1 ) 27.33 1
Canceled
(1 ) 27.95
Adjustment due to special dividend
5 n/a n/a
Outstanding at December 31, 2014
153 27.55 3 32.43 3
Granted
14 54.76
Exercised
(47 ) 25.26 (2 ) 32.22
Cancelled
Outstanding at December 31, 2015
120 37.92 1 35.04
6.6 years
1
Exercisable at December 31, 2015
100 35.81 1 35.04
6.4 years
1
Exercisable at December 31, 2014
80 24.45 2 31.55
6.5 years
2
At December 31, 2015, unrecognized pre-tax compensation cost related to nonvested stock options and SARs was not significant. Pre-tax compensation expense for stock options and SARs and the tax benefit associated with this expense for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 were not significant.
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Restricted stock units
A restricted stock unit is the right to receive a share of WestRock stock. Employee restricted stock units vest over a three to five-year period. Awards granted in 2015, 2014 and 2013 consisted of both service-based restricted stock units and performance-based restricted stock units. Under the employee plans, the grantee of the restricted stock units is entitled to receive dividends, but will forfeit the accrued stock and accrued dividends if the individual holder separates from WestRock during the vesting period or if predetermined goals are not accomplished. The fair value of each restricted stock unit is the closing market price of the WestRock’s stock on the date of grant, and the compensation expense is charged to operations over the vesting period.
The following table summarizes restricted stock unit activity:
Shares in thousands
Shares
Average grant date
fair market value
Outstanding at December 31, 2012
59 $ 25.18
Granted
34 34.34
Forfeited
(1 ) 29.43
Released
(12 ) 21.43
Net adjustment for performance-based units
(29 ) 26.97
Outstanding at December 31, 2013
51 31.07
Granted
36 35.89
Forfeited
(1 ) 34.24
Released
(10 ) 27.90
Net adjustment for performance-based units
8 28.65
Outstanding at December 31, 2014
84 33.21
Granted
33 61.58
Forfeited
Released
(21 ) 50.96
Outstanding at December 31, 2015
96 $ 61.62
At December 31, 2015, there was approximately $1 million of unrecognized pre-tax compensation cost related to non-vested restricted stock units, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of one year. Pre-tax compensation expense for restricted stock units was $1 million for the years ended December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 and was not significant for the year ended December 31, 2013. The tax benefit associated with this expense for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 was not significant.
Note 11:   Pension and post-retirement benefits
WestRock offers various long-term benefits to its employees. Where permitted by applicable law, WestRock reserves the right to change, modify or discontinue the Plans.
WestRock offers plans that are shared amongst its businesses, including the company. In these cases, the participation of employees in these plans is reflected in the combined financial statements as though the company participates in a multi-employer plan with the other businesses of WestRock. Assets and liabilities of such plans are retained by WestRock. Further information on the WestRock plan is discussed in WestRock’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2015.
Pension costs recorded by the company for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 were $8 million, $5 million and $5 million, respectively.
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Note 12:   Business separation
In connection with the separation and distribution of the company from WestRock as further described in Note 1, the company has incurred $17 million of pre-tax separation costs during the year ended December 31, 2015. These costs were primarily related to professional fees associated with separation activities within the finance, tax and legal functions. No such charges were incurred during the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.
Note 13:   Other (income) expense, net
Components of other (income) expense, net are as follows:
Years ended December 31,
In millions
2015
2014
2013
Foreign currency exchange losses (income)
$ 1 $ 1 $
Royalty and sundry income (1)
(2 ) (4 ) (2 )
Restructuring and other (income) charges, net (2)
(8 ) (5 ) (3 )
Other (income) expense, net
$ (9 ) $ (8 ) $ (5 )
(1)
Primarily represents royalty income for technology licensing.
(2)
See below for more information regarding the company’s restructuring and other (income) charges, net.
Restructuring and other (income) charges, net
We continually perform strategic reviews and assess the return on the company’s operations which sometimes results in a plan to restructure the business. The cost and benefit of these strategic restructuring initiatives are recorded as restructuring and other (income) charge, net recorded within Other (income) expense, net on our Combined Statement of Operations. These costs are excluded from our operating segment results.
We record an accrual for severance and other non-recurring costs under the provisions of the relevant accounting guidance. Additionally, in some restructuring plans write-downs of long-lived assets may occur. Two types of assets are impacted: assets to be disposed of by sale and assets to be abandoned. Assets to be disposed of by sale are measured at the lower of carrying amount or estimated net proceeds from the sale. Assets to be abandoned with no remaining future service potential are written down to amounts expected to be recovered. The useful life of assets to be abandoned that have a remaining future service potential are adjusted and depreciation is recorded over the adjusted useful life. The table below provides detail of the restructuring and other (income) charges incurred.
Years ended December 31,
In millions
2015
2014
2013
Restructuring and other (income) charges, net
Gain on sale of assets and businesses
$ (12 ) $ (5 ) $
Insurance and legal settlements
(13 )
Asset write-downs
4 10
Total restructuring and other (income) charges, net
$ (8 ) $ (5 ) $ (3 )
2015 activities
During 2015, the company sold its 60 percent interest in a subsidiary in China for cash proceeds of $11 million and recorded a gain on the sale of the subsidiary of  $11 million. Prior to its sale this subsidiary operated under the company’s Performance Materials operating segment. Additionally, the company recognized income of  $1 million associated with the sale of its Performance Materials’ air purification business from 2014.
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As part of a plan that was implemented to restructure a portion of the company’s operations, we recorded an impairment of  $4 million to write down inventory and property, plant and equipment associated with certain manufacturing operations of the company’s Performance Chemicals segment.
2014 activities
The company made a strategic decision to sell its Performance Materials’ air purification business. During 2014, the company sold the net working capital and associated customer list related to the air purification business and recorded a $5 million gain on sale.
2013 activities
During 2013, the company incurred pre-tax charges of  $10 million ($6 million attributable to the company and $4 million associated with noncontrolling interests) in connection with certain asset write-downs at one of the company’s Performance Materials’ foreign manufacturing locations.
The company’s Performance Chemical operating segment benefited from favorable non-recurring insurance and legal settlements during 2013.
Note 14:   Income Taxes
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes are comprised of the following:
Years ended December 31,
In millions
2015
2014
2013
U.S. Earnings
$ 146 $ 202 $ 185
Foreign Earnings
(8 ) 1 (1 )
$ 138 $ 203 $ 184
The significant components of the income tax provision are as follows:
Years ended December 31,
In millions
2015
2014
2013
Current
U.S. federal
$ 35 $ 59 $ 54
State and local
5 8 7
Foreign
3 1 3
43 68 64
Deferred
U.S. federal
8 2 2
State and local
2
Foreign
Provision for deferred income taxes
10 2 2
Income tax deferral attributable to continuing operations
$ 53 $ 70 $ 66
The company recorded zero, $(1) million and $1 million of deferred tax (benefit) expense in components of other comprehensive income during the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively.
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The following table summarizes the major differences between taxes computed at the U.S. federal statutory rate and the actual income tax provision attributable to operations:
Years ended December 31,
In millions
2015
2014
2013
Income tax provision computed at the U.S. federal statutory
rate of 35 percent
$ 49 $ 71 $ 64
State and local income taxes, net of federal benefit
5 5 4
Foreign income tax rate differential
Changes in valuation allowance
1 1 3
IRC Section 199 deduction
(3 ) (6 ) (4 )
Noncontrolling interest in consolidated partnership
(2 ) (1 ) (1 )
Nondeductible expenses & other adjustments
3
Income tax provision attributable to continuing
operations
$ 53 $ 70 $ 66
Effective tax rate attributable to continuing operations
38 % 35 % 36 %
The current and non-current deferred tax assets and liabilities are as follows:
December 31,
In millions
2015
2014
Deferred tax assets:
Accounts receivable
$ $ 1
Accrued restructuring
2 3
Employee benefits
3 3
Intangibles
3 3
Investment in partnership
1
Net operating losses
5 1
Other
1 2
Deferred tax assets
14 14
Valuation allowance
(7 ) (5 )
Total net deferred tax assets
$ 7 $ 9
Deferred tax liabilities:
Fixed assets
$ (82 ) $ (72 )
Inventory
(1 ) (2 )
Total deferred tax liabilities
$ (83 ) $ (74 )
Net deferred tax liability
$ (76 ) $ (65 )
Included in the combined balance sheets:
Current net deferred tax asset
$ $ 1
Non-current net deferred tax asset
1
Non-current net deferred tax liability
(76 ) (67 )
Net deferred liability
$ (76 ) $ (65 )
The company has foreign tax net operating loss carry-forwards which are available to reduce future taxable income in these jurisdictions. The company’s valuation allowance against deferred tax assets relates to certain foreign jurisdictions, which include net operating losses.
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At December 31, 2015 and 2014, no deferred income taxes have been provided for the company’s share of undistributed net earnings of foreign operations due to management’s intent to reinvest such amounts indefinitely. The determination of the amount of such unrecognized tax liability is not practicable because of the complexities with its hypothetical calculation. Those cumulative earnings, including foreign currency translation adjustments, totaled $(3) million and $6 million for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.
The company has operations in multiple areas of the world and is subject, at times, to tax audits in these jurisdictions. These tax audits by their nature are complex and can require several years to resolve. The final resolution of any such tax audits could result in either a reduction in the company’s accruals or an increase in its income tax provision, both of which could have an impact on the results of operations in any given period. With a few exceptions, MWV is no longer subject to U.S. federal, state and local or foreign income tax examinations by tax authorities that would relate to the company for years prior to 2011. During 2013, MWV settled audits with the Internal Revenue Service for tax years 2009-2010. It is anticipated that audits in certain foreign jurisdictions and certain domestic states will be completed in 2016 or thereafter.
The company applies the provisions of ASC 740 as it relates to uncertain tax positions. This interpretation prescribes a comprehensive model for how a company should recognize, measure, present and disclose in its financial statements uncertain tax positions that the company has taken or expects to take on a tax return. ASC 740 states that a tax benefit from an uncertain tax position may be recognized only if it is “more likely than not” that the position is sustainable, based on its technical merits. The tax benefit of a qualifying position is the largest amount of tax benefit that is greater than 50% likely of being realized upon settlement with a taxing authority having full knowledge of all relevant information.
The company has a liability for unrecognized tax benefits, including penalties and interest, of $1 million at December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The company recognizes interest accrued related to unrecognized tax benefits and penalties as income tax expense.
Note 15:   Segment information
The company’s operating segments are (i) Performance Chemicals and (ii) Performance Materials, a description of both operating segments is included below.
Performance Chemicals
The Performance Chemicals segment manufacturers and sells products that are derived from crude tall oil (“CTO”) and lignin that are extracted from the kraft papermaking process. These materials are processed to make specialty chemicals that are used in the papermaking, adhesives, publication inks, rubber, asphalt, oilfield, bio-fuels, agriculture, dyestuffs and other industrial applications. The CTO-based products are produced by fractionating the CTO through a bio-refinery into intermediate products. The intermediates are either sold off or further processed into different specialty formulations to create increased value. It is the strategy of the business to further process all refinery intermediate products into innovative, specialty formulations.
Performance Materials
The Performance Materials segment manufactures and sells activated carbon products in the form of powder, granular, extruded pellets or structured honeycombs which target gasoline vapor emission control within the automotive industry as well as the food, water, beverage and chemical purification industries. In addition, extruded pellets and structured honeycomb products are used for air emissions control, corrosion protection and odor reduction. The Specialty Chemicals business has produced and sold activated carbon for over 100 years. Its branded Nuchar products are designed to meet the most stringent technical requirements of the applications where they are used. The history of expertise, manufacturing knowledge and technical capabilities allows us to design the porous carbon structure to be the optimal size for the molecules that need to be adsorbed in the noted applications. The products are uniquely designed to adsorb (catch and retain) and adsorb/desorb (catch and release) depending on the need of the application requirements.
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Years ended December 31,
In millions
2015
2014
2013
Net sales
Performance Chemicals
$ 711 $ 792 $ 759
Performance Materials
257 249 221
Total net sales
$ 968 $ 1,041 $ 980
Segment operating profit (1)
Performance Chemicals
87 124 126
Performance Materials
81 90 68
Total segment operating profit
168 214 194
Separation costs (2)
(17 )
Restructuring and other income (charges) (3)
8 5 3
Interest expense
(21 ) (16 ) (13 )
Provision for income taxes
(53 ) (70 ) (66 )
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests
(5 ) (4 ) 1
Net income attributable to the Company
$ 80 $ 129 $ 119
(1)
Segment operating profit is defined as segment revenue less segment operating expenses (segment operating expenses consist of costs of sales, selling, general and administrative expenses and other (income) expense, net). We have excluded the following items from segment operating profit: interest expense associated with corporate debt facilities, income taxes, gains (or losses) on divestitures of businesses, restructuring and other (income) charges and separation costs.
(2)
See Note 12 for more information on separation costs.
(3)
Information about how restructuring and other charges (income) relate to our businesses at the segment level is discussed in Note 13.
Depreciation and amortization
Capital expenditures
Years ended December 31,
Years ended December 31,
In millions
2015
2014
2013
2015
2014
2013
Performance Chemicals
$ 24 $ 23 $ 23 $ 37 $ 35 $ 26
Performance Materials
11 10 10 65 66 37
Total
$ 35 $ 33 $ 33 $ 102 $ 101 $ 63
Years ended December 31,
In millions
2015
2014
2013
Net Sales (1)
North America
$ 633 $ 695 $ 678
Asia Pacific
149 151 122
Europe, Middle East and Africa
156 154 132
South America
30 41 48
Net sales
$ 968 $ 1,041 $ 980
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December 31,
In millions
2015
2014
2013
Property, plant and equipment, net
North America
$ 339 $ 295 $ 268
Asia Pacific
77 94 40
Europe, Middle East and Africa
1 1 1
South America
21 20 17
Property, plant and equipment, net
$ 438 $ 410 $ 326
December 31,
2015
2014
2013
Total assets
Performance Chemicals
421 414 374
Performance Materials
358 300 216
Total segment assets (2)
779 714 590
Corporate and other
3 4 3
Total assets
782 718 593
(1)
Net sales by region are presented based on the shipped to location.
(2)
Segment assets exclude assets not specifically managed as part of one specific segment herein referred to as “Corporate and other.”
Note 16:   Supplemental Information
The following tables includes details of prepaid and other current assets, other assets, accrued expenses and other liabilities as presented on the Combined Balance Sheets:
Prepaid and other current assets:
December 31,
In millions
2015
2014
Income and value added tax receivables
9 1
Prepaid freight and supply agreements
2 2
Non-trade receivables
3 6
Advances to suppliers
1 1
Other
5 3
$ 20 $ 13
Other assets:
December 31,
In millions
2015
2014
Deferred compensation arrangements
3 2
Capitalized software, net
5
Prepaid supply agreements
3 6
Land-use rights
6
Other
6 3
$ 23 $ 11
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Accrued expenses:
December 31,
In millions
2015
2014
Accrued interest
3 4
Income and value added tax payables
1 1
Accrued freight
2 2
Other
7 6
$ 13 $ 13
Other liabilities:
December 31,
In millions
2015
2014
Deferred compensation arrangements
3 2
Other
4 4
$ 7 $ 6
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