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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 31, 2011

Registration No. 333-172525

 

 

 

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

 

PRE-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 1

TO

 

FORM S-3

 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

TRIMAS CORPORATION

(FOR REGISTRANT GUARANTORS, PLEASE SEE
TABLE OF REGISTRANT GUARANTORS ON THE FOLLOWING PAGE)

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)

 

3452
(Primary Standard Industrial
Classification Code Number)

 

38-2687639
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)

 

39400 Woodward Avenue, Suite 130
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan  49304
(248) 631-5450
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

Joshua A. Sherbin, Esq.
General Counsel
TriMas Corporation
39400 Woodward Avenue, Suite 130
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan  49304
(248) 631-5450
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

Please send copies of all communications to:

 

Jonathan A. Schaffzin, Esq.

Douglas S. Horowitz, Esq.
Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP

80 Pine Street
New York, New York  10005
(212) 701-3000

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:  From time to time after the effective date of this registration statement.

 

If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box:  o

 

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box:  x

 

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  o

 

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  o

 

If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  o

 

If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  o

 

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.

 

Large accelerated filer  o

 

Accelerated filer  x

 

 

 

Non-accelerated filer  o

 

Smaller reporting company  o

(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)

 

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

Title of Each Class of
Securities to Be Registered (1)

 

Amount to be
Registered(1)(2)

 

Proposed Maximum
Aggregate Price Per
Share(1)(2)

 

Proposed Maximum
Aggregate Offering
Price(1)(2)

 

Amount of
Registration
Fee(3)(5)(6)

 

Primary Offering:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Debt Securities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guarantees of Debt Securities of TriMas Corporation by the Subsidiary Guarantors (4)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Primary Offering

 

$

250,000,000

 

 

 

$

250,000,000

 

$

29,025

 

Secondary Offering:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share

 

11,904,972

 

$

21.07

 

$

250,837,760

 

$

29,122

 

Total Registration Fee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

58,147

 

 

(1)      An indeterminate number of or aggregate principal amount of shares of common stock and debt securities of the registrant, as shall have an aggregate initial offering price not to exceed $250,000,000 as may from time to time be issued at an indeterminate price. This registration statement also relates to an indeterminate number of shares of the registrant’s common stock that may be issued upon stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions in accordance with Rule 416 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). If any debt securities are issued at an original issue discount, then the debt securities registered shall include such additional debt securities as may be necessary such that the aggregate initial public offering price of all securities issued pursuant to this registration statement will equal $250,000,000.  The securities registered also include such indeterminate amounts and numbers of common stock and debt securities as may be issued upon conversion of or exchange for debt securities that provide for such conversion or exchange.  Also registered hereby are such additional and indeterminable number of shares as may be issuable due to adjustments for changes resulting from stock dividends, stock splits and similar changes.

 

(2)      Not specified with respect to each class of securities being registered under this registration statement pursuant to General Instruction II.D. of Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933.

 

(3)      Pursuant to Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act of 1933, the registration fee is calculated on the maximum offering price of all securities listed, and the table does not specify information by each class about the amount to be registered. The registration fee is estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(c), based upon the average of the high and low prices for the common stock of TriMas Corporation as reported on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on February 22, 2011. The total registration fee is $58,147. Pursuant to Rule 457(p), the unused registration fee of $4,193 previously paid in connection with the filing of the Registration Statement on Form S-3, file No. 333-168487, is credited against the registration fee payable in connection with this Registration Statement. Accordingly, after application of this credit, $53,954 is due.

 

(4)      The term “Subsidiary Guarantors” refers to TriMas Company LLC, Arrow Engine Company, Cequent Performance Products, Inc., Cequent Consumer Products, Inc., Compac Corporation, Dew Technologies, Inc., Hi-Vol Products LLC, Keo Cutters, Inc., Lake Erie Products Corporation, Monogram Aerospace Fasteners, Inc., NI Industries, Inc., Norris Cylinder Company, Richards Micro-Tool, Inc., Rieke Corporation, Rieke Leasing Co., Incorporated, Rieke of Mexico, Inc., The Hammerblow Company, LLC, TriMas International Holdings LLC, Lamons Gasket Company and Towing Holding LLC.

 

(5)      No separate consideration will be received for the guarantees by the Subsidiary Guarantors of the debt securities of TriMas Corporation.  Pursuant to Rule 457(n), no registration fee is required with respect to the guarantees.

 

(6)      The Registration Fee was previously paid to the Commission.

 

The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until this Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to Section 8(a), may determine.

 

 

 



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Table of Registrant Guarantors(1)

 

Name

 

State or other jurisdiction of 
incorporation or organization

 

IRS Employer 
Identification Number

 

Primary Standard
Industrial Classification
Code Number

TRIMAS COMPANY LLC

 

Delaware

 

04-3676587

 

9995

ARROW ENGINE COMPANY

 

Delaware

 

38-2260420

 

3510

CEQUENT PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS, INC.

 

Delaware

 

38-2935446

 

3714

CEQUENT CONSUMER PRODUCTS, INC.

 

Ohio

 

34-1852889

 

3714

COMPAC CORPORATION

 

Delaware

 

38-2773373

 

2891

DEW TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

 

Ohio

 

31-1044308

 

3841

HI-VOL PRODUCTS LLC

 

Delaware

 

20-0010458

 

3714

KEO CUTTERS, INC.

 

Michigan

 

38-3212119

 

3541

LAKE ERIE PRODUCTS CORPORATION

 

Ohio

 

34-0660861

 

3452

MONOGRAM AEROSPACE FASTENERS, INC.

 

Delaware

 

95-4339614

 

3728

NI INDUSTRIES, INC.

 

Delaware

 

03-0452932

 

3490

NORRIS CYLINDER COMPANY

 

Delaware

 

33-0333261

 

3412

RICHARDS MICRO-TOOL, INC.

 

Delaware

 

38-2641296

 

3541

RIEKE CORPORATION

 

Indiana

 

31-0934085

 

3050

RIEKE LEASING CO., INCORPORATED

 

Delaware

 

38-2751413

 

9995

RIEKE OF MEXICO, INC.

 

Delaware

 

38-2251192

 

3050

THE HAMMERBLOW COMPANY, LLC

 

Wisconsin

 

39-1272042

 

3714

TRIMAS INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LLC

 

Delaware

 

27-1163036

 

9995

LAMONS GASKET COMPANY

 

Delaware

 

38-2337967

 

3452

TOWING HOLDING LLC

 

Delaware

 

20-5639674

 

9995

 


(1)      The address of the principal executive offices of each additional registrant is 39400 Woodward Avenue, Suite 130 Bloomfield Hills, Michigan  49304 (248) 631-5450

 



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EXPLANATORY NOTE

 

We are filing this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 (this “Amendment”) for the purpose of (i) adding Keo Cutters, Inc. as a Registrant Guarantor to the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the “Original Filing”), (ii) providing additional information under the heading “Indemnification of Directors and Officers” in Part II of the Original Filing and (iii) providing additional information requested by the Commission in their letter dated March 25, 2011.

 



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The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed.  The Company may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective.  This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED March 31, 2011

 

PROSPECTUS

 

GRAPHIC

 

COMMON STOCK AND DEBT SECURITIES

 

GUARANTEES OF DEBT SECURITIES OF TRIMAS
CORPORATION BY THE SUBSIDIARY GUARANTORS

 

AND

 

11,904,972 SHARES OF COMMON STOCK OFFERED BY THE SELLING STOCKHOLDER

 

We may sell from time to time in one or more offerings up to $250,000,000 in the aggregate of:

 

·        shares of our common stock;

 

·        our secured or unsecured debt securities, in one or more series, which may be either senior, senior subordinated or subordinated debt securities; and

 

·        any combination of the foregoing.

 

We may sell any combination of these securities, in one or more offerings, up to an aggregate offering price of $250,000,000 on terms to be determined at the time of the offering.  The debt securities registered hereunder may be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by certain subsidiaries of the TriMas Corporation, which may include the Subsidiary Guarantors.  In addition, the Selling Stockholder may sell from time to time up to 11,904,972 shares of our common stock and may issue an indeterminate number of shares of our common stock upon stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions in accordance with Rule 416 of the Securities Act of 1933, held by the Selling Stockholder described in the section entitled “Selling Stockholders” on page 31 of this prospectus.  The Selling Stockholder may offer and sell any of the shares of common stock from time to time at fixed prices, at market prices or at negotiated prices, and may engage a broker, dealer or underwriter to sell the shares.  For additional information on the possible methods of sale that may be used by the Selling Stockholder, you should refer to the section entitled “Plan of Distribution” on page 32 of this prospectus.  We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of the shares of common stock by the Selling Stockholder.  We are contractually obligated to pay all expenses of registration incurred in connection with this offering for the sale of our common stock by the Selling Stockholder, except any underwriting discounts and commissions and expenses incurred by the Selling Stockholder in disposing of the shares.

 

This prospectus describes some of the general terms that may apply to these securities.  We will provide the specific terms of any such offering in one or more supplements to this prospectus each time we sell securities hereunder.  We can only use this prospectus to offer and sell our securities by also including a prospectus supplement relating to any such offer and sale.

 

We or the Selling Stockholder may sell the securities directly to you, through agents, underwriters and broker-dealers that we or the Selling Stockholder select.  If we or the Selling Stockholder use agents, underwriters or broker-dealers to sell the securities, we will name them and describe their compensation in a prospectus supplement.

 

Our common stock is listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “TRS.”  On February 22, 2011, the last reported sale price of our common stock on the NASDAQ Global Select Market was $21.01.

 

You should consider carefully the risks that we have described in “Risk Factors” beginning on page 3 before deciding whether to invest in our common stock.

 

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete.  Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

The date of this prospectus is         , 2011.

 



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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

Page

 

 

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

1

ABOUT THE REGISTRANTS

1

THE OFFERING BY SELLING STOCKHOLDER

2

RISK FACTORS

3

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

14

USE OF PROCEEDS

17

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

18

DESCRIPTION OF OUR CAPITAL STOCK

19

DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES AND GUARANTEES

23

SELLING STOCKHOLDERS

31

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

32

LEGAL MATTERS

35

INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

35

WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

36

INFORMATION INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

37

 

You should read this prospectus and the information incorporated by reference carefully before you invest.  Such documents contain important information you should consider when making your investment decision.  See “Information Incorporated by Reference” on page 37.  If you are in a jurisdiction where offers to sell, or solicitations of offers to purchase, the securities offered by this document are unlawful, or if you are a person to whom it is unlawful to direct these types of activities, then the offer presented in this prospectus does not extend to you.  You should rely only on the information provided in this prospectus or documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus.  We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information.

 

The information in this document may only be accurate on the date of this document.  You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus is accurate only as of the date on the front cover of this prospectus.  Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date.

 

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

 

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) utilizing a “shelf” registration process or continuous offering process, which allows us to offer and sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings and allows the Selling Stockholder to offer and sell in one or more offerings.  Using this prospectus, we may offer up to a total dollar amount of $250,000,000 of these securities and the Selling Stockholder may offer to sell up 11,904,972 shares of our common stock.

 

This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we or the Selling Stockholder may offer.  Each time we or the Selling Stockholder offer to sell securities pursuant to this registration statement and the prospectus contained herein, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering.  That prospectus supplement may include additional risk factors about us and the terms of that particular offering.  Prospectus supplements may also add to, update or change the information contained in this prospectus.  To the extent that any statement that we make in a prospectus supplement is inconsistent with statements made in this prospectus, the statements made in this prospectus will be deemed modified or superseded by those made in such prospectus supplement.  In addition, as we describe in the section entitled “Information Incorporated by Reference,” we have filed and plan to continue to file other documents with the SEC that contain information about us and the business conducted by us and our subsidiaries.  Before you decide whether to invest in any of these securities, you should read this prospectus, the prospectus supplement that further describes the offering of these securities and the information we file with the SEC.

 

Unless the context otherwise requires, the terms “TriMas,” “the Company,”  “the registrants,” “we,” “us” and “our” refer to TriMas Corporation and its subsidiaries, and  the term “Subsidiary Guarantors” refers to, collectively, TriMas Company LLC, Arrow Engine Company, Cequent Performance Products, Inc., Cequent Consumer Products, Inc., Compac Corporation, Dew Technologies, Inc., Hi-Vol Products LLC, Keo Cutters, Inc., Lake Erie Products Corporation, Monogram Aerospace Fasteners, Inc., NI Industries, Inc., Norris Cylinder Company, Richards Micro-Tool, Inc., Rieke Corporation, Rieke Leasing Co., Incorporated, Rieke of Mexico, Inc., The Hammerblow Company, LLC, TriMas International Holdings LLC, Lamons Gasket Company and Towing Holding LLC.

 

ABOUT THE REGISTRANTS

 

We are a global manufacturer and distributor of products for commercial, industrial and consumer markets.  Most of our businesses share important characteristics, including leading market shares, strong brand names, broad product offerings, established distribution networks, relatively high operating margins, relatively low capital investment requirements, product growth opportunities and strategic acquisition opportunities.  We believe that a majority of our 2010 net sales were in markets in which our products enjoy the number one or number two market position within their respective product categories.  In addition, we believe that in many of our businesses, we are one of only a few manufacturers in the geographic markets where we currently compete.

 

Our principal executive offices are located at 39400 Woodward Avenue, Suite 130, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan 48304.  Our telephone number is (248) 631-5450.  Our web site address is www.trimascorp.com.  The information on our website is not part of this prospectus.

 

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THE OFFERING BY SELLING STOCKHOLDER

 

 

Selling Stockholder

 

Heartland Industrial Associates, L.L.C. (“Heartland,” or the “Selling Stockholder”)

 

 

 

Common stock offered by the Selling Stockholder

 

Up to 11,904,972 shares of our common stock(1)

 

 

 

Use of proceeds

 

Proceeds from the sale of common stock covered by this prospectus will be received by the Selling Stockholder. We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of the shares of common stock covered by this prospectus. We have been advised by the Selling Stockholder that the shares they may sell under this prospectus would be sold, if at all, in order to provide liquidity to the Selling Stockholder’s investors.

 

 

 

NASDAQ symbol

 

TRS

 


(1)      The offering by the Selling Stockholder also relates to an indeterminate number of shares of our common stock that may be issued upon stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions in accordance with Rule 416 of the Securities Act of 1933.

 

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RISK FACTORS

 

Investment in our securities involves risks.  Prior to making a decision about investing in our securities, you should consider carefully the risk factors, together with all of the other information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, including any additional specific risks described in the section entitled “Risk Factors” contained in any supplements to this prospectus, as well as any amendments thereto reflected in subsequent filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.  The risks and uncertainties described below are those that we have identified as material, but are not the only risks and uncertainties facing us.  Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently believe are immaterial may also impact our business operations, financial results and liquidity.

 

Risks Related to Our Business

 

We have a history of net losses.

 

While we generated net income of $45.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2010, we incurred net losses of $0.2 million and $136.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2009 and 2008, respectively. The loss in 2008 principally resulted from pre-tax, non-cash goodwill and indefinite-lived impairment charges of $166.6 million, included in continuing operations. The losses in 2009 and 2008 were also impacted by losses from discontinued operations of $13.0 million and $12.1 million, respectively. In addition, interest expense associated with our highly leveraged capital structure, non-cash expenses such as depreciation and amortization of intangible assets and other asset impairments also contributed to our net losses. We may experience net losses in the future.

 

Our businesses depend upon general economic conditions and we serve some customers in highly cyclical industries; as such we are subject to the loss of sales and margins due to an economic downturn or recession.

 

Our financial performance depends, in large part, on conditions in the markets that we serve in both the U.S. and global economies. Some of the industries that we serve are highly cyclical, such as the automotive, construction, industrial equipment, energy, aerospace and electrical equipment industries. We may experience a reduction in sales and margins as a result of a downturn in economic conditions or other macroeconomic factors. Lower demand for our products may also negatively affect the capacity utilization of our production facilities, which may further reduce our operating margins.

 

Many of the markets we serve are highly competitive, which could limit the volume of products that we sell and reduce our operating margins.

 

Many of our products are sold in competitive markets. We believe that the principal points of competition in our markets are product quality and price, design and engineering capabilities, product development, conformity to customer specifications, reliability and timeliness of delivery, customer service and effectiveness of distribution. Maintaining and improving our competitive position will require continued investment by us in manufacturing, engineering, quality standards, marketing, customer service and support of our distribution networks. We may have insufficient resources in the future to continue to make such investments and, even if we make such investments, we may not be able to maintain or improve our competitive position. We also face the risk of lower-cost foreign manufacturers located in China, Southeast Asia and other regions competing in the markets for our products and we may be driven as a consequence of this competition to increase our investment overseas. Making overseas investments

 

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can be highly complicated and we may not always realize the advantages we anticipate from any such investments. Competitive pressure may limit the volume of products that we sell and reduce our operating margins.

 

Increases in our raw material or energy costs or the loss of critical suppliers could adversely affect our profitability and other financial results.

 

We are sensitive to price movements in our raw materials supply base. Our largest material purchases are for steel, copper, aluminum, polyethylene and other resins and energy. Prices for these products fluctuate with market conditions and we have experienced sporadic increases recently. We may be unable to completely offset the impact with price increases on a timely basis due to outstanding commitments to our customers, competitive considerations or our customers’ resistance to accepting such price increases and our financial performance may be adversely impacted by further price increases. A failure by our suppliers to continue to supply us with certain raw materials or component parts on commercially reasonable terms, or at all, could have a material adverse effect on us. To the extent there are energy supply disruptions or material fluctuations in energy costs, our margins could be materially adversely impacted.

 

We may be unable to successfully implement our business strategies. Our ability to realize our business strategies may be limited.

 

Our businesses operate in relatively mature industries and it may be difficult to successfully pursue our growth strategies and realize material benefits therefrom. Even if we are successful, other risks attendant to our businesses and the economy generally may substantially or entirely eliminate the benefits. While we have successfully utilized some of these strategies in the past, our growth has principally come through acquisitions.

 

Our products are typically highly engineered or customer-driven and we are subject to risks associated with changing technology and manufacturing techniques that could place us at a competitive disadvantage.

 

We believe that our customers rigorously evaluate their suppliers on the basis of product quality, price competitiveness, technical expertise and development capability, new product innovation, reliability and timeliness of delivery, product design capability, manufacturing expertise, operational flexibility, customer service and overall management. Our success depends on our ability to continue to meet our customers’ changing expectations with respect to these criteria. We anticipate that we will remain committed to product research and development, advanced manufacturing techniques and service to remain competitive, which entails significant costs. We may be unable to address technological advances, implement new and more cost-effective manufacturing techniques, or introduce new or improved products, whether in existing or new markets, so as to maintain our businesses’ competitive positions or to grow our businesses as desired.

 

We depend on the services of key individuals and relationships, the loss of which could materially harm us.

 

Our success will depend, in part, on the efforts of our senior management, including our chief executive officer. Our future success will also depend on, among other factors, our ability to attract and retain other qualified personnel. The loss of the services of any of our key employees or the failure to attract or retain employees could have a material adverse effect on us.

 

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We have substantial debt and interest payment requirements that may restrict our future operations and impair our ability to meet our obligations.

 

We continue to have indebtedness that is substantial in relation to our shareholders’ equity. As of December 31, 2010, we have approximately $494.7 million of outstanding debt and approximately $112.3 million of shareholders’ equity. After consideration of our interest rate swap agreements, approximately 10% of our debt bears interest at variable rates. We may experience material increases in our interest expense as a result of increases in interest rate levels generally. Our debt service payment obligations in 2010 were approximately $47.7 million and, based on amounts outstanding as of December 31, 2010, a 1% increase in the per annum interest rate for our variable rate debt would increase our interest expense by approximately $0.3 million annually. Our degree of leverage and level of interest expense may have important consequences, including:

 

·                  our leverage may place us at a competitive disadvantage as compared with our less leveraged competitors and make us more vulnerable in the event of a downturn in general economic conditions or in any of our businesses;

 

·                  our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business and the industry in which we operate may be limited;

 

·                  our ability to obtain additional financing in the future for working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions, business development efforts, general corporate or other purposes may be impaired;

 

·                  a substantial portion of our cash flow from operations will be dedicated to the payment of interest and principal on our indebtedness, thereby reducing the funds available to us for other purposes, including our operations, capital expenditures, future business opportunities or obligations to pay rent in respect of our operating leases; and

 

·                  our operations are restricted by our debt instruments, which contain material financial and operating covenants, and those restrictions may limit, among other things, our ability to borrow money in the future for working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions, rent expense or other purposes.

 

Our ability to service our debt and other obligations will depend on our future operating performance, which will be affected by prevailing economic conditions and financial, business and other factors, many of which are beyond our control. Our business may not generate sufficient cash flow, and future financings may not be available to provide sufficient net proceeds, to meet these obligations or to successfully execute our business strategies.

 

Restrictions in our debt instruments and accounts receivable facility limit our ability to take certain actions and breaches thereof could impair our liquidity.

 

Our credit facility and the indenture governing our senior secured notes contain covenants that restrict our ability to:

 

·                  pay dividends or redeem or repurchase capital stock;

 

·                  incur additional indebtedness and grant liens;

 

·                  make acquisitions and joint venture investments;

 

·                  sell assets; and

 

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·                  make capital expenditures.

 

Our credit facility also requires us to comply with financial covenants relating to, among other things, interest coverage and leverage. Our accounts receivable facility contains covenants similar to those in our credit facility and includes additional requirements regarding our receivables. We may not be able to satisfy these covenants in the future or be able to pursue our strategies within the constraints of these covenants. Substantially all of our assets and the assets of our domestic subsidiaries (other than our special purpose receivables subsidiary) are pledged as collateral pursuant to the terms of our credit facility. A breach of a covenant contained in our debt instruments could result in an event of default under one or more of our debt instruments, our accounts receivable facility and our lease financing arrangements. Such breaches would permit the lenders under our credit facility to declare all amounts borrowed thereunder to be due and payable, and the commitments of such lenders to make further extensions of credit could be terminated. In addition, such breach may cause a termination of our accounts receivable facility. Each of these circumstances could materially and adversely impair our liquidity.

 

We have significant goodwill and intangible assets, and future impairment of our goodwill and intangible assets could have a material negative impact on our financial results.

 

We test goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment on an annual basis as of October 1, and more frequently if we experience changes in our business conditions that indicate an interim test may be required, by comparing the estimated fair values with their respective carrying values. We estimate the fair value of our goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets utilizing a combination of a discounted cash flow approach, which is based upon management’s operating budget and internal five-year forecast, and market-based valuation measures that consider earnings multiples (for goodwill testing) and royalty rates (for indefinite-lived intangible asset testing). We test goodwill for impairment by comparing the estimated fair value of each of our reporting units, determined using a combination of the aforementioned techniques, to its respective carrying value on our balance sheet. If carrying value exceeds fair value, then a possible impairment of goodwill exists and further evaluation is performed. We test indefinite-lived intangible assets by comparing the estimated fair value of the assets, determined based on discounted future cash flows related to the net amount of royalty expenses avoided due to the existence of the trademark or trade name, to the carrying value. If the carrying value exceeds fair value, an impairment charge is recorded.

 

The utilization of a discounted cash flow approach in the impairment test for both goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets requires us to make significant estimates regarding future revenues and expenses, projected capital expenditures, changes in working capital and the appropriate discount rate. The projections also take into account several factors including current and estimated economic trends and outlook, costs of raw materials, consideration of our market capitalization in comparison to the estimated fair value of our reporting units determined using discounted cash flow analyses and other factors that are beyond our control.

 

At December 31, 2010, our goodwill and intangible assets were approximately $365.8 million and represented approximately 39.6% of our total assets. Our net loss of $136.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2008, included $166.6 million of pre-tax charges for impairment of goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets in continuing operations, and $0.9 million of such charges in discontinued operations. If we experience declines in sales and operating profit or do not meet our current and forecasted operating budget, we may be subject to future goodwill impairments. In addition, while the fair value of our remaining goodwill exceeds its carrying value, significantly different assumptions regarding future performance of our businesses or significant declines in our stock price

 

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could result in additional impairment losses. Because of the significance of our goodwill and intangible assets, any future impairment of these assets could have a material adverse effect on our financial results.

 

We may face liability associated with the use of products for which patent ownership or other intellectual property rights are claimed.

 

We may be subject to claims or inquiries regarding alleged unauthorized use of a third party’s intellectual property. An adverse outcome in any intellectual property litigation could subject us to significant liabilities to third parties, require us to license technology or other intellectual property rights from others, require us to comply with injunctions to cease marketing or using certain products or brands, or require us to redesign, reengineer, or rebrand certain products or packaging, any of which could affect our business, financial condition and operating results. If we are required to seek licenses under patents or other intellectual property rights of others, we may not be able to acquire these licenses on acceptable terms, if at all. In addition, the cost of responding to an intellectual property infringement claim, in terms of legal fees and expenses and the diversion of management resources, whether or not the claim is valid, could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

 

We may be unable to adequately protect our intellectual property.

 

While we believe that our patents, trademarks and other intellectual property have significant value, it is uncertain that this intellectual property or any intellectual property acquired or developed by us in the future, will provide a meaningful competitive advantage. Our patents or pending applications may be challenged, invalidated or circumvented by competitors or rights granted thereunder may not provide meaningful proprietary protection. Moreover, competitors may infringe on our patents or successfully avoid them through design innovation. Policing unauthorized use of our intellectual property is difficult and expensive, and we may not be able to, or have the resources to, prevent misappropriation of our proprietary rights, particularly in countries where the laws may not protect such rights as fully as in the U.S. The cost of protecting our intellectual property may be significant and have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and future results of operations.

 

We may incur material losses and costs as a result of product liability, recall and warranty claims that may be brought against us.

 

We are subject to a variety of litigation incidental to our businesses, including claims for damages arising out of use of our products, claims relating to intellectual property matters and claims involving employment matters and commercial disputes.

 

We currently carry insurance and maintain reserves for potential product liability claims. However, our insurance coverage may be inadequate if such claims do arise and any liability not covered by insurance could have a material adverse effect on our business. Although we have been able to obtain insurance in amounts we believe to be appropriate to cover such liability to date, our insurance premiums may increase in the future as a consequence of conditions in the insurance business generally or our situation in particular. Any such increase could result in lower net income or cause the need to reduce our insurance coverage. In addition, a future claim may be brought against us that could have a material adverse effect on us. Any product liability claim may also include the imposition of punitive damages, the award of which, pursuant to certain state laws, may not be covered by insurance. Our product liability insurance policies have limits that, if exceeded, may result in material costs that could have an adverse effect on our future profitability. In addition, warranty claims are generally not covered by our product liability insurance.

 

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Further, any product liability or warranty issues may adversely affect our reputation as a manufacturer of high-quality, safe products, divert management’s attention, and could have a material adverse effect on our business. In addition, the Lamons Gasket business within our Energy reportable segment is a party to lawsuits related to asbestos contained in gaskets formerly manufactured by it or its predecessors. Some of this litigation includes claims for punitive and consequential as well as compensatory damages. We are not able to predict the outcome of these matters given that, among other things, claims may be initially made in jurisdictions without specifying the amount sought or by simply stating the minimum or maximum permissible monetary relief, and may be amended to alter the amount sought. Of the 8,200 claims pending at December 31, 2010, 40 set forth specific amounts of damages (other than those stating the statutory minimum or maximum). 28 of the 40 claims sought between $1.0 million and $5.0 million in total damages (which includes compensatory and punitive damages), 9 sought between $5.0 million and $10.0 million in total damages (which includes compensatory and punitive damages) and 3 sought over $10.0 million (which includes compensatory and punitive damages). Solely with respect to compensatory damages, 30 of the 40 claims sought between $50,000 and $600,000, 7 sought between $1.0 million and $5.0 million and 3 sought over $5.0 million. Solely with respect to punitive damages, 28 of the 40 claims sought between $1.0 million and $2.5 million, 9 sought between $2.5 million and $5.0 million and 3 sought over $5.0 million. Total defense costs from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010 were approximately $2.9 million and total settlement costs (exclusive of defense costs) for all asbestos cases since inception have been approximately $5.8 million through December 31, 2009. To date, approximately 50% of our costs related to defense and settlement of asbestos litigation have been covered by our primary insurance. Effective February 14, 2006, we entered into a coverage-in-place agreement with our first level excess carriers regarding the coverage to be provided to us for asbestos-related claims when our primary insurance is exhausted. The coverage-in-place agreement makes asbestos defense costs and indemnity insurance coverage available to us that might otherwise be disputed by the carriers and provides a methodology for the administration of such expenses. Nonetheless, the Company believes it is likely that there will to be a period within the next three years, prior to the commencement of coverage under this agreement and following exhaustion of the Company’s primary insurance coverage, during which the Company likely will be solely responsible for defense costs and indemnity payments, the duration of which would be subject to the scope of damage awards and settlements paid. We also may incur significant litigation costs in defending these matters in the future. We may be required to incur additional defense costs and pay damage awards or settlements or become subject to equitable remedies that could adversely affect our businesses.

 

Our business may be materially and adversely affected by compliance obligations and liabilities under environmental laws and regulations.

 

We are subject to federal, state, local and foreign environmental laws and regulations which impose limitations on the discharge of pollutants into the ground, air and water and establish standards for the generation, treatment, use, storage and disposal of solid and hazardous wastes, and remediation of contaminated sites. We may be legally or contractually responsible or alleged to be responsible for the investigation and remediation of contamination at various sites, and for personal injury or property damages, if any, associated with such contamination. We have been named as potentially responsible parties under CERCLA (the federal Superfund law) or similar state laws in several sites requiring clean-up related to disposal of wastes we generated. These laws generally impose liability for costs to investigate and remediate contamination without regard to fault and under certain circumstances liability may be joint and several resulting in one responsible party being held responsible for the entire obligation. Liability may also include damages to natural resources. We have entered into consent decrees relating to two sites in California along with the many other co-defendants in these matters. We have incurred substantial expenses for each of these sites over a number of years, a portion of which has been covered by insurance. In addition to the foregoing, our businesses have incurred and likely will continue to incur expenses to investigate and clean up existing and former

 

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company-owned or leased property, including those properties made the subject of sale-leaseback transactions for which we have provided environmental indemnities to the lessors. Additional sites may be identified at which we are a potentially responsible party under the federal Superfund law or similar state laws. We must also comply with various health and safety regulations in the U.S. and abroad in connection with our operations.

 

We believe that our business, operations and facilities are being operated in compliance in all material respects with applicable environmental and health and safety laws and regulations, many of which provide for substantial fines and criminal sanctions for violations. Based on information presently known to us and accrued environmental reserves, we do not expect environmental costs or contingencies to have a material adverse effect on us. The operation of manufacturing plants entails risks in these areas, however, and we may incur material costs or liabilities in the future that could adversely affect us. There can be no assurance that we have been or will be at all times in substantial compliance with environmental health and safety laws. Failure to comply with any of these laws could result in civil, criminal, monetary and non-monetary penalties and damage to our reputation. In addition, potentially material expenditures could be required in the future. For example, we may be required to comply with evolving environmental and health and safety laws, regulations or requirements that may be adopted or imposed in the future or to address newly discovered information or conditions that require a response.

 

Our growth strategy includes the impact of acquisitions. If we are unable to identify attractive acquisition candidates, successfully integrate acquired operations or realize the intended benefits of our acquisitions, we may be adversely affected.

 

One of our principal growth strategies is to pursue strategic acquisition opportunities. Since our separation from Metaldyne in June 2002, we have completed fifteen acquisitions. Each of these acquisitions required integration expense and actions that negatively impacted our results of operations and that could not have been fully anticipated beforehand. In addition, attractive acquisition candidates may not be identified and acquired in the future, financing for acquisitions may be unavailable on satisfactory terms and we may be unable to accomplish our strategic objectives in effecting a particular acquisition. We may encounter various risks in acquiring other companies, including the possible inability to integrate an acquired business into our operations, diversion of management’s attention and unanticipated problems or liabilities, some or all of which could materially and adversely affect our business strategy and financial condition and results of operations.

 

We have significant operating lease obligations and our failure to meet those obligations could adversely affect our financial condition.

 

We lease many of our manufacturing facilities and certain capital equipment. Our annualized rental expense in 2010 under these operating leases was approximately $15.4 million. A failure to pay our rental obligations would constitute a default allowing the applicable landlord to pursue any remedy available to it under applicable law, which would include taking possession of our property and, in the case of real property, evicting us. These leases are categorized as operating leases and are not considered indebtedness for purposes of our debt instruments.

 

We may be subject to further unionization and work stoppages at our facilities or our customers may be subject to work stoppages, which could seriously impact the profitability of our business.

 

As of December 31, 2010, approximately 28% of our work force in our continuing operations was unionized under several different unions and bargaining agreements. If our unionized workers were to engage in a strike, work stoppage or other slowdown in the future, we could experience a significant disruption of our operations.

 

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In addition, if a greater percentage of our work force becomes unionized, our labor costs and risks associated with strikes, work stoppages or other slowdowns may increase.

 

On July 10, 2009, we reached a mutually agreeable settlement with the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union (“Union”) regarding the duration of a neutrality agreement we have with the Union. The agreement commits us to remain generally neutral in Union organizing drives through the duration of the agreement. On August 17, 2009, the Union began an organizing drive under the terms of the neutrality agreement at our facility located in Houston, Texas, which is included in our Energy segment. Since the Union obtained a simple majority of authorization cards during the organizing drive, on November 4, 2009 we recognized the Union at this facility. The recognition requires us and the Union to negotiate a first collective bargaining agreement within 180 days from the date of recognition. Under the neutrality agreement, there is no threat of strike or work slowdown during the first collective bargaining agreement. On December 10, 2009, we received a notice of filing petition for union decertification at the Houston, Texas facility. A decertification vote administered by the National Labor Relations Board occurred on August 26, 2010, however, those ballots were impounded in light of the Union’s previously field request for review. The matter is still pending with the National Labor Relations Board.

 

On December 4, 2009, we received a notice of filing petition for union representation election filed by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace workers with regard to our Engineered Components facility located in Plymouth, Massachusetts. On January 15, 2010, a vote was held according to the rules of the National Labor Relations Board. The union was unsuccessful in receiving the simple majority of the required votes; therefore, the Plymouth, Massachusetts facility remains union free.

 

Other than as described above, we are not aware of any present active union organizing drives at any of our other facilities. We cannot predict the impact of any further unionization of our workplace.

 

Many of our direct or indirect customers have unionized work forces. Strikes, work stoppages or slowdowns experienced by these customers or their suppliers could result in slowdowns or closures of assembly plants where our products are included. In addition, organizations responsible for shipping our customers’ products may be impacted by occasional strikes or other activity. Any interruption in the delivery of our customers’ products could reduce demand for our products and could have a material adverse effect on us.

 

Our healthcare costs for active employees and future retirees may exceed our projections and may negatively affect our financial results.

 

We maintain a range of healthcare benefits for our active employees and a limited number of retired employees pursuant to labor contracts and otherwise. Healthcare benefits for active employees and certain retirees are provided through comprehensive hospital, surgical and major medical benefit provisions or through health maintenance organizations, all of which are subject to various cost-sharing features. Some of these benefits are provided for in fixed amounts negotiated in labor contracts with the respective unions. If our costs under our benefit programs for active employees and retirees exceed our projections, our business and financial results could be materially adversely affected. Additionally, foreign competitors and many domestic competitors provide fewer benefits to their employees and retirees, and this difference in cost could adversely impact our competitive position.

 

A growing portion of our sales may be derived from international sources, which exposes us to certain risks which may adversely affect our financial results and impact our ability to service debt.

 

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Approximately 17.6% of our net sales for the year ended December 31, 2010 were derived from sales by our subsidiaries located outside of the U.S. We may significantly expand our international operations through internal growth and acquisitions. Sales outside of the U.S., particularly sales to emerging markets, and manufacturing in non-US countries are subject to various other risks which are not present within U.S. markets, including governmental embargoes or foreign trade restrictions such as anti-dumping duties, changes in U.S. and foreign governmental regulations, tariffs and other trade barriers, the potential for nationalization of enterprises, foreign exchange risk and other political, economic and social instability. In addition, there are tax inefficiencies in repatriating cash flow from non-U.S. subsidiaries that could affect our financial results and reduce our ability to service debt.

 

Our stock price may be subject to significant volatility due to our own results or market trends.

 

If our revenue, earnings or cash flows in any quarter fail to meet the investment community’s expectations, there could be an immediate negative impact on our stock price. Our stock price could also be impacted by broader market trends and world events unrelated to our performance.

 

Risks Related to Our Common Stock

 

Future sales of our common stock in the public market could cause our stock price to fall.

 

Sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public market, or the perception that these sales might occur, could depress the market price of our common stock and could impair our ability to raise capital through the sale of additional equity securities.  We have 400,000,000 shares of common stock authorized for issuance under our certificate of incorporation and 34,065,856 shares of common stock outstanding as of December 31, 2010.  All of the shares of common stock sold in this offering will be freely tradeable without restrictions or further registration under the Securities Act.  In addition, certain parties to our shareholders agreement have the right, subject to the limitations in the shareholders agreement, to exercise certain piggyback registration rights in connection with other registered offerings. Substantial sales by Heartland or the perception that these sales will occur may materially and adversely affect the price of our common stock.

 

If we sell or issue additional shares of common stock to finance future acquisitions, your stock ownership could be diluted.

 

Part of our growth strategy is to expand into new markets and enhance our position in existing markets through acquisitions.  In order to successfully complete acquisitions we may target or fund our other activities, we may issue additional equity securities that could be dilutive to our earnings per share and to your stock ownership.  The timing and quantity of the shares of our common stock that will be sold may have a negative impact on the market price of our common stock.  Sales of substantial amounts of our common stock (including shares issued upon the exercise of stock options or in connection with acquisition financing), or the perception that such sales could occur, may materially and adversely affect prevailing market prices for our common stock.

 

Possible volatility in our stock price could negatively affect our stockholders.

 

The trading price of our common stock may be volatile in response to a number of factors, many of which are beyond our control, including actual or anticipated variations in quarterly financial results; changes in financial estimates or recommendations by securities analysts; changes in accounting standards, policies, guidance, interpretations or principles; sales of common stock by us or members of our management team; and announcements by our competitors of significant acquisitions, strategic partnerships, joint ventures or capital commitments.  In addition, our financial results may be below the expectations of securities analysts and investors.  If this were to occur, the market price of our common stock could decrease, possibly significantly.

 

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In addition, the U.S. securities markets have experienced significant price and volume fluctuations.  These fluctuations often have been unrelated to the operating performance of companies in these markets.  Broad market and industry factors may negatively affect the price of our common stock, regardless of our operating performance.  In the past, following periods of volatility in the market price of an individual company’s securities, securities class action litigation often has been instituted against that company.  The institution of similar litigation against us could result in substantial costs and a diversion of our management’s attention and resources, which could negatively affect our financial results.

 

Heartland owns approximately 33.9% of our voting common equity.

 

Heartland Industrial Partners (“Heartland”) beneficially owns approximately 33.9% of our outstanding voting common equity. As a result, Heartland has the power to substantially influence all matters submitted to our stockholders, exercise significant influence over our decisions to enter into any corporate transaction and any transaction that requires the approval of stockholders regardless of whether other stockholders believe that any such transactions are in their own best interests. For example, Heartland could cause us to make acquisitions that increase the amount of our indebtedness, sell revenue-generating assets or cause us to undergo a “going private” transaction with it or one of its affiliates based on its ownership without a legal requirement of unaffiliated shareholder approval. In addition, Heartland has the power to control the election of a majority of our directors. So long as Heartland continues to own a significant amount of the outstanding shares of our common stock, it will continue to be able to strongly influence or effectively control our decisions. Its interests may differ from other stockholders and it may vote in a way with which other stockholders disagree. In addition, this concentration of ownership may have the effect of preventing, discouraging or deterring a change of control. One of our directors is the Managing Member of Heartland’s general partner.

 

We are party to certain transactions with Heartland and its affiliates which may continue in the future.

 

While we have no current plans with respect to additional related party transactions with Heartland or its affiliates, apart from those existing and ordinary course matters we may enter into such transactions in the future.  Our debt instruments currently require that, principles of corporate law may recommend that and we intend to, enter into such transactions only on arm’s length third party terms.  However, we cannot assure you that, should we enter into any such transactions, they would not be detrimental to us and to shareholders other than the relevant affiliated party or that there will be relevant arm’s length third party transactions to which we may compare.

 

Provisions of Delaware law, our certificate of incorporation and by-laws, could delay or prevent a change in control of our company, which could adversely impact the value of our common stock.

 

Our certificate of incorporation and by-laws contain provisions that could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire us, even if doing so might be beneficial to our shareholders.  Our certificate of incorporation and by-laws impose various procedural and other requirements, which could make it more difficult for shareholders to effect certain corporate actions.  For example, our certificate of incorporation authorizes our Board of Directors to determine the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions of an unissued series of preferred stock, without any vote or action by our shareholders.  Thus, our Board of Directors is able to authorize and issue shares of preferred stock with voting or conversion rights that could adversely affect the voting or other rights of holders of our common stock.  Additional provisions include the sole power of our Board of Directors to fix the number of directors, limitations on the removal of directors, the sole power of our Board of Directors to fill any vacancy on our board, whether such vacancy occurs as a result of an increase in the number of directors or otherwise, and the inability of shareholders to act by written consent to call special meetings.  These rights may have the effect of delaying or deterring a change of control of our company.  In addition, a change of control of our company may be delayed or deterred as a result of our having three classes of directors.  These provisions could limit the price that certain investors might be willing to pay in the future for shares of our common stock.  See “Description of Capital Stock.”

 

We have no plans to pay regular dividends on our common stock, so you may not receive funds without selling your common stock.

 

We have not declared or paid cash dividends on our common stock since becoming a stand-alone entity in June 2002 and we do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future.  In

 

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addition, restrictions in our credit facility and our indenture governing the notes restrict our ability to pay dividends.  We currently intend to retain future earnings, if any, to finance our business and growth strategies.  Any decision to declare and pay dividends in the future will be made at the discretion of our Board of Directors and will depend on, among other things, our results of operations, cash requirements, financial condition, contractual restrictions and other factors that our Board of Directors may deem relevant.

 

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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

 

This prospectus, any prospectus supplement and any documents we incorporate by reference herein or therein may contain forward-looking statements (as that term is defined by the federal securities laws) about our financial condition, results of operations and business.  You can find many of these statements by looking for words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate” and similar words used in this prospectus.

 

These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties.  Because the statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.  We caution readers not to place undue reliance on the statements, which speak only as of the date of this prospectus.

 

The cautionary statements set forth above should be considered in connection with any subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements that we or persons acting on our behalf may issue.  We do not undertake any obligation to review or confirm analysts’ expectations or estimates or to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this report or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

 

We disclose important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from our expectations under “Risk factors” and elsewhere in this prospectus or any documents we incorporate by reference herein or therein.  These cautionary statements qualify all forward-looking statements attributed to us or persons acting on our behalf.  When we indicate that an event, condition or circumstance could or would have an adverse effect on us, we mean to include effects upon our business, financial and other condition, results of operations, prospects and ability to service our debt.  Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently deemed to be immaterial also may materially adversely affect our business, financial position and results of operations or cash flows.

 

Risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to vary materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements included in this prospectus include general economic conditions in the markets in which we operate and industry-related factors such as:

 

·                       We have a history of net losses;

 

·                       Our businesses depend upon general economic conditions and we serve some customers in highly cyclical industries; as such we are subject to the loss of sales and margins due to an economic downturn or recession;

 

·                       Many of the markets we serve are highly competitive, which could limit the volume of products that we sell and reduce our operating margins;

 

·                       Increases in our raw material or energy costs or the loss of critical suppliers could adversely affect our profitability and other financial results;

 

·                       We may be unable to successfully implement our business strategies.  Our ability to realize our business strategies may be limited;

 

·                       Our products are typically highly engineered or customer driven and we are subject to risks associated with changing technology and manufacturing techniques that could place us at a competitive disadvantage;

 

·                       We depend on the services of key individuals and relationships, the loss of which could materially harm us;

 

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·                       We have substantial debt and interest payment requirements that may restrict our future operations and impair our ability to meet our obligations;

 

·                       Restrictions in our debt instruments and accounts receivable facility limit our ability to take certain actions and breaches thereof could impair our liquidity;

 

·                       We have significant goodwill and intangible assets, and future impairment of our goodwill and intangible assets could have a material negative impact on our financial results;

 

·                       We may face liability associated with the use of products for which patent ownership or other intellectual property rights are claimed;

 

·                       We may be unable to adequately protect our intellectual property;

 

·                       We may incur material losses and costs as a result of product liability, recall and warranty claims that may be brought against us;

 

·                       Our business may be materially and adversely affected by compliance obligations and liabilities under environmental laws and regulations;

 

·                       Our growth strategy includes the impact of acquisitions.  If we are unable to identify attractive acquisition candidates, successfully integrate acquired operations or realize the intended benefits of our acquisitions, we may be adversely affected;

 

·                       We have significant operating lease obligations and our failure to meet those obligations could adversely affect our financial condition;

 

·                       We may be subject to further unionization and work stoppages at our facilities or our customers may be subject to work stoppages, which could seriously impact the profitability of our business;

 

·                       Our healthcare costs for active employees and future retirees may exceed our projections and may negatively affect our financial results;

 

·                       A growing portion of our sales may be derived from international sources, which exposes us to certain risks which may adversely affect our financial results and impact our ability to service debt;

 

·                       Our stock price may be subject to significant volatility due to our own results or market trends;

 

·                       Future sales of our common stock in the public market could cause our stock price to fall;

 

·                       If we sell or issue additional shares of common stock to finance future acquisitions, your stock ownership could be diluted;

 

·                       Possible volatility in our stock price could negatively affect our stockholders;

 

·                       Heartland has the power to substantially influence all matters submitted to our stockholders and exercise significant influence over our decisions;

 

·                       We are party to certain transactions with Heartland and its affiliates which may continue in the future;

 

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·                       Provisions of Delaware law, our certificate of incorporation and by-laws, could delay or prevent a change in control of our company, which could adversely impact the value of our common stock; and

 

·                       We have no plans to pay regular dividends on our common stock, so you may not receive funds without selling your common stock.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

 

Unless otherwise indicated in a prospectus supplement, we intend to use the net proceeds that we receive from the sale of any securities by us covered by this prospectus for general corporate purposes including the reduction of outstanding indebtedness, acquisitions, capital expenditures and working capital and any other purposes that we specify in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of the shares of our common stock by the Selling Stockholder.  We have been advised by the Selling Stockholder that the shares they may sell under this prospectus would be sold, if at all, in order to provide liquidity to the Selling Stockholder’s investors.

 

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RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

 

The following table sets forth our ratio of earnings to fixed charges for each of the periods indicated:

 

 

 

Fiscal year Ended December 31,

 

 

 

2006

 

2007

 

2008

 

2009

 

2010

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges (1)

 

n/a

 

n/a

 

n/a

 

1.3x

 

2.1x

 

 


(1)                                  For purposes of calculating the ratio of earnings to fixed charges, earnings represents income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes plus fixed charges. Fixed charges include interest expense, including amortization of deferred financing costs and debt extinguishment costs, and the portion of operating rental expense which management believes is representative of the interest component of rent expense (assumed to be 33%). For the years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006, additional earnings of $123.6 million, $174.9 million, and $110.6 million, respectively, would have been required to make the ratio 1.0x.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF OUR CAPITAL STOCK

 

The following is a description of the material terms of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and bylaws.  We refer to our certificate of incorporation as so amended as our certificate of incorporation.  The certificate of incorporation, authorizes us to issue 400,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, and 100,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share.

 

Common Stock

 

As of December 31, 2010, there were outstanding 34,065,856 shares of common stock held of record by 601 stockholders and there were no shares of preferred stock issued and outstanding.  In addition, there were 1,742,086 shares of common stock reserved for issuance upon exercise of outstanding stock options, of which 925,182 were vested.  The holders of common stock are entitled to one vote per share on all matters to be voted on by the stockholders.  Accordingly, holders of a majority of the shares of common stock entitled to vote in any election of directors may elect all of the directors standing for election.  Holders of common stock are entitled to receive ratably such dividends as may be declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available therefor.  Our credit facilities and the indenture governing the notes impose restrictions on our ability to pay dividends on common stock.  In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, holders of common stock are entitled to share ratably in all assets remaining after payment of liabilities and the liquidation preferences of any outstanding shares of preferred stock.  Holders of our common stock have no preemptive, subscription, redemption or conversion rights.  There are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the common stock.  All outstanding shares of common stock are fully paid and nonassessable.

 

Preferred Stock

 

As of December 31, 2010, there were no outstanding shares of preferred stock.  Our certificate of incorporation authorizes the Board of Directors, subject to limitations prescribed by law, to issue up to 100,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more series and to fix the rights, preferences, privileges, qualifications and restrictions granted to or imposed upon such preferred stock, including dividend rights, dividend rates, conversion rights, voting rights (which may be greater than one vote per share), rights and terms of redemption, sinking fund provisions for the redemption or purchase of the shares and liquidation preference, any or all of which may be greater than the rights of the common stock.  The issuance of preferred stock could:

 

·                       adversely affect the voting power of holders of common stock and reduce the likelihood that such holders will receive dividend payments and payments upon liquidation;

 

·                       decrease the market price of our common stock; or

 

·                       delay, deter or prevent a change in our control.

 

We have no current plans to issue any shares of preferred stock although they may be issued in the future.

 

The purpose of authorizing our Board of Directors to issue preferred stock and determine its rights and preferences is to eliminate delays associated with a shareholder vote on specific issuances.  The issuance of preferred stock, while providing desirable flexibility in connection with possible acquisitions and other corporate purposes, could have the effect of making it more difficult for a third party to acquire, or of discouraging a third party from attempting to acquire, a majority of our outstanding voting stock.  The existence of the authorized but undesignated preferred stock may have a depressive effect on the market price of our common stock.

 

Shareholders Agreement

 

Heartland and other investors are parties to a shareholders agreement regarding their ownership of our common stock.

 

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Anti-Takeover Effects of Delaware Law and Our Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws

 

Delaware Law

 

We have elected to opt out of the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law.  In general, Section 203 prohibits a public Delaware corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested stockholder” for a period of three years after the date of the transaction in which the person became an interested stockholder, unless either the person becoming an interested stockholder or the business combination is approved in a prescribed manner.  A “business combination” includes mergers, asset sales or other transactions resulting in a financial benefit to the stockholder.  An “interested stockholder” is a person who, together with affiliates and associates, owns, or within three years, did own, 15.0% or more of the corporation’s voting stock.

 

Certificate of Incorporation and By-law Provisions

 

Certain provisions of our certificate of incorporation and by-laws may have the effect of making it more difficult for a third party to acquire, or of discouraging a third party from attempting to acquire, control of us.  Such provisions could limit the price that certain investors might be willing to pay in the future for shares of our common stock and may limit the ability of stockholders to remove current management or directors or approve transactions that stockholders may deem to be in their best interest and, therefore, could adversely affect the price of our common stock.

 

Classified Board.  Our certificate of incorporation provides that our Board of Directors will be divided into three classes of directors, with the classes to be as nearly equal in number as possible.  As a result, approximately one-third of our Board of Directors will be elected each year.  The classification of directors will have the effect of making it more difficult for stockholders to change the composition of our board.  Our certificate of incorporation and the by-laws provide that subject to any rights of holders of preferred stock to elect additional directors under specified circumstances, the number of directors will be fixed from time to time exclusively pursuant to a resolution adopted by the board, but must consist of not less than three or more than fifteen directors.

 

Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, unless otherwise provided in our certificate of incorporation, directors serving on a classified board may be removed by the stockholders only for cause.

 

No Cumulative Voting.  The Delaware General Corporation Law provides that stockholders are not entitled to the right to cumulate votes in the election of directors unless our certificate of incorporation provides otherwise.  Our certificate of incorporation does not expressly provide for cumulative voting.  Under cumulative voting, a majority stockholder holding a sufficient percentage of a class of shares may be able to ensure the election of one or more directors.

 

Advance Notice Requirements for Stockholder Proposals and Director Nominations.  Our by-laws provide that stockholders seeking to nominate candidates for election as directors or to bring business before an annual meeting of stockholders must provide timely notice of their proposal in writing to the corporate secretary.  Generally, to be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be received at our principal executive offices not less than 90 nor more than 120 days prior to the first anniversary of the previous year’s annual meeting.  Our by-laws also specify requirements as to the form and content of a stockholder’s notice.  These provisions may impede stockholders’ ability to bring matters before an annual meeting of stockholders or make nominations for directors at an annual meeting of stockholders.

 

No Action by Written Consent; Special Meeting.  Our certificate of incorporation and by-laws provide that any action required or permitted to be taken by our stockholders must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of stockholders and may not be effected by any consent in writing.  In addition, our by-laws provide that special meetings of our stockholders may be called only by the Board of Directors or the chairman of the Board of Directors.

 

Authorized but Undesignated Stock.  The authorization of undesignated preferred stock makes it possible for the Board of Directors to issue preferred stock with voting or other rights or preferences that could impede the

 

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success of any attempt to change control of us or otherwise render more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of our company by means of a merger, tender offer, proxy contest or otherwise, and thereby protect the continuity of our management and possibly deprive the stockholders of opportunities to sell their shares of common stock at prices higher than prevailing market prices.

 

Limitation of Liability and Indemnification

 

Our certificate of incorporation contains provisions that limit the personal liability of each of our directors for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability

 

(a)                                  for any breach of a director’s duty of loyalty to us or our affiliates or our stockholders,

 

(b)                                 for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law,

 

(c)                                  under Section 174 of the DGCL, or

 

(d)                                 for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

 

The inclusion of this provision in our certificate of incorporation may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against directors, and may discourage or deter stockholders or management from bringing a lawsuit against directors for breach of their duty of care, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise have benefited us and our stockholders.  Our by-laws allow us to indemnify our directors, officers, employees and agents to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL.

 

Our certificate of incorporation further provides that we will indemnify and hold harmless 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, by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director or officer of ours, whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director or officer or in any other capacity while serving as a director or officer, to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law.  This right of indemnification shall include the right to have paid by us the expenses, including attorneys’ fees, incurred in defending any such proceeding in advance of its final disposition.  If Delaware law so requires, however, the advancement of such expenses incurred by a director or officer in such person’s capacity as a director or officer (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by such person) will only be made upon the delivery to us of an undertaking by or on behalf of such person to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined by final judicial decision, from which there is no further right to appeal, that such person is not entitled to be indemnified for such expenses by us.

 

We have entered into indemnity agreements with our directors and certain of our executive officers for the indemnification and advancement of expenses to these persons.  We believe that these provisions and agreements are necessary to attract and retain qualified directors and executive officers.  We also intend to enter into these agreements with our future directors and certain of our executive officers.  Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling our company pursuant to the foregoing provisions, we have been informed that, in the opinion of the Commission, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

 

There is currently no pending material litigation or proceeding involving any director, executive officer, employee or agent where indemnification will be required or permitted.  We are not aware of any threatened litigation or proceeding that might result in a claim for such indemnification.

 

Transfer Agent and Registrar

 

Registrar and Transfer Company currently serves as the transfer agent and registrar for the common stock and as rights agent for the rights.

 

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Listing

 

Our common stock is listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “TRS.”

 

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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES AND GUARANTEES

 

The following description discusses the general terms and provisions of the debt securities that we may offer under this prospectus.  The debt securities may be issued as senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities.  The indebtedness represented by the senior debt securities will rank equally with all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated debt.  The indebtedness represented by the subordinated debt securities will rank junior and be subordinate in right of payment to the prior payment in full of our senior debt, to the extent and in the manner set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement for the securities.

 

The senior debt securities and the subordinated debt securities will be issued under separate indentures between us and one or more U.S. banking institutions.  The trustee for each series of our debt securities will be identified in the applicable prospectus supplement.  We may refer to the indenture covering the senior debt securities as the “senior indenture” and the indenture covering the subordinated debt securities as the “subordinated indenture.”  Together the senior indenture and the subordinated indenture are called “indentures.”

 

The forms of the indentures are filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.  The indentures are subject to and governed by the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, or the Trust Indenture Act, and may be supplemented or amended from time to time following their execution.  We have not yet selected a trustee for either of the indentures, and we have not yet executed either indenture.  Prior to issuing any debt securities, we will be required to select a trustee for the applicable indenture or indentures, qualify the trustee or trustees under the Trust Indenture Act and execute the applicable indenture or indentures.

 

The form of each indenture gives us broad authority to set the particular terms of each series of debt securities, including the right to modify certain of the terms contained in the indenture.  The particular terms of a series of debt securities and the extent, if any, to which the particular terms of the issue modify the terms of the applicable form of indenture will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to such series of debt securities.

 

The following summary describes selected provisions of the indentures.  This summary does not describe every aspect of the debt securities or the applicable indenture and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, all the provisions of the applicable indenture, including the terms defined in the applicable indenture.  We urge you to read the applicable indenture in its entirety.  This summary is also subject to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, the description of the particular debt securities in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

General

 

The indentures provide that we will be able to issue an unlimited aggregate principal amount of debt securities under each indenture, in one or more series, and in any currency or currency units.  We are not required to issue all debt securities of one series at the same time and, unless otherwise provided, we may reopen a series, without the consent of the holders of the debt securities of that series, for issuances of additional debt securities of that series.

 

Prior to the issuance of each series of debt securities, the terms of the particular securities will be specified in a supplemental indenture or a resolution of our board of directors or in one or more officer’s certificates pursuant to a board resolution.  We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement the terms of the debt securities being offered, including:

 

·                  the title, and the price at which we will sell, the offered debt securities;

 

·                  whether the offered debt securities are senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities;

 

·                  the aggregate principal amount of the offered debt securities;

 

·                  the date or dates on which principal will be payable or how to determine such date or dates;

 

·                  the rate or rates or method of determination of interest;

 

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·                  the date from which interest will accrue;

 

·                  the dates on which interest will be payable and any record dates for the interest payable on the interest payment dates;

 

·                  the place of payment on the offered debt securities;

 

·                  any obligation or option we have to redeem, purchase or repay the offered debt securities, or any option of the registered holder to require us to redeem or repurchase offered debt securities, and the terms and conditions upon which the offered debt securities will be redeemed, purchased or repaid;

 

·                  the currency or currencies, including composite currencies or currency units, in which payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on any of the offered debt securities will be payable if other than the currency of the United States of America;

 

·                  any index, formula or other method used to determine the amount of principal, premium, if any, or interest;

 

·                  the terms and conditions upon which payment on the offered debt securities may change;

 

·                  whether the offered debt securities are defeasible;

 

·                  any addition to or change in the events of default;

 

·                  any addition to or change in the covenants in the applicable indenture;

 

·                  the terms of any right to convert the offered debt securities into common shares; and

 

·                  any other terms of the offered debt securities not inconsistent with the provisions of the applicable indenture.

 

If the offered debt securities are denominated in whole or in part in any currency other than U.S. dollars, if the principal of (and premium, if any) or interest, if any, on the offered debt securities are to be payable in a currency or currencies other than that in which the debt securities are to be payable, or if any index is used to determine the amount of payments of principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on any series of the debt securities, material federal income tax, accounting and other considerations applicable thereto will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

If so provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, we may issue our debt securities at a discount below their principal amount and pay less than the entire principal amount of our debt securities upon declaration of acceleration of their maturity.  The applicable prospectus supplement will describe all material federal income tax, accounting and other considerations applicable to any such original issue discount securities.

 

The general provisions of the indentures do not contain any provisions that would limit our ability or the ability of our subsidiaries to incur indebtedness or that would afford holders of our debt securities protection in the event of a highly leveraged or similar transaction involving us or any of our subsidiaries.  Please refer to the applicable prospectus supplement for information with respect to any deletions from, modifications of or additions to, the events of default described below that are applicable to the offered debt securities or any covenants or other provisions providing event risk or similar protection.

 

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Payment

 

Unless we state otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will pay interest on a debt security on each interest payment date to the person in whose name the debt security is registered as of the close of business on the regular record date relating to the interest payment date.

 

Unless we state otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will pay principal of and any premium on the debt securities at stated maturity, upon redemption or otherwise, upon presentation of the debt securities at the office of the applicable trustee, as our paying agent, or at other designated places.  Any other paying agent initially designated for the debt securities of a particular series will be identified in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

Form, Transfers and Exchanges

 

The debt securities of each series will be issued only in fully registered form, without interest coupons.  Unless we state otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the debt securities will be issued in denominations of $1,000 each or multiples thereof.

 

Subject to the terms of the applicable indenture and the limitations applicable to global securities, you may exchange or transfer debt securities at the corporate trust office of the trustee or at any other office or agency maintained by us for that purpose, without the payment of any service charge, except for any tax or governmental charge.

 

Global Securities

 

The debt securities of any series may be issued, in whole or in part, by one or more global certificates that will be deposited with the depositary identified in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

No global security may be exchanged in whole or in part for the debt securities registered in the name of any person other than the depositary for that global security or any nominee of that depositary except in the following circumstances or as otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement.  The depositary may discontinue providing its services as depositary with respect to the securities at any time by giving reasonable notice to us or the applicable trustee.  Under such circumstances, in the event that a successor depositary is not obtained, certificates are required to be printed and delivered.  In addition, we may decide to discontinue use of the system of book-entry-only transfers through a depositary.  In that event, certificates will be printed and delivered to the depositary.

 

Unless otherwise stated in any prospectus supplement, The Depository Trust Company, or DTC, will act as depositary.  Beneficial interests in global certificates will be shown on, and transfers of global certificates will be effected only through records maintained by DTC and its participants.

 

Events of Default

 

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, an event of default occurs with respect to debt securities of any series if:

 

·                  we do not pay any interest on any debt securities of the applicable series within 30 days of the due date (following any deferral allowed under the terms of the debt securities and elected by us);

 

·                  we do not pay principal or premium, if any, on any debt securities of the applicable series at maturity;

 

·                  we do not deposit any sinking fund payment when due by the terms of the applicable debt securities;

 

·                  we default in the performance, or are in breach, of a covenant or warranty of the applicable indenture (other than a covenant or warranty a default in whose performance or whose breach is elsewhere specifically dealt with or which expressly has been included in the applicable indenture solely for the benefit

 

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of debt securities other than that series), and such default or breach continues for a period of 60 days after there has been given by registered or certified mail, to us by the applicable trustee or to us and the applicable trustee by the holders of at least 25% of the principal amount of debt securities of the affected series, a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied;

 

·                  certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or reorganization with respect to us occur; or

 

·                  any other event of default provided with respect to debt securities of that series occurs.

 

No event of default with respect to a series of debt securities necessarily constitutes an event of default with respect to the debt securities of any other series issued under the indentures.

 

Each indenture requires us to file annually with the applicable trustee an officers’ certificate as to our compliance with all conditions and covenants under the applicable indenture.  Each indenture provides that the applicable trustee may withhold notice to the holders of a series of debt securities of any default, except payment defaults on those debt securities, if it considers such withholding to be in the interest of the holders of that series of debt securities.

 

If an event of default occurs and is continuing with respect to any series of debt securities, then either the applicable trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series may declare the principal amount, or, if any debt securities of that series are original issue discount securities, that portion of the principal amount of those original issue discount securities as may be specified in the terms of those original issue discount securities, of all of the debt securities of that series to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to us, and to the applicable trustee if given by the holders, and upon any such declaration that principal amount, or specified amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest, and premium, if any, will become immediately due and payable.  Upon payment of that amount in the currency in which the debt securities are denominated (except as otherwise provided in the applicable indenture or the applicable prospectus supplement), all of our obligations in respect of the payment of principal of the debt securities of that series will terminate.

 

After a declaration of acceleration has been made and before the trustee has obtained a judgment or decree for payment of the money due on any series of debt securities, the holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series, by written notice to us and the applicable trustee, may rescind and annul the declaration and its consequences, subject to any terms or conditions specified in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

If an event of default results from bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, the principal amount of all the debt securities of a series, or that portion of the principal amount of such debt securities as may be specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, will automatically become immediately due and payable.

 

Subject to the provisions of each indenture relating to the duties of the applicable trustee, in case an event of default with respect to our debt securities of a particular series occurs and is continuing, the applicable trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under that indenture at the request, order or direction of any of the holders of debt securities of that series, unless the holders have offered to the applicable trustee reasonable security or indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in complying with such request or direction.  Subject to the provisions for the indemnification of the applicable trustee, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the applicable trustee under the applicable indenture, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the applicable trustee with respect to the debt securities of that series.

 

Merger or Consolidation

 

Each indenture provides that we may not consolidate with or merge or wind up into any other entity, whether or not we are the surviving entity, and that we may not sell, assign, convey, transfer or lease our properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any person, unless:

 

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·                  the entity formed by the consolidation or into which we are merged, or the person which acquires us or which leases our properties and assets substantially as an entirety, is an entity organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America or any State or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia, and expressly assumes, by supplemental indenture, the due and punctual payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on all the outstanding debt securities and the performance of all of our covenants under the applicable indenture;

 

·                  immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no event of default under the applicable indenture, and no event which after notice or lapse of time or both would become an event of default, has happened and is continuing; and

 

·                  all other conditions specified in the applicable prospectus supplement are met.

 

Modification or Waiver

 

Without prior notice to or the consent of any holders, we and the applicable trustee may modify the applicable indenture for any of the following purposes:

 

·                  to evidence the succession of another entity to us and the assumption by that successor of our covenants and obligations under the applicable indenture and under our debt securities issued thereunder;

 

·                  to add one or more covenants or other provisions for the benefit of the holders of all or any series of debt securities, and if those covenants are to be for the benefit of less than all series, stating that those covenants are expressly being included solely for the benefit of that series, or to surrender any right or power conferred upon us;

 

·                  to add any additional events of default for all or any series of debt securities, and if those events of default are to be applicable to less than all series, stating that those events of default are expressly being included solely to be applicable to that series;

 

·                  to change or eliminate any provision of the applicable indenture or to add any new provision to the applicable indenture that does not adversely affect the interests of the holders;

 

·                  to provide security for the debt securities of any series or to provide that any of our obligations under the debt securities or the applicable indenture shall be guaranteed and the terms and conditions for the release or substitution of the security or guarantee;

 

·                  to supplement any of the provisions of the applicable indenture to the extent necessary to permit or facilitate the defeasance and discharge of any series of debt securities, provided, that any such action will not adversely affect the interests of the holders of debt securities of that series or any other series of debt securities issued under the applicable indenture in any material respect;

 

·                  to establish the form or terms of debt securities of any series as permitted by the applicable indenture;

 

·                  to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment of a separate or successor trustee with respect to one or more series of debt securities and to add to or change any of the provisions of the applicable indenture as is necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts thereunder by more than one trustee;

 

·                  to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency;

 

·                  to eliminate any conflict between the terms of the applicable indenture and the debt securities issued thereunder and the Trust Indenture Act; or

 

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·                  to modify any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under the applicable indenture that will not be inconsistent with any provision of the applicable indenture, provided, those other provisions do not adversely affect the interests of the holders of our outstanding debt securities of any series created thereunder prior to such modification in any material respect.

 

We and the applicable trustee may, with some exceptions, amend or modify either indenture with the consent of the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of all series affected by the amendment or modification.  However, no amendment or modification may, without the consent of the holder of each outstanding debt security affected thereby:

 

·                  change the stated maturity of the principal of or interest on any debt security (other than pursuant to the terms of the debt security), reduce the principal amount, premium or interest payable upon redemption, change the currency in which any debt security is payable, or impair the right to bring suit to enforce any payment;

 

·                  reduce the percentages of holders whose consent is required for any modification or waiver or reduce the requirements for quorum and voting under the applicable indenture;

 

·                  modify certain of the provisions in the applicable indenture relating to supplemental indentures and waivers of certain covenants and past defaults; or

 

A modification which changes or eliminates any provision of an indenture expressly included solely for the benefit of holders of debt securities of one or more particular series or modifies the holders’ rights will be deemed not to affect the rights under the indenture of the registered holders of debt securities of any other series.

 

Each of the indentures provides that the holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding debt securities of any series, by notice to the relevant trustee, may on behalf of the holders of the debt securities of that series waive any default or event of default and its consequences under the applicable indenture, except:

 

·                  a continuing default or event of default in the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on any such debt security held by a non-consenting holder; or

 

·                  a default in respect of a covenant or provision of the indenture which cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the holder of each outstanding debt security of each series affected.

 

Legal Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance

 

The applicable indenture with respect to the debt securities of any series may be discharged, subject to the terms and conditions as specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, when either:

 

·                  all debt securities, with the exceptions provided for in the applicable indenture, of that series have been delivered to the applicable trustee for cancellation;

 

·                  all debt securities of that series not theretofore delivered to the applicable trustee for cancellation:

 

·                  have become due and payable;

 

·                  will become due and payable at their stated maturity within one year; or

 

·                  are to be called for redemption within one year; or

 

·                  certain events or conditions occur as specified in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

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In addition, each series of debt securities may provide additional or different terms or conditions for the discharge or defeasance of some or all of our obligations as may be specified in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

If provision is made for the defeasance of debt securities of a series, and if the debt securities of that series are registered securities and denominated and payable only in U.S. dollars, then the provisions of each indenture relating to defeasance will be applicable except as otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement for debt securities of that series.  Defeasance provisions, if any, for debt securities denominated in a foreign currency or currencies may be specified in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

At our option, either (1) we will be deemed to have been discharged from our obligations with respect to debt securities of any series, i.e., the “legal defeasance option,” or (2) we will cease to be under any obligation to comply with certain provisions of the applicable indenture with respect to certain covenants, if any, specified in the applicable prospectus supplement with respect to debt securities of any series, i.e., the “covenant defeasance option,” at any time after the conditions specified in the applicable prospectus supplement have been satisfied.

 

Senior Debt Securities

 

The senior debt securities will be unsecured senior obligations and will rank equally with all other senior unsecured and unsubordinated debt.  The senior debt securities will, however, be subordinated in right of payment to all of our secured indebtedness to the extent of the value of the assets securing that indebtedness.  Except as provided in the senior indenture or specified in any authorizing resolution or supplemental indenture relating to a series of senior debt securities to be issued, no senior indenture will limit the amount of additional indebtedness that may rank equally with the senior debt securities or the amount of indebtedness, secured or otherwise, that may be incurred or preferred shares that may be issued by any of our subsidiaries.

 

Subordination

 

If our assets are distributed upon our dissolution, winding up, liquidation or reorganization, the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on any subordinated debt securities will be subordinated in right of payment, to the extent provided in the subordinated indenture and the applicable prospectus supplement, to the prior payment in full of all senior indebtedness, including senior debt securities.  However, our obligation to pay the principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on the subordinated debt securities will not otherwise be affected.  Unless otherwise stated in the applicable prospectus supplement, payment on account of principal (or premium, if any), sinking funds or interest on the subordinated debt securities may not be made at any time when there is a default in the payment of the principal, premium, if any, sinking funds, interest or certain other obligations on senior indebtedness.  In addition, the prospectus supplement for any series of subordinated debt securities may provide that payments of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on the subordinated debt securities may be delayed or not paid under specified circumstances and periods.  If, while we are in default on senior indebtedness, any payment is received by the trustee under the subordinated indenture or the holders of any of the subordinated debt securities before we have paid all senior indebtedness in full, the payment or distribution must be paid over to the holders of the unpaid senior indebtedness or applied to the repayment of the unpaid senior indebtedness.  Subject to paying the senior indebtedness in full, the holders of the subordinated debt securities will be subrogated to the rights of the holders of the senior indebtedness to the extent that payments are made to the holders of senior indebtedness out of the distributive share of the subordinated debt securities.

 

Due to the subordination, if our assets are distributed upon insolvency, some or all of our general creditors may recover more, ratably, than holders of subordinated debt securities.  The subordinated indenture or applicable supplemental indenture may state that its subordination provisions will not apply to money and securities held in trust under the satisfaction and discharge and the legal defeasance provisions of the subordinated indenture.

 

If this prospectus is being delivered in connection with the offering of a series of subordinated debt securities, the applicable prospectus supplement or the information incorporated by reference in it will specify the approximate amount of senior indebtedness outstanding as of a recent date and any limitations on the issuance of additional

 

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senior indebtedness (or that there is not such limitation).  Senior indebtedness with respect to any series of subordinated debt securities will have the meaning specified in the applicable prospectus supplement for that series.

 

Corporate Existence

 

Subject to the terms of the applicable indenture, we will do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect our corporate existence, charter and statutory rights and franchises; provided, however, that we will not be required to preserve any right or franchise if we determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of our business.

 

Governing Law

 

The indentures and our debt securities will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York.

 

Guarantees

 

If the applicable prospectus supplement relating to a series of debt securities provides that those debt securities will have the benefit of a guarantee by TriMas’s then existing or future subsidiaries, then the debt securities will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by such guarantor subsidiaries.  In the event of a bankruptcy, liquidation or reorganization of any of the non-guarantor subsidiaries, the non-guarantor subsidiaries will pay the holders of their debt and their trade creditors before they will be able to distribute any of their assets to us.  The guarantees will be general obligations of each guarantor.  The guarantees will be joint and several obligations of the guarantors.  If a series of debt securities is so guaranteed, a supplemental indenture to the applicable base indenture will be executed by each guarantor.  The Subsidiary Guarantors are guarantors under the indenture governing our existing senior notes and our existing senior credit facilities.  The obligations of each guarantor under its guarantee will be limited as necessary to prevent that guarantee from constituting a fraudulent conveyance under applicable law.  The terms of any guarantee and the conditions upon which any guarantor may be released from its obligations under that guarantee will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

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SELLING STOCKHOLDERS

 

Background

 

In 1998, the Company was acquired by Metaldyne Corporation (“Metaldyne”) (which was then named MascoTech, Inc.) and, in November 2000, Metaldyne was acquired by an investor group led by the Selling Stockholder.  On June 6, 2002, an investor group led by the Selling Stockholder acquired 66% of the Company’s fully diluted common equity from Metaldyne.  Upon the consummation of the Company’s initial public offering on May 17, 2007, the Selling Stockholder retained control of approximately 45.2% of the Company’s voting stock.

 

Material Relationships

 

The Company, the Selling Stockholder and certain other parties are party to a Shareholders Agreement.  As a result of dispositions of the Company’s common equity by the Selling Stockholder and the other parties to the Shareholders Agreement since the Company’s initial public offering, the Selling Stockholder is no longer entitled to elect a majority of the Company’s Board of Directors pursuant to the terms of the Shareholders Agreement.  However, based on the Selling Stockholder’s ownership of approximately 33.9% of the Company’s outstanding voting common equity, the Selling Stockholder has the power to influence the election of a majority of the Company’s directors.  There are no arrangements or understandings between any of the Company’s directors on the one hand and the Selling Stockholder on the other hand pursuant to which a director was selected.  The Shareholders Agreement also provides the Selling Stockholder and the other parties to it with certain registration rights under the Securities Act.

 

The Company and the Selling Stockholder are also party to an advisory services agreement, pursuant to which the Selling Stockholder is reimbursed for certain of its expenses and may continue to earn a fee not to exceed 1.0% of the transaction value for services provided in connection with certain future financings, acquisitions and divestitures by the Company, in each case subject to the approval by the disinterested members of the Company’s Board of Directors.  The Selling Stockholder did not charge the Company any fees related to transaction services in 2010.  During 2009, the independent directors approved fees of approximately $2.9 million for services rendered in connection with the Company’s debt refinancing activities and $0.1 million for reimbursement of normal-course operating expenses.

 

The Company has also entered into an agreement with the Selling Stockholder granting certain rights to consult with management and receive information about the Company and to consult with the Company on significant matters so long as the Selling Stockholder continues to own any of the Company’s securities.  The Selling Stockholder has the right to attend Board of Directors meetings as an observer if they no longer have the right to designate one or more members of the Board of Directors.  The Selling Stockholder must maintain the confidentiality of any material non-public information it receives in connection with the foregoing rights.   The Selling Stockholder will not be paid any fees or receive any compensation or expense reimbursement pursuant to this agreement.

 

One of the Company’s directors, Mr. Tredwell, is the managing member of the Selling Stockholder.  Mr. Valenti, the Company’s Chairman, is a former advisor to the Selling Stockholder and is affiliated with entities that are members of a limited liability company that owns a limited partnership interest in the Selling Stockholder.

 

Ownership as of December 31, 2010

 

The Selling Stockholder may resell from time to time up to 11,904,972 shares of our common stock (plus an indeterminate number of shares of our common stock that may be issued upon stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions in accordance with Rule 416 of the Securities Act).

 

The following table, based upon information currently known by us, sets forth as of December 31, 2010:  (i) the number of shares held of record or beneficially by the Selling Stockholder as of such date (as determined below) and (ii) the number of shares that may be offered under this prospectus by the Selling Stockholder.  Unless otherwise indicated below, to our knowledge, all persons named in the table have sole voting and investment power with respect to their shares of common stock, except to the extent authority is shared by their spouses under applicable law.

 

 

Name of Selling Stockholder

 

Common Stock
Beneficially Owned
Prior to the
Offering(1)

 

Common Stock
Offered Pursuant
to this
Prospectus(1)

 

Owned Upon
Completion of
this Offering (2)

 

Percentage of
Common Stock
Owned Upon
Completion of
this Offering(3)

 

Heartland Industrial Associates, L.L.C.

 

11,904,972

 

11,904,972

 

0

 

0

 

 


(1)      These shares of common stock are beneficially owned indirectly by the Selling Stockholder as the general partner, managing member and/or general partner of a sole member, as the case may be, of each of the limited partnerships or limited liability companies listed below, which hold shares of common stock directly.  These limited partnerships and limited liability companies are holders of record of common stock as follows: 8,820,936 shares are held by TriMas Investment Fund I, L.L.C. (“TIF I”);  2,243,827 shares are held by Metaldyne Investment Fund I, L.L.C. (“MIF I”); 673,065 shares are held by HIP Side-by-Side Partners, L.P.; 134,192 shares are held by TriMas Investment Fund II, L.L.C. and 32,952 shares are held by Metaldyne Investment Fund II, L.L.C.  In addition, by reason of a shareholders agreement, the Selling Stockholder, and Heartland Industrial Partners, L.P., as the managing member of TIF I and MIF I, may be deemed to share beneficial ownership of shares of common stock held by other shareholders party to such shareholders agreement and may be considered to be members of a “group,” as such term is used under Section 13(d) under the Exchange Act.  In offerings hereunder, it is presently expected that the Selling Stockholder would determine the actual allocation of the aggregate of 11,904,972 shares among the holders of record of the common stock.  The address of Heartland Industrial Associates, L.L.C. and its affiliated funds listed above is 177 Broad Street, 10th Floor, Stamford, Connecticut 06901.  Daniel P. Tredwell is the Managing Member of the Selling Stockholder and, as such, has sole voting and dispositive power over the shares held by the Selling Stockholder.  Mr. Tredwell disclaims beneficial ownership of such shares.  The Selling Stockholder is neither a broker-dealer nor an affiliate of a broker-dealer.

 

(2)      We do not know when or in what amounts the Selling Stockholder may offer shares for sale.  The Selling Stockholder may not sell any or all of the shares offered by this prospectus.  Because the Selling Stockholder may offer all or some of the shares pursuant to this offering, we cannot estimate the number of the shares that will be held by the Selling Stockholder after completion of the offering.  However, for purposes of this table, we have assumed that, after completion of the offering, none of the shares covered by this prospectus will be held by the Selling Stockholder.

 

(3)      Percentage ownership is based on 34,065,856 shares of common stock outstanding as of December 31, 2010, plus 1,048,106 shares of common stock deemed to be outstanding with respect to individual stockholders pursuant to Rule 13d-3(d)(1) under the Exchange Act.

 

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

 

Offering by Registrants

 

We may sell the securities:

 

·                       through underwriters or dealers;

 

·                       through agents;

 

·                       directly to purchasers; or

 

·                       through a combination of any such methods of sale.

 

Any underwriter, dealer or agent may be deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act.  The prospectus supplement relating to any offering of securities by us will set forth its offering terms, including the name or names of any underwriters, the purchase price of the securities and the proceeds to us from such sale, any underwriting discounts, commissions and other items constituting underwriters’ compensation, any initial public offering price, and any underwriting discounts, commissions and other items allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers, and any securities exchanges on which the securities may be listed.  Only underwriters so named in the prospectus supplement are deemed to be underwriters in connection with the securities offered by us within this prospectus.

 

If underwriters are used in the sale, they will acquire the securities for their own account and may resell them from time to time in one or more transactions, at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed, or at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, or at prices related to such prevailing market prices, or at negotiated prices.  The securities may be offered to the public either through underwriting syndicates represented by one or more managing underwriters or directly by one or more of such firms.  Unless otherwise set forth in the prospectus supplement, the obligations of the underwriters to purchase the securities will be subject to certain conditions precedent and the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all the offered securities if any are purchased.  Any initial public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers may be changed from time to time.

 

Any agent involved in the offer or sale of the securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered will be named, and any commissions payable by us to the agent will be set forth, in the accompanying prospectus supplement.  Unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement, any such agent will be acting on a best efforts basis for the period of its appointment.

 

If so indicated in the prospectus supplement, we will authorize underwriters, dealers or agents to solicit offers by certain specified institutions to purchase securities from us at the public offering price set forth in the accompanying prospectus supplement pursuant to delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on a specified date in the future.  These contracts will be subject to any conditions set forth in the accompanying prospectus supplement and the prospectus supplement will set forth the commission payable for solicitation of these contracts.  The underwriters and other persons soliciting these contracts will have no responsibility for the validity or performance of any such contracts.

 

Any underwriters to whom or agents through whom these securities are sold by us for public offering and sale may make a market in these securities, but such underwriters or agents will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice.  No assurance can be given as to the liquidity of or the trading market for any such securities.

 

Underwriters, dealers and agents may be entitled, under agreements entered into with us, to indemnification by us against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act or to contribution by us to payments they may be required to make in respect thereof.

 

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In compliance with the guidelines of the Financial Industry Regulatory, Inc., or FINRA, the maximum commission or discount to be received by any FINRA member or independent broker dealer may not exceed 8% of the aggregate principal amount of securities offered pursuant to this prospectus.

 

Certain of the underwriters, agents or dealers and their associates may engage in transactions with and perform services for us in the ordinary course of business.

 

Our common stock is quoted on NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “TRS.”  The other securities are not listed on any securities exchange or other stock market and, unless we state otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, we do not intend to apply for listing of the other securities on any securities exchange or other stock market.  Any underwriters to whom we sell securities for public offering and sale may make a market in the securities that they purchase, but the underwriters will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice.  Accordingly, we give you no assurance as to the development or liquidity of any trading market for the securities.

 

Offering by Selling Stockholder

 

The Selling Stockholder may, from time to time, sell any or all of their shares of common stock on any stock exchange, market or trading facility on which the shares are traded or in private transactions.  These sales may be at fixed or negotiated prices.  The Selling Stockholder may use any one or more of the following methods when selling such shares:

 

·                                          ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker-dealer solicits purchasers;

 

·                                          block trades in which the broker-dealer will attempt to sell the shares as agent but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction;

 

·                                          purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by the broker-dealer for its account;

 

·                                          an exchange distribution in accordance with the rules of the applicable exchange;

 

·                                          privately negotiated transactions;

 

·                                          short sales;

 

·                                          through the writing or settlement of options or other hedging transactions, whether through an options exchange or otherwise;

 

·                                          broker-dealers may agree with the Selling Stockholder to sell a specified number of such shares at a stipulated price per share;

 

·                                          one or more underwritten offerings on a firm commitment or best efforts basis;

 

·                                          a combination of any such methods of sale; and

 

·                                          any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law.

 

The Selling Stockholder may also sell such shares under Rule 144 under the Securities Act, if available, rather than under this prospectus.

 

Broker-dealers engaged by the Selling Stockholder may arrange for other broker-dealers to participate in sales.  Broker-dealers may receive commissions or discounts from the Selling Stockholder  (or, if any broker-dealer acts as agent for the purchaser of shares, from the purchaser) in amounts to be negotiated, which commissions or discounts may be less than or in excess of those customary in the types of transactions involved.  Any profits on the

 

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resale of shares of common stock by a broker-dealer acting as principal might be deemed to be underwriting discounts or commissions under the Securities Act.  Discounts, concessions, commissions and similar selling expenses, if any, attributable to the sale of shares will be borne by a Selling Stockholder.

 

The Selling Stockholder may from time to time pledge or grant a security interest in some or all of the shares of common stock owned by them and, if they default in the performance of their secured obligations, the pledgees or secured parties may offer and sell the shares of common stock from time to time under this prospectus after we have filed a supplement to this prospectus under Rule 424(b)(3) or other applicable provision of the Securities Act supplementing or amending the list of Selling Stockholder to include the pledgee, transferee or other successors in interest as Selling Stockholder under this prospectus.

 

The Selling Stockholder also may transfer the shares of common stock in other circumstances, in which case the transferees, pledgees or other successors in interest will be the selling beneficial owners for purposes of this prospectus and may sell the shares of common stock from time to time under this prospectus after we have filed a supplement to this prospectus under Rule 424(b)(3) or other applicable provision of the Securities Act supplementing or amending the list of selling stockholders to include the pledgee, transferee or other successors in interest as selling stockholders under this prospectus.

 

Any broker-dealers or agents that are involved in selling the shares of common stock may be deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act in connection with such sales.  In such event, any commissions received by such broker-dealers or agents and any profit on the resale of the shares of common stock purchased by them may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts under the Securities Act.  In no event shall any broker-dealer receive fees, commissions or markups which, in the aggregate, would exceed eight percent (8%) of the gross proceeds received by the Selling Stockholder for the sale of securities hereunder.

 

We are required to pay all fees and expenses incident to the registration of the shares of common stock.  We have agreed to indemnify the Selling Stockholder (as well as persons, including broker-dealers or agents deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act) against certain losses, claims, damages and liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, in accordance with a registration rights agreement, or the Selling Stockholder will be entitled to contribution.

 

The Selling Stockholder has advised us that it has not entered into any agreements, understandings or arrangements with any underwriters or broker-dealers regarding the sale of its shares of common stock, nor is there an underwriter or coordinating broker acting in connection with a proposed sale of shares of common stock by the Selling Stockholder.  If we are notified by the Selling Stockholder that any material arrangement has been entered into with any underwriters or broker-dealers for the sale of shares of common stock, if required, we will file a supplement to this prospectus.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

 

The validity of the securities offered in this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP.

 

INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

The consolidated balance sheets of the Company as of December 31, 2010 and 2009, and the related consolidated statements of operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2010, together with the related notes, management’s report on internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2010, and the reports of KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, all contained in the Company’s 2010 annual report on Form 10-K, are incorporated herein by reference.

 

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

We have filed a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act with the SEC to register the securities offered by this prospectus.  This prospectus, which constitutes a part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement or the exhibits and schedules which are a part of the registration statement.  For further information with respect to us and our securities, please refer to the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules filed with it.  You may read and copy any document which we file with the SEC at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549.  You may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330.  We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements, and other information with the SEC and these reports, proxy statements, and other information can be inspected on the Internet site maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov.

 

We are also subject to the information and periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange Act.  We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements, and other information with the SEC to comply with the Exchange Act.

 

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INFORMATION INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

 

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” the information we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents.  The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus and information we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information.  We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings made with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.  The documents we are incorporating by reference as of their respective dates of filing are as follows:

 

·                       Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010 filed with the SEC on February 28, 2011; and

 

·                       The description of our common stock contained in our registration statement on Form8-A (File No. 001-10716).

 

We are not, however, incorporating by reference any documents or portions thereof, whether specifically listed above or filed in the future, that are not deemed “filed” with the SEC, including any information furnished pursuant to Items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K or certain exhibits furnished pursuant to Item 9.01 of Form 8-K.

 

All documents we file with the SEC pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this prospectus but before the termination of the offering by this prospectus shall be deemed to be incorporated herein by reference and to be a part hereof from the date of the filing of those documents.  In addition, we also incorporate by reference all filings we make with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of the filing of this registration statement and prior to the effectiveness of this registration statement.

 

Any statement contained in a document incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for all purposes to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus, or in any other subsequently filed document which is also incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference, modifies or supersedes such statement.  Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus.

 

You may request, orally or in writing, a copy of these documents, which will be provided to you at no cost, by contacting:

 

Investor Relations
39400 Woodward Avenue, Suite 130
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan  49304
(248) 631-5450.

 

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GRAPHIC

 

COMMON STOCK AND DEBT SECURITIES

 

GUARANTEES OF DEBT SECURITIES OF TRIMAS
CORPORATION BY THE SUBSIDIARY GUARANTORS

 

AND

 

11,904,972 SHARES OF COMMON STOCK OFFERED BY THE SELLING STOCKHOLDER

 

 

PROSPECTUS

 

              , 2011

 



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PART II

 

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

 

Item 14.                                                    Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

 

The following table itemizes the fees and expenses incurred or expected to be incurred by the registrant in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities being registered, other than underwriting discounts and commissions.

 

Item

 

Amount

 

Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee

 

$

53,954

 

Legal fees and expenses

 

*

 

Accounting fees and expenses

 

*

 

Printing fees and expenses

 

*

 

Rating agencies fees

 

*

 

Trustee fees (including counsel fees)

 

*

 

Miscellaneous fees and expenses

 

*

 

Total

 

*

 

 


*              Estimated expenses are not presently known because they depend upon, among other things, the number of offerings that will be made pursuant to this registration statement, the amount and type of securities being offered and the timing of such offerings. The foregoing sets forth the general categories of expenses (other than underwriting discounts and commissions) that we anticipate we will incur in connection with the offering of securities under this registration statement on Form S-3. An estimate of the aggregate expenses in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities being offered will be included in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

Item 15.                                                    Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

 

The Delaware Corporations

 

Delaware General Corporation Law

 

TriMas Corporation is a Delaware corporation.  Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of Delaware as the same exists or may hereafter be amended, inter alia, provides that a Delaware corporation may indemnify any person who was, or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of such corporation), by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise.  The indemnity may include expenses (including attorney’s fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding, if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the corporation’s best interests and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that the person’s conduct was unlawful.

 

A Delaware corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise.  The indemnity may include expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the corporation’s best interests, except that no indemnification is permitted without judicial approval if the officer, director, employee or agent is adjudged to be liable to the corporation.

 

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Where a present or former director or officer has been successful on the merits or otherwise in the defense of any action referred to above, the corporation must indemnify the person against the expenses (including attorney’s fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection therewith.

 

Section 145 further authorizes a corporation to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of such person’s status as such whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability under Section 145.

 

Article 11 of our certificate of incorporation provides that each person who was or is made a party to (or is threatened to be made a party to) or is otherwise involved in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that such person is or was one of our directors or officers shall be indemnified and held harmless by us to the fullest extent authorized by the General Corporation Law of Delaware against all expenses, liability and loss (including without limitation attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement) reasonably incurred by such person in connection therewith.  The rights conferred by Article 11 are contractual rights and include the right to be paid by us the expenses incurred in defending such action, suit or proceeding in advance of the final disposition thereof.  In addition, Section 7 of our amended and restated by-laws state that we may indemnify our officers, directors, employees and agents to the fullest extent permitted by the General Corporation Law of Delaware.

 

Article 10 of our certificate of incorporation provides that our directors will not be personally liable to us or our stockholders for monetary damages resulting from breaches of their fiduciary duty as directors except (a) for any breach of the duty of loyalty to us or our stockholders, (b) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (c) under Section 174 of the General Corporation Law of Delaware, which makes directors liable for unlawful dividends or unlawful stock repurchases or redemptions or (d) for transactions from which a director derives improper personal benefit.

 

Our directors and officers are covered by insurance policies indemnifying them against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the federal securities laws (other than liability under Section 16(b) of the 1934 Act), which might be incurred by them in such capacities.

 

We have entered into indemnity agreements with our directors and certain of our executive officers for the indemnification and advancement of expenses to these persons.  We believe that these provisions and agreements are necessary to attract and retain qualified directors and executive officers.  We also intend to enter into these agreements with our future directors and certain of our executive officers.  Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling our company pursuant to the foregoing provisions, we have been informed that, in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

 

Arrow Engine Company, Cequent Performance Products, Inc., Compac Corporation, Lamons Gasket Company, Monogram Aerospace Fasteners, Inc., Norris Cylinder Company, Richards Micro-Tool, Inc., Rieke Leasing Co., Incorporated and Rieke of Mexico, Inc.

 

Article 6 of the each corporations’ Bylaws provide that the corporation shall, to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware Corporation Law indemnify any person whom it shall have power to indemnify under such Act from and against any and all of the expenses, liabilities or other matters referred to in or covered by such law.

 

The third paragraph of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Cequent Performance Products, Inc. provides that the corporation shall, to the fullest extent permitted by Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, indemnify any and all persons whom it shall have the power to indemnify under that section.

 

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NI Industries, Inc.

 

Article 6 of the Bylaws of NI Industries, Inc. provides that the corporation shall indemnify any person who was or is an authorized representative of the corporation and who is a party to or threatened to be made a party to any third party or corporate proceeding by reason of the fact that such person was or is an authorized representative of the corporation against expenses, judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such proceedings if such person acted in good faith and in a manner that such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interest of the corporation and with respect to a criminal proceeding had no reasonable cause to believe such conduct was unlawful. However, no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim on which such person have been adjudged to be liable for negligence or misconduct in the performance of such person’s duty to the corporation unless the Court of Chancery shall determines otherwise.

 

The Delaware Limited Liability Companies

 

Delaware Limited Liability Company Act

 

Section 18-108 of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act provides that subject to such standards and restrictions, if any, as set forth in its limited liability company agreement, a limited liability company may, and shall have the power to, indemnify and hold harmless any member or manager or other person from and against any and all claims and demands whatsoever.

 

TriMas Company LLC and Hi-Vol Products LLC

 

Section 2.06 of of the Limited Liability Company Agreement of TriMas Company LLC and the Limited Liability Company Agreement of Hi-Vol Products LLC requires the company to indemnify and hold harmless a member in the event such member becomes liable for any debt, obligation or liability of the company or is directly or indirectly required to make payments with respect thereto. The Limited Liability Company Agreements also provide that each member shall be indemnified and saved harmless by the company from any claim, demand, loss or damage incurred by such member on behalf of the company, except if such act or omission shall be contrary to the Limited Liability Company Agreement or result from such member’s gross negligence or fraud.

 

TriMas International Holdings LLC and Towing Holding LLC

 

Article 7 of the Limited Liability Company Agreement of TriMas International Holdings LLC and Article 6 of the Limited Liability Company Agreement of Towing Holding LLC provide that a person who is a member shall not be liable for the acts, debts or liabilities of the company beyond its capital contribution. Article 7 and Article 6 of the respective Limited Liability Company Agreements also provide that to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the members shall be entitled to indemnification from the company for any loss, damage or claim incurred by the members by reason of any act or mission performed or omitted by in good faith on behalf of the company and any other manager, member or any affiliate of the manager or members and any officers, directors, shareholders, partner or employee of the manager or members and their respective affiliates shall be entitled to indemnification from the company for any loss, damage or claim incurred by such persons by reason of any act or omission performed or omitted by such person in good faith on behalf of the company and in a manner reasonably believed to be within the scope of authority conferred on such person by this Limited Liability Company Agreement, except that no such person shall be entitled to be indemnified in respect of any loss, damage, or claim incurred by such person by reason of gross negligence or willful misconduct with respect to such acts or omissions.

 

The Indiana Corporation

 

Indiana Business Corporation Law

 

Chapter 37 of the Indiana Business Corporation Law (“IBCL”) provides that unless otherwise provided in its articles of incorporation, a corporation may indemnify its directors and officers under certain circumstances against liability incurred in connection with proceedings to which the officers or directors are made a party by reason of

 

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their position in the corporation. A director or officer may be indemnified if (i) the individual’s conduct was in good faith, (ii) the individual reasonably believed (a) that the conduct was in the best interests of the corporation (if the individual was acting in his official capacity with the corporation) or (b) that the conduct was not opposed to the corporation’s best interests (in all other cases), and (iii) in the case of a criminal proceeding, the individual either had reasonable cause to believe his conduct was lawful or had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. Unless limited by its articles of incorporation, a corporation must indemnify a director or officer against reasonable expenses incurred by the director or officer if the director or officer was wholly successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any proceeding to which the director or officer was a made party because of his position in the corporation.

 

The IBCL permits a corporation to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of an individual who is or was a director or officer of the corporation.

 

Rieke Corporation

 

Article 6 of the Bylaws of Rieke Corporation provides that the corporation shall, to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware Corporation Law indemnify any person whom it shall have power to indemnify under such Act from and against any and all of the expenses, liabilities or other matters referred to in or covered by such law.

 

The Michigan Corporation

 

Michigan Business Corporation Act

 

Sections 561 of the Michigan Business Corporation Act (the “MBCA”) gives a corporation the power to indemnify a person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to a threatened, pending, or completed action, suit, or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative and whether formal or informal, other than an action by or in the right of the corporation, by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director, officer, employee, or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee, or agent of another foreign or domestic corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, or other enterprise, whether for profit or not, against expenses, including attorneys’ fees, judgments, penalties, fines, and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with the action, suit, or proceeding, if the person acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation or its shareholders, and with respect to a criminal action or proceeding, if the person had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. Section 209 (1)(c) of the MBCA permits a Michigan corporation to include in its articles of incorporation a provision eliminating or limiting a director’s liability to a corporation or its shareholders for money damages for any action taken or any failure to take any action as a director, except liability for  (i) an amount of a financial benefit received by a director to which he or she is not entitled; (ii) intentional infliction of harm on the corporation or the shareholders; (iii) a violation of section 551 of the MBCA; or (iv) an intentional criminal act.

 

Keo Cutters, Inc.

 

Article 6 of the Bylaws of Keo Cutters, Inc. provides that the corporation shall indemnify any director, officer or employee of the corporation whom shall have power to indemnify under the Act from and against any and all of the expenses, liabilities or other matters referred to in or covered by such Act and may indemnify any agent of the corporation to the such extent and to such effect as the Board of Directors shall determine to be appropriate and permitted by applicable law, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended.

 

The Ohio Corporations

 

Ohio General Corporation Law

 

Section 1701.13(E) of the Ohio General Corporation Law (the “OGCL”) permits a corporation to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director or officer of another entity,

 

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because the person is or was a director or officer, against expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the director or officer in connection with the suit, action or proceeding if (i) the director or officer acted in good faith and in a manner the director or officer reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and (ii) with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, the director or officer had no reasonable cause to believe the director’s or officer’s conduct was unlawful. In the case of an action by or in the right of the corporation, however, such indemnification may only apply to expenses actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action and no such indemnification may be made if either (a) the director or officer has been adjudged to be liable for negligence or misconduct in the performance of the director’s or officer’s duty to the corporation, unless and only to the extent that the court in which the proceeding was brought determines that the director or officer is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification for such expenses as the court deems proper, or (b) the only liability asserted against a director in a proceeding relates to the director’s approval of an impermissible dividend, distribution, redemption or loan. The OGCL further provides that to the extent a director or officer has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to above, the corporation must indemnify the director or officer against expenses actually and reasonably incurred by the director or officer in connection with the action, suit or proceeding.

 

The OGCL also permits corporations to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any director or officer against any liability asserted against such director or officer and incurred by such director or officer in his capacity as a director or officer, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify the director or officer against such liability under the OGCL.

 

Cequent Consumer Products, Inc.

 

Article 5 of the Bylaws provides that the corporation shall indemnify any director or officer to the fullest extent provided by, or permissible under Section 1701.13(E), Ohio Revised Code and specifically authorizes the corporation to take any and all further action to effectuate any indemnification of any director or officer which any Ohio corporation may have power to take, by any vote of the shareholders, vote of disinterested directors, by any agreement, or otherwise. The Bylaws also provides that the corporation may purchase and maintain insurance for protection of the corporation and for protection of the any director, officer, employee and /or any other person for whose protection and to the fullest extent such insurance may be purchased and maintained under 1701.13(E)(7), Ohio Revised Code, or otherwise.

 

Dew Technologies, Inc.

 

Article 8 of the Bylaws of Dew Technologies, Inc. provides that the corporation shall indemnify any person who was or is an authorized representative of the corporation and who is a party to or threatened to be made a party to any third party or corporate proceeding by reason of the fact that such person was or is an authorized representative of the corporation against expenses, judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such proceedings if such person acted in good faith and in a manner that such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interest of the corporation and with respect to a criminal proceeding had no reasonable cause to believe such conduct was unlawful. However, no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim on which such person have been adjudged to be liable for negligence or misconduct in the performance of such person’s duty to the corporation unless the Court of Chancery shall determines otherwise.

 

Lake Erie Products Corporation

 

Article 8 of the Bylaws of Lake Erie Products Corporation provides that the corporation shall indemnify, to the full extent authorized or permitted by applicable law, any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceedings, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, including an action by or in the right of the corporation, by reason of the fact that he is or was a director or officer of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director or officer of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise.

 

The Wisconsin Limited Liability Company

 

Wisconsin Business Corporation Act

 

Section 180.0851 of the Wisconsin Business Corporation Law (the “WBCL”) requires a corporation to indemnify a director or officer, to the extent such person is successful on the merits or otherwise in the defense of a proceeding for all reasonable expenses incurred in the proceeding, if such person was a party to such proceeding because he or she was a director or officer of the corporation. In other cases, a corporation must indemnify a director or officer against liability incurred in a proceeding if such person was a party to such proceeding because he or she was a director or officer of the corporation, unless it is determined that he or she breached or failed to perform a duty owed to the corporation and such breach or failure to perform constitutes: (i) a willful failure to deal fairly with the corporation or its shareholders in connection with a matter in which the director or officer has a material conflict of interest; (ii) a violation of criminal law, unless the director or officer had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful; (iii) a transaction from which the director or officer derived an improper personal profit; or (iv) willful misconduct.

 

Section 180.0858 of the WBCL provides that subject to certain limitations, the mandatory indemnification provisions do not preclude any additional right to indemnification or allowance of expenses that a director or officer may have under the article of incorporation or bylaws of a corporation, a written agreement between the director or officer and a corporation, or a resolution of the board of directors or the shareholders.

 

The Hammerblow Company, LLC

 

Article 14 of the Bylaws provides that the corporation shall indemnify a director or officer, to the extent he/she has been successful on the merits or otherwise in the defense of any threatened, pending or completed civil, criminal, administrative or investigative action, suit, arbitration or other proceeding, whether formal or informal, which involves foreign, federal, state or local law and which is brought by or in the right of the corporation or by any other person, for all reasonable expenses, including fees, costs, charges, disbursements and attorney fees, incurred in the proceeding, provided the director or officer was a party because he/ she is a director or officer of the corporation, and in all other cases, the corporation shall indemnify a director of officer against liability, including judgments, settlements, penalties, assessment, forfeitures, fines and reasonable expenses, incurred by the director or officer in the proceeding, provided the director or officer breached or failed to perform a duty he/ she owes to the corporation and the breach or failure to perform constitutes (a) a willful failure to deal fairly with the corporation or its shareholders in connection with the matter in which the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe his/ her conduct was lawful or no reasonable cause to believe his/her conduct was unlawful, (c) a transaction from which the director or officer derived an improper personal profit, or (d) willful misconduct.

 

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Item 16.                                                    Exhibits.

 

The Exhibits listed on the Exhibit Index of this Registration Statement are filed herewith or are incorporated herein by reference to other filings.

 

Item 17.                                                    Undertakings.

 

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

 

(1)                                  To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

 

(i)           To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

 

(ii)            To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration

 

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statement.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in the volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and

 

(iii)            To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

 

provided, however, that paragraphs (i), (ii) and (iii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

 

(2)           That, for the purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at the time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

(3)           To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

 

(4)           That, for purposes of determining liability under the Securities Act to any purchaser, each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness.  Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use.

 

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, in a primary offering of securities of the registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

 

(1)           Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

 

(2)           Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;

 

(3)           The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about an undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and

 

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(4)           Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by an undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

 

The registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the indemnification provisions described herein, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, the information omitted from the prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.  For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each post-effective amendment that contains a prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission under section 305(b)2 of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized on the 31st day of March, 2011.

 

 

TriMas Corporation

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ DAVID M. WATHEN

 

David M. Wathen

 

President and Chief Executive Officer

 

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Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Name

 

Title

 

Date

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ DAVID M. WATHEN

 

President and Chief Executive Officer

 

March 31, 2011

David M. Wathen

 

(Principal Executive Officer) and Director

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ A. MARK ZEFFIRO

 

Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and

 

March 31, 2011

A. Mark Zeffiro

 

Principal Accounting Officer)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*

 

Chairman of the Board of Directors

 

March 31, 2011

Samuel Valenti III

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*

 

Director

 

March 31, 2011

Marshall A. Cohen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*

 

Director

 

March 31, 2011

Richard M. Gabrys

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*

 

Director

 

March 31, 2011

Eugene A. Miller

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*

 

Director

 

March 31, 2011

Daniel P. Tredwell

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* /s/ Joshua A. Sherbin

 

Attorney in Fact

 

March 31, 2011

Joshua A. Sherbin

 

 

 

 

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized on the 31st day of March, 2011.

 

 

TRIMAS COMPANY LLC

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Authorized Signatory

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Name

 

Title

 

Date

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ DAVID M. WATHEN

 

President & Manager (Principal Executive Officer)

 

March 31, 2011

David M. Wathen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ A. MARK ZEFFIRO

 

Vice President & Manager (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)

 

March 31, 2011

A. Mark Zeffiro

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Vice President, Secretary & Manager

 

March 31, 2011

Joshua A. Sherbin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ ROBERT J. ZALUPSKI

 

Vice President & Treasurer

 

March 31, 2011

Robert J. Zalupski

 

 

 

 

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized on the 31st day of March, 2011.

 

 

ARROW ENGINE COMPANY

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Authorized Signatory

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Name

 

Title

 

Date

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ LEN TURNER

 

President (Principal Executive Officer)

 

March 31, 2011

Len Turner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ A. MARK ZEFFIRO

 

Vice President & Director

 

March 31, 2011

A. Mark Zeffiro

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Vice President, Secretary & Director

 

March 31, 2011

Joshua A. Sherbin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ BRENT WITTE

 

Vice President - Finance (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)

 

March 31, 2011

Brent Witte

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ ROBERT J. ZALUPSKI

 

Vice President & Treasurer

 

March 31, 2011

Robert J. Zalupski

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ DAVID M. WATHEN

 

Director

 

March 31, 2011

David M. Wathen

 

 

 

 

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized on the 31 day of March, 2011.

 

 

CEQUENT PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Authorized Signatory

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Name

 

Title

 

Date

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ TOM BENSON

 

President (Principal Executive Officer)

 

March 31, 2011

Tom Benson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ A. MARK ZEFFIRO

 

Vice President & Director

 

March 31, 2011

A. Mark Zeffiro

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Vice President, Secretary & Director

 

March 31, 2011

Joshua A. Sherbin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ DAVID RICE

 

Vice President - Finance (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)

 

March 31, 2011

David Rice

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ ROBERT J. ZALUPSKI

 

Vice President & Treasurer

 

March 31, 2011

Robert J. Zalupski

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ DAVID M. WATHEN

 

Director

 

March 31, 2011

David M. Wathen

 

 

 

 

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized on the 31st day of March, 2011.

 

 

CEQUENT CONSUMER PRODUCTS, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Authorized Signatory

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Name

 

Title

 

Date

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOHN ALEVA

 

President (Principal Executive Officer)

 

March 31, 2011

John Aleva

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ A. MARK ZEFFIRO

 

Vice President & Director

 

March 31, 2011

A. Mark Zeffiro

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Vice President, Secretary & Director

 

March 31, 2011

Joshua A. Sherbin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ BEN SHAFER

 

Vice President - Finance (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)

 

March 31, 2011

Ben Shafer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ ROBERT J. ZALUPSKI

 

Vice President & Treasurer

 

March 31, 2011

Robert J. Zalupski

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ DAVID M. WATHEN

 

Director

 

March 31, 2011

David M. Wathen

 

 

 

 

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized on the 31 day of March, 2011.

 

 

COMPAC CORPORATION

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Authorized Signatory

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Name

 

Title

 

Date

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ LYNN A. BROOKS

 

President (Principal Executive Officer)

 

March 31, 2011

Lynn A. Brooks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ A. MARK ZEFFIRO

 

Vice President & Director

 

March 31, 2011

A. Mark Zeffiro

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Vice President, Secretary & Director

 

March 31, 2011

Joshua A. Sherbin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ CHRISTOPHER BARON

 

Vice President - Finance (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)

 

March 31, 2011

Christopher Baron

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ ROBERT J. ZALUPSKI

 

Vice President & Treasurer

 

March 31, 2011

Robert J. Zalupski

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ DAVID M. WATHEN

 

Director

 

March 31, 2011

David M. Wathen

 

 

 

 

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized on the 31st day of March, 2011.

 

 

DEW TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Authorized Signatory

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Name

 

Title

 

Date

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ ELI CROTZER

 

President (Principal Executive Officer)

 

March 31, 2011

Eli Crotzer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ A. MARK ZEFFIRO

 

Vice President & Director

 

March 31, 2011

A. Mark Zeffiro

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Vice President, Secretary & Director

 

March 31, 2011

Joshua A. Sherbin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ ROBERT J. ZALUPSKI

 

Vice President & Treasurer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)

 

March 31, 2011

Robert J. Zalupski

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ DAVID M. WATHEN

 

Director

 

March 31, 2011

David M. Wathen

 

 

 

 

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized on the 31st day of March, 2011.

 

 

HI-VOL PRODUCTS LLC

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Authorized Signatory

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Name

 

Title

 

Date

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ ELI CROTZER

 

President (Principal Executive Officer)

 

March 31, 2011

Eli Crotzer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ A. MARK ZEFFIRO

 

Vice President & Manager

 

March 31, 2011

A. Mark Zeffiro

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Vice President, Secretary & Manager

 

March 31, 2011

Joshua A. Sherbin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ ROBERT DOW

 

Vice President - Finance (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)

 

March 31, 2011

Robert Dow

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ ROBERT J. ZALUPSKI

 

Vice President & Treasurer

 

March 31, 2011

Robert J. Zalupski

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ DAVID M. WATHEN

 

Manager

 

March 31, 2011

David M. Wathen

 

 

 

 

 

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Table of Contents

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized on the 31st day of March, 2011.

 

 

KEO CUTTERS, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Authorized Signatory

 

 

POWER OF ATTORNEY

 

We the undersigned officers and directors of the registrant, hereby severally constitute and appoint David M. Wathen and Joshua A. Sherbin, and each of them singly (with full power to each of them to act alone), our true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution in each of them for him and in his name, place and stead, and in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement (or any other Registration Statement for the same offering that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933), and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite or necessary to be done in and about the premises, as full to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them or their or his substitute or substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Name

 

Title

 

Date

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ ELI CROTZER

 

President (Principal Executive Officer)

 

March 31, 2011

Eli Crotzer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ A. MARK ZEFFIRO

 

Vice President & Director

 

March 31, 2011

A. Mark Zeffiro

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Vice President, Secretary & Director

 

March 31, 2011

Joshua A. Sherbin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JEFFREY WOLF

 

Vice President - Finance (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)

 

March 31, 2011

Jeffrey Wolf

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ ROBERT J. ZALUPSKI

 

Vice President & Treasurer

 

March 31, 2011

Robert J. Zalupski

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ DAVID M. WATHEN

 

Director

 

March 31, 2011

David M. Wathen

 

 

 

 

 

II-18



Table of Contents

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized on the 31st day of March, 2011.

 

 

LAKE ERIE PRODUCTS CORPORATION

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Authorized Signatory

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Name

 

Title

 

Date

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ DAVID M. WATHEN

 

President & Director (Principal Executive Officer)

 

March 31, 2011

David M. Wathen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ A. MARK ZEFFIRO

 

Vice President & Director (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)

 

March 31, 2011

A. Mark Zeffiro

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Vice President, Secretary & Director

 

March 31, 2011

Joshua A. Sherbin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ ROBERT J. ZALUPSKI

 

Vice President & Treasurer

 

March 31, 2011

Robert J. Zalupski

 

 

 

 

 

II-19



Table of Contents

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized on the 31st day of March, 2011.

 

 

MONOGRAM AEROSPACE FASTENERS, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Authorized Signatory

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Name

 

Title

 

Date

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ BRIAN MCGUIRE

 

President (Principal Executive Officer)

 

March 31, 2011

Brian McGuire

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ A. MARK ZEFFIRO

 

Vice President & Director

 

March 31, 2011

A. Mark Zeffiro

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Vice President, Secretary & Director

 

March 31, 2011

Joshua A. Sherbin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ WILLIAM KENT

 

Vice President - Finance (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)

 

March 31, 2011

William Kent

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ ROBERT J. ZALUPSKI

 

Vice President & Treasurer

 

March 31, 2011

Robert J. Zalupski

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ DAVID M. WATHEN

 

Director

 

March 31, 2011

David M. Wathen

 

 

 

 

 

II-20



Table of Contents

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized on the 31st day of March, 2011.

 

 

NI INDUSTRIES, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Authorized Signatory

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Name

 

Title

 

Date

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ BRIAN MCGUIRE

 

President (Principal Executive Officer)

 

March 31, 2011

Brian McGuire

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ A. MARK ZEFFIRO

 

Vice President & Director

 

March 31, 2011

A. Mark Zeffiro

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Vice President, Secretary & Director

 

March 31, 2011

Joshua A. Sherbin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ DAN KOSMINSKI

 

Vice President - Finance (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)

 

March 31, 2011

Dan Kosminski

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ ROBERT J. ZALUPSKI

 

Vice President & Treasurer

 

March 31, 2011

Robert J. Zalupski

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ DAVID M. WATHEN

 

Director

 

March 31, 2011

David M. Wathen

 

 

 

 

 

II-21



Table of Contents

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized on the 31st day of March, 2011.

 

 

NORRIS CYLINDER COMPANY

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Authorized Signatory

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Name

 

Title

 

Date

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JERRY VAN AUKEN

 

President (Principal Executive Officer)

 

March 31, 2011

Jerry Van Auken

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ A. MARK ZEFFIRO

 

Vice President & Director

 

March 31, 2011

A. Mark Zeffiro

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Vice President, Secretary & Director

 

March 31, 2011

Joshua A. Sherbin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ BRANDON PERLICH

 

Vice President - Finance (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)

 

March 31, 2011

Brandon Perlich

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ ROBERT J. ZALUPSKI

 

Vice President & Treasurer

 

March 31, 2011

Robert J. Zalupski

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ DAVID M. WATHEN

 

Director

 

March 31, 2011

David M. Wathen

 

 

 

 

 

II-22



Table of Contents

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized on the 31st day of March, 2011.

 

 

RICHARDS MICRO-TOOL, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Authorized Signatory

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Name

 

Title

 

Date

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ ELI CROTZER

 

President (Principal Executive Officer)

 

March 31, 2011

Eli Crotzer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ A. MARK ZEFFIRO

 

Vice President & Director

 

March 31, 2011

A. Mark Zeffiro

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Vice President, Secretary & Director

 

March 31, 2011

Joshua A. Sherbin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JEFFREY WOLF

 

Vice President - Finance (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)

 

March 31, 2011

Jeffrey Wolf

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ ROBERT J. ZALUPSKI

 

Vice President & Treasurer

 

March 31, 2011

Robert J. Zalupski

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ DAVID M. WATHEN

 

Director

 

March 31, 2011

David M. Wathen

 

 

 

 

 

 

II-23



Table of Contents

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized on the 31st day of March, 2011.

 

 

RIEKE CORPORATION

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Authorized Signatory

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Name

 

Title

 

Date

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ LYNN A. BROOKS

 

President (Principal Executive Officer)

 

March 31, 2011

Lynn A. Brooks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ A. MARK ZEFFIRO

 

Vice President & Director

 

March 31, 2011

A. Mark Zeffiro

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Vice President, Secretary & Director

 

March 31, 2011

Joshua A. Sherbin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ CHRISTOPHER BARON

 

Vice President - Finance (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)

 

March 31, 2011

Christopher Baron

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ ROBERT J. ZALUPSKI

 

Vice President & Treasurer

 

March 31, 2011

Robert J. Zalupski

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ DAVID M. WATHEN

 

Director

 

March 31, 2011

David M. Wathen

 

 

 

 

 

II-24



Table of Contents

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized on the 31st day of March, 2011.

 

 

RIEKE LEASING CO., INCORPORATED

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Authorized Signatory

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Name

 

Title

 

Date

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ LYNN A. BROOKS

 

President (Principal Executive Officer)

 

March 31, 2011

Lynn A. Brooks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ A. MARK ZEFFIRO

 

Vice President & Director

 

March 31, 2011

A. Mark Zeffiro

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Vice President, Secretary & Director

 

March 31, 2011

Joshua A. Sherbin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ CHRISTOPHER BARON

 

Vice President - Finance (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)

 

March 31, 2011

Christopher Baron

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ ROBERT J. ZALUPSKI

 

Vice President & Treasurer

 

March 31, 2011

Robert J. Zalupski

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ DAVID M. WATHEN

 

Director

 

March 31, 2011

David M. Wathen

 

 

 

 

 

II-25



Table of Contents

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized on the 31st day of March, 2011.

 

 

RIEKE OF MEXICO, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Authorized Signatory

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Name

 

Title

 

Date

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ LYNN A. BROOKS

 

President (Principal Executive Officer)

 

March 31, 2011

Lynn A. Brooks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ A. MARK ZEFFIRO

 

Vice President & Director

 

March 31, 2011

A. Mark Zeffiro

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Vice President, Secretary & Director

 

March 31, 2011

Joshua A. Sherbin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ CHRISTOPHER BARON

 

Vice President - Finance (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)

 

March 31, 2011

Christopher Baron

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ ROBERT J. ZALUPSKI

 

Vice President & Treasurer

 

March 31, 2011

Robert J. Zalupski

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ DAVID M. WATHEN

 

Director

 

March 31, 2011

David M. Wathen

 

 

 

 

 

II-26



Table of Contents

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized on the 31st day of March, 2011.

 

 

THE HAMMERBLOW COMPANY, LLC

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Authorized Signatory

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Name

 

Title

 

Date

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ TOM BENSON

 

President (Principal Executive Officer)

 

March 31, 2011

Tom Benson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ A. MARK ZEFFIRO

 

Vice President & Manager

 

March 31, 2011

A. Mark Zeffiro

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Vice President, Secretary & Manager

 

March 31, 2011

Joshua A. Sherbin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ DAVID RICE

 

Vice President - Finance (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)

 

March 31, 2011

David Rice

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ ROBERT J. ZALUPSKI

 

Vice President & Treasurer

 

March 31, 2011

Robert J. Zalupski

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ DAVID M. WATHEN

 

Manager

 

March 31, 2011

David M. Wathen

 

 

 

 

 

II-27



Table of Contents

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized on the 31st day of March, 2011.

 

 

TRIMAS INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LLC

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Authorized Signatory

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Name

 

Title

 

Date

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ DAVID M. WATHEN

 

President & Manager (Principal Executive Officer)

 

March 31, 2011

David M. Wathen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ A. MARK ZEFFIRO

 

Vice President & Manager (Principal Financial Officer

 

March 31, 2011

A. Mark Zeffiro

 

and Principal Accounting Officer)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ ROBERT J. ZALUPSKI

 

Vice President & Treasurer

 

March 31, 2011

Robert J. Zalupski

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Vice President, Secretary & Manager

 

March 31, 2011

Joshua A. Sherbin

 

 

 

 

 

II-28



Table of Contents

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized on the 31st day of March, 2011.

 

 

LAMONS GASKET COMPANY

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Authorized Signatory

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Name

 

Title

 

Date

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ KURT ALLEN

 

President & Director (Principal Executive Officer)

 

March 31, 2011

Kurt Allen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Vice President, Secretary & Director

 

March 31, 2011

Joshua A. Sherbin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ BRAD HUBBARD

 

Vice President - Finance (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)

 

March 31, 2011

Brad Hubbard

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ HENRY GUND

 

Vice President, Treasurer & Director

 

March 31, 2011

Henry Gund

 

 

 

 

 

II-29



Table of Contents

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized on the 31st day of March, 2011.

 

 

TOWING HOLDING LLC

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Authorized Signatory

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Name

 

Title

 

Date

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ DAVID M. WATHEN

 

President & Manager (Principal Executive Officer)

 

March 31, 2011

David M. Wathen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ A. MARK ZEFFIRO

 

Vice President & Manager

 

March 31, 2011

A. Mark Zeffiro

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ JOSHUA A. SHERBIN

 

Vice President, Secretary & Manager

 

March 31, 2011

Joshua A. Sherbin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ ROBERT ZALUPSKI

 

Treasurer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal

 

March 31, 2011

Robert Zalupski

 

Accounting Officer)

 

 

 

II-30



Table of Contents

 

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

The following documents are filed as exhibits to this registration statement, including those exhibits incorporated herein by reference to a prior filing under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act:

 

1.1(a)                           Form of Equity Underwriting Agreement.

 

1.2(a)                           Form of Debt Underwriting Agreement.

 

4.1(b)                          Form of Senior Indenture.

 

4.2(b)                          Form of Senior Subordinated Indenture.

 

4.3(b)                          Form of Senior Debt Security (included in Exhibit 4.1(b)).

 

4.4(b)                          Form of Subordinated Debt Security (included in Exhibit 4.2(b)).

 

5.1(a)                           Opinion of Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP regarding the legality of the securities being registered.

 

12.1(b)                    Statement of Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges.

 

23.1(a)                     Consent of Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).

 

23.2(a)                     Consent of KPMG LLP.

 

24.1(b)                    Power of Attorney (included in the signature pages to the Registration Statement).

 

25.1(c)                     Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of the Senior Indenture under the Trust indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

 

25.2(c)                     Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of the Senior Subordinated Indenture under the Trust indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

 


(a)                                  Filed herewith.

 

(b)                                 Incorporated by reference to the Registration Statement on Form S-3 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 28, 2011.

 

(c)                                  To be filed either by amendment or as an exhibit to an Exchange Act report of the registrant and incorporated by reference herein.

 

II-31


Exhibit 1.1

 

TriMas Corporation

 

Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share

 

Form of Underwriting Agreement

 

, 20      

 

c/o                                                       
                                                            
as the Underwriter[s]

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

TriMas Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) proposes to sell to [                        ] (the “Underwriter[(s)]”) an aggregate of [                     ] shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Stock”) of the Company, and the stockholder named on Schedule III hereto (the “Selling Stockholder”) proposes to sell to the Underwriter an aggregate of [                     ] shares of Stock of the Company (said shares to be issued and sold by the Company and shares to be sold by the Selling Stockholder collectively being hereinafter called the “Shares”).

 

1.             The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Underwriter that:

 

(a)           A registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-172525) (the “Initial Registration Statement”) in respect of the Shares has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”); the Initial Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, each in the form heretofore delivered to you, and, excluding exhibits thereto, have been declared effective by the Commission in such form; other than a registration statement, if any, increasing the size of the offering (a “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement”), filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), which became effective upon filing, no other document with respect to the Initial Registration Statement has heretofore been filed with the Commission; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Initial Registration Statement, any post-effective amendment thereto or the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or, to the knowledge of the Company after due inquiry, threatened by the Commission (any preliminary prospectus included in the Initial Registration Statement or filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Act is hereinafter called a “Preliminary Prospectus”; the various parts of the Initial Registration Statement and the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, including all exhibits thereto and (i) including the information contained in the form of final prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act in accordance with Section 6(a) hereof and deemed by virtue of Rule 430B or Rule 430C under the Act to be part of the Initial Registration Statement at the time it was declared effective and (ii) the documents incorporated by reference in the prospectus contained in the Initial Registration Statement at the time such part of the Initial Registration Statement became effective, each as amended at the time such part of the Initial Registration Statement became effective or such part of the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, became or hereafter becomes effective, are hereinafter collectively called the “Registration

 



 

Statement”; the Preliminary Prospectus relating to the Shares that was included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to the Applicable Time (as defined in Section 1(c) hereof), and along with the pricing information included on Schedule I, is hereinafter called the “Pricing Prospectus”; such final prospectus, in the form first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act is hereinafter called the “Prospectus”; any reference herein to any Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Act, as of the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be; any reference to any amendment or supplement to any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed after the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be, under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and incorporated by reference in such Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be; and any “issuer free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 433 under the Act relating to the Shares is hereinafter called an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”);

 

(b)           No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and did not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by the Underwriter expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information is that described in Section 10(c) hereof;

 

(c)           For the purposes of this Agreement, the “Applicable Time” is [     ][a.m/p.m.] (Eastern time) on the date of this Agreement.  The Pricing Prospectus, as of the Applicable Time, did not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Schedule II hereto does not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus and each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as supplemented by and taken together with the Pricing Prospectus as of the Applicable Time, did not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to statements or omissions made in the Pricing Prospectus or an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by the Underwriter expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information is that described in Section 10(c) hereof;

 

(d)           The documents incorporated by reference in the Pricing Prospectus and Prospectus, when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act , as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and none of such documents contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Prospectus or any further amendment or supplement thereto, when such documents become effective or are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading;

 

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provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by the Underwriter expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information is that described in Section 10(c) hereof;

 

(e)           The Registration Statement, (A) at the time it initially became effective, (B) at the time of each amendment thereto for purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act (whether by post-effective amendment, incorporated report or form of prospectus), (C) at the time of the first contract of sale for the Stock and (D) at the Time of Delivery, conformed and will conform, and the Prospectus, (A) on its date, (B) at the time of filing the Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) and (C) at the Time of Delivery, and any further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and do not and will not, as of the applicable effective date as to each part of the Registration Statement and as of the applicable filing date as to the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by the Underwriter expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information is that described in Section 10(c) hereof;

 

(f)            Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Prospectus any material loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus; and, since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Pricing Prospectus, there has not been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the general affairs, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus; and the schedules incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein;

 

(g)           The Company and its subsidiaries have good and valid title in fee simple to all real property and good and valid title to all personal property owned by them, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as are described in the Pricing Prospectus or such other liens, encumbrances and defects as would not have a material adverse affect on the current or future consolidated financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Effect”); and any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are described in the Pricing Prospectus or as would not have a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(h)           The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Pricing Prospectus, and has been duly qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties or conducts any business so as to require such qualification except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified in any such jurisdiction would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and each subsidiary of the Company has

 

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been duly organized, is validly existing and is in good standing (to the extent such concept is applicable) under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation or formation, as applicable;

 

(i)            The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Pricing Prospectus and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and conform, or will conform, to the description of the Stock contained in the Pricing Prospectus and Prospectus; and all of the issued shares of capital stock of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and (except for directors’ qualifying shares) are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims, except for such liens or encumbrances as described in the Pricing Prospectus;

 

(j)            The financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Prospectus present fairly the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates shown and their results of operations and cash flows for the periods shown, and except as otherwise disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus or any documents incorporated by reference therein, such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with the generally accepted accounting principles in the United States applied on a consistent basis.

 

(k)           The issuance and sale of the Shares and the compliance by the Company with this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated (i) will not result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, (ii) nor will such action result in any violation of (A) the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws of the Company or (B) any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties, except in the case of subclauses (i) and (ii) (B) above, for conflicts, breaches or violations that would not individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; and no consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body is required for the issue and sale of the Shares and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except the registration under the Act of the Shares and such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Underwriter;

 

(l)            Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (i) in violation of their respective charter or by-laws or (ii) in default in the performance or observance of any material obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound, except in the case of this subsection (ii) for defaults which would not have a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(m)          This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company;

 

(n)           The statements set forth in the Pricing Prospectus and Prospectus under the caption “Description of Our Capital Stock”, insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the Stock, under the caption “Risk Factors—Provisions of Delaware law, our certificate of incorporation and by-laws, could delay or prevent a change in control of our company, which could adversely impact the value of our common stock”, and under the caption “Plan of Distribution”, insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein, are accurate, complete and fair;

 

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(o)           Other than as set forth in the Pricing Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject which, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect; and, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others;

 

(p)           The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof, will not be an “investment company,” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”);

 

(q)           At the time of filing the Initial Registration Statement the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined under Rule 405 under the Act;

 

(r)            KPMG LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, are an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder;

 

(s)           Except as disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus, the Company maintains a system of internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) that complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act and has been designed by the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer, or under their supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.  Except as disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting is effective and the Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting;

 

(t)            Except as disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Prospectus, there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting;

 

(u)           Except as disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus, the Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act; such disclosure controls and procedures have been designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company and its subsidiaries is made known to the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer by others within those entities; and except as disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus, such disclosure controls and procedures are effective;

 

(v)           Except as described in the Pricing Prospectus and except as would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect (A) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human health (to the extent relating to exposure to Hazardous Materials (as defined below)), the environment (including ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products, asbestos-containing materials or toxic mold (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials

 

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(collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (B) the Company and its subsidiaries have all permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their requirements, (C) there are no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits or written demands, demand letters, claims, notices of noncompliance or violation, or investigations or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the Company or any of its subsidiaries and (D) to the Company’s knowledge, there are no events or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean-up or remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or governmental body or agency, against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to any Environmental Laws;

 

(w)          Except as disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus, each of the Company and its subsidiaries maintains insurance covering its properties, operations, personnel and businesses which insures against such losses and risks as are adequate in accordance with its reasonable business judgment to protect the Company and its subsidiaries and their businesses, and all such insurance is in full force and effect.  The Company has no reason to believe that it or any subsidiary will not be able (A) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (B) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not have a material adverse affect on the current or future consolidated financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries;

 

(x)            The Company and its subsidiaries possess such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations (collectively, “Governmental Licenses”) issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, except where the failure so to possess would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all such Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; all of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except when the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure of such Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such Governmental Licenses which, singly or in the aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(y)           The Company and its subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks, trade names or other intellectual property (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) necessary to carry on the business now operated by them, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice or has knowledge of any infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual Property or of any facts or circumstances which would render any Intellectual Property invalid or inadequate to protect the interest of the Company or any of its subsidiaries therein, and which infringement or conflict (if the subject of any unfavorable decision, ruling or finding) or invalidity or inadequacy, singly or in the aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(z)            No labor dispute with the employees of the Company and its subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent that could have a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(aa)         Any third-party statistical and market-related data included or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Prospectus and Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate;

 

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(bb)         Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor any agent thereof acting on their behalf has taken, and none of them will take, any action that might cause this Agreement or the issuance or sale of the Shares or the application of the proceeds received by the Company from the issuance, sale and delivery of the Shares to violate Regulation T, Regulation U or Regulation X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System;

 

(cc)         The Company and its subsidiaries and any of their respective officers, directors, supervisors, managers, agents or employees has not violated, its participation in the offering will not violate, and it has instituted and maintains policies and procedures designed to ensure continued compliance each of the following laws:  (a) anti-bribery laws, including but not limited to, any applicable law, rule, or regulation of any locality, including but not limited to any law, rule, or regulation promulgated to implement the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, signed December 17, 1997, including the U.S.  Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 or any other law, rule or regulation of similar purpose and scope, (b) anti-money laundering laws, including but not limited to, applicable federal, state, international, foreign or other laws, regulations or government guidance regarding anti-money laundering, including, without limitation, Title 18 U.S.  Code section 1956 and 1957, the Patriot Act, the Bank Secrecy Act, and international anti-money laundering principals or procedures by an intergovernmental group or organization, such as the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering, of which the United States is a member and with which designation the United States representative to the group or organization continues to concur, all as amended, and any Executive order, directive, or regulation pursuant to the authority of any of the foregoing, or any orders or licenses issued thereunder and (c) laws and regulations imposing U.S.  economic sanctions measures, including, but not limited to, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the Trading with the Enemy Act, the United Nations Participation Act, and the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Act, all as amended, and any Executive Order, directive, or regulation pursuant to the authority of any of the foregoing, including the regulations of the United States Treasury Department set forth under 31 CFR, Subtitle B, Chapter V, as amended, or any orders or licenses issued thereunder;

 

(dd)         The date of this Agreement is not more than two years subsequent to the more recent of the initial effective time of the Registration Statement; if, immediately prior to the third anniversary of the more recent of the initial effective time of the Registration Statement, any of the Shares remain unsold by the Underwriter, the Company will prior to that third anniversary file, if it has not already done so, a new shelf registration statement relating to the Shares, in a form satisfactory to the Underwriter, will use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to be declared effective within 180 days after that third anniversary, and will take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the public offering and sale of the Shares to continue as contemplated in the expired registration statement relating to the Shares; references herein to the Registration Statement shall include such new shelf registration statement;

 

(ee)         The stockholders of the Company will have no preemptive rights with respect to the Stock; and none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been issued in violation of any preemptive or similar rights of any security holder;

 

(ff)           The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action that is designed to or that has constituted or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares;

 

(gg)         The Company has, and immediately prior to the Time of Delivery (as defined in Section 5 hereof) the Company will have, good and valid title to the Shares to be sold by the Company  hereunder, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances or claims (other than such as may be created pursuant to this Agreement); and, upon delivery of such Shares and payment therefor pursuant hereto, good and

 

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valid title to such Shares, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, or claims, will pass to the Underwriter; and

 

(hh)         The net proceeds from the offering of Shares by the Company as contemplated hereby and any concurrent offering will not be used by the Company to fund any operations in, finance any investments in or make any payments to any country, or to make any payments to any person, in a manner that violates in any material respect any of the economic sanctions of the United States administered by the United States Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.

 

2.             The Selling Stockholder represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each of the Underwriter and the Company that:

 

(a)           All consents, approvals, authorizations and orders necessary for the execution and delivery by such Selling Stockholder of this Agreement, and for the sale and delivery of the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder, have been obtained; and such Selling Stockholder has full right, power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to sell, assign, transfer and deliver the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder;

 

(b)           The sale of the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder and the compliance by such Selling Stockholder with all of the provisions of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein and therein contemplated will not result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which such Selling Stockholder is a party or by which such Selling Stockholder is bound or to which any of the property or assets of such Selling Stockholder is subject, nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of any document of formation or governing document of the Selling Stockholder or any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over such Selling Stockholder or the property of such Selling Stockholder, except in each case, such as will not have a material adverse effect on the Selling Stockholder’s ability to consummate the transactions contemplated herein;

 

(c)           Such Selling Stockholder has, and immediately prior to the Time of Delivery (as defined in Section 5 hereof) such Selling Stockholder will have, good and valid title to the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances or claims (other than such as may be created pursuant to this Agreement); and, upon delivery of such Shares and payment therefor pursuant hereto, good and valid title to such Shares, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, or claims, will pass to the Underwriter;

 

(d)           Such Selling Stockholder has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed to or which has constituted or which might reasonably be expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares;

 

(e)           To the extent that any statements (or omissions therefrom) made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto are made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Selling Stockholder expressly for use therein (the “Selling Stockholder Information”), such statements (or omissions therefrom) in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Registration Statement did, and the statements (or omissions therefrom) in the Prospectus and any further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, when they become effective or are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and will not contain

 

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any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein in light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading; provided that it is understood and agreed that, for purposes of this Agreement, the only Selling Stockholder Information furnished by the Selling Stockholder consists of the information in the Prospectus under the captions “Selling Stockholders” and “The Selling Stockholder”;

 

(f)            In order to document the Underwriter’s compliance with the reporting and withholding provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the United States Treasury Department regulations promulgated thereunder, with respect to the transactions herein contemplated, such Selling Stockholder will deliver to you prior to or at the Time of Delivery (as hereinafter defined) a properly completed and executed United States Treasury Department Form W-9 (or other applicable form or statement specified by Treasury Department regulations in lieu thereof);

 

(g)           The Shares will be, at the Time of Delivery, subject to the interest of the Underwriter hereunder; the obligations of the Selling Stockholder hereunder shall not be terminated by operation of law, whether by dissolution of the Selling Stockholder or by the occurrence of any other event; and if the Selling Stockholder should be dissolved, or if any other similar such event should occur, before the delivery of the Shares hereunder, certificates representing the Shares shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Selling Shareholders in accordance with the terms, and subject to the conditions of, this Agreement;

 

(h)           The net proceeds from the offering of Shares contemplated hereby and any concurrent offering will not be used to fund any operations in, finance any investments in or make any payments to any country, or to make any payments to any person, in a manner that violates in any material respect any of the economic sanctions of the United States administered by the United States Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control;

 

(i)            Neither the Selling Stockholder nor any person acting on behalf of the Selling Stockholder (other than, if applicable, the Company and the Underwriter) has used or referred to any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405), relating to the Shares except as set forth on Schedule II hereto;

 

(j)            This Agreement has been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by or on behalf of the Selling Stockholder;

 

(k)           The sale of the Shares by the Selling Stockholder does not, to the knowledge of such Selling Stockholder, violate any of the Company’s internal policies regarding the sale of Shares by its affiliates; and

 

(l)            The sale of the Shares by the Selling Stockholder pursuant hereto is not prompted by any information concerning the Company or any of its subsidiaries that has come to the attention of the Selling Stockholder and is not set forth in the Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus or any supplement thereto.

 

3.             Subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company and the Selling Stockholder agree, severally and not jointly, to sell to the Underwriter, and the Underwriter agrees to purchase from the Company and the Selling Stockholder, at a purchase price per share of $                      , the number of Shares set forth on Schedule I hereto.

 

4.             It is understood that the Underwriter proposes to offer the Shares for sale upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus.

 

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5.             (a)           The Shares to be purchased by the Underwriter hereunder will be represented by one or more definitive global shares in book entry form that will be deposited by or on behalf of the Company and the Selling Stockholder with the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or its designated custodian.  The Company and the Selling Stockholder will deliver the Shares to the Underwriter against payment of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of Federal (same-day) funds to the account or accounts specified by the Company and the Selling Stockholder to the Underwriter at least forty-eight hours in advance by causing DTC to credit Shares to the account of the Underwriter of DTC.  The Company and the Selling Stockholder will cause the Shares to be made eligible for transfer through DTC’s Direct Registration System twenty-four hours prior to the Time of Delivery (as defined below).  The time and date of such delivery and payment shall be, with respect to the Shares, [         ][a.m./p.m.], New York City time, on                     , 20    or such other time and date as the Underwriter, the Company and the Selling Stockholder may agree upon in writing.  Such time and date for delivery of the Shares is herein called the “Time of Delivery”.

 

(b)           The documents to be delivered at the Time of Delivery by or on behalf of the parties hereto pursuant to Section 9 hereof, including the cross receipt for the Shares and any additional documents reasonably requested by the Underwriter pursuant to Section 9(i) hereof, will be delivered at the offices of                                                                                   (the “Closing Location”).  A meeting will be held at the Closing Location at       [a.m./p.m.], New York City time, on the New York Business Day next preceding the Time of Delivery, at which meeting the final drafts of the documents to be delivered pursuant to the preceding sentence will be available for review by the parties hereto.  For the purposes of this Section 5, “New York Business Day” shall mean each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is not a day on which banking institutions in New York City are generally authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.   The Selling Stockholder covenants and agrees with the Underwriter that such Selling Stockholder will pay all transfer taxes on the sale by the Selling Stockholder of Shares to the Underwriter.

 

6.             The Company agrees with the Underwriter:

 

(a)           To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by you and to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act not later than the Commission’s close of business on the second business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement, or, if applicable, such earlier time as may be required by Rule 430A(a)(3) under the Act; to make no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus prior to the Time of Delivery which shall be disapproved by you promptly after reasonable notice thereof; to advise you, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus has been filed and to furnish you with copies thereof; to file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and for so long as the delivery of a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) is required in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares; to file promptly all material required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act; to advise you, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or other prospectus in respect of the Shares, of the suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose, or of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or for additional information; and, in the event of the issuance of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or other prospectus or suspending any such qualification, to promptly use its best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of such order;

 

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(b)                                 Promptly from time to time to take such action as you may reasonably request to qualify the Shares for offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as you may request and to comply with such laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of the Shares, provided that in connection therewith the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction;

 

(c)                                  Prior to              [a.m./p.m.], New York City time, on the New York Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and from time to time, to furnish the Underwriter with written and electronic copies of the Prospectus in New York City in such quantities as you may reasonably request, and, if the delivery of a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) is required at any time prior to the expiration of nine months after the time of issue of the Prospectus in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares and if at such time any event shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act)is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary during such same period to amend or supplement the Prospectus or to file under the Exchange Act any document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus in order to comply with the Act or the Exchange Act, to notify you and upon your request to file such document and to prepare and furnish without charge to the Underwriter and to any dealer in securities as many written and electronic copies as you may from time to time reasonably request of an amended Prospectus or a supplement to the Prospectus which will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance; and in case the Underwriter is required to deliver a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) in connection with sales of any of the Shares at any time nine months or more after the time of issue of the Prospectus, upon your request but at the expense of the Underwriter, to prepare and deliver to the Underwriter as many written and electronic copies as you may request of an amended or supplemented Prospectus complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act; neither the Underwriter’s consent to, nor the Underwriter’s delivery of, any such amendment or supplement shall constitute a waiver of any of the conditions set for in Section 9 hereof;

 

(d)                                 To make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than sixteen months after the effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c) under the Act), an earnings statement of the Company and its subsidiaries (which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (including, at the option of the Company, Rule 158);

 

(e)                                  The Company and Selling Stockholder will furnish to the Underwriter copies of the Registration Statement, including all exhibits, Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus and all amendments and supplements to such documents, in each case as soon as available and in such quantities as the Underwriter reasonably requests, and the Company and Selling Stockholder will pay the expenses of printing and distributing to the Underwriter all such documents;

 

(f)                                    During the period beginning from the date hereof and continuing to and including the date [   ] days after the date of the Prospectus (the “Lock-Up Period”), the Company agrees not to (i) offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, grant any option to purchase, make any short sale or otherwise dispose, except as provided hereunder, of any securities of the Company that are substantially similar to the Shares, including but not limited to any options, rights or warrants to purchase shares of Stock or any securities that are convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for, or that represent the right to receive, Stock or any such substantially similar securities; (ii) enter into any swap, hedge or any other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, the economic consequences of ownership of Stock; or (iii)

 

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establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position in Stock within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act (other than (i) pursuant to employee stock option plans existing on, or upon the conversion or exchange of convertible or exchangeable securities outstanding as of, the date of this Agreement; or (ii) the issuance of shares of Stock in exchange for the assets of, or a majority or controlling portion of the equity of, another entity in connection with the acquisition by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of such entity, provided, however, that (x) the aggregate number of shares so issued shall not exceed 5% of the number of shares of Stock of the Company outstanding following the offering and sale of the Shares in accordance with this Agreement and (y) prior to the issuance of such shares, each recipient of such shares shall execute an agreement in form and substance satisfactory to you), without your prior written consent; provided, however, that if (1) during the last 17 days of the initial Lock-Up Period, the Company releases earnings results or announces material news or a material event or (2) prior to the expiration of the initial Lock-Up Period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 15-day period following the last day of the initial Lock-Up Period, then in each case the Lock-Up Period will be automatically extended until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the date of release of the earnings results or the announcement of the material news or material event, as applicable, unless [the Underwriter] waives, in writing, such extension; the Company will provide [the Underwriter] and each stockholder subject to the Lock-Up Period pursuant to the lockup letters described in Section 9(h) with prior notice of any such announcement that gives rise to an extension of the Lock-up Period;

 

(g)                                 To furnish to its stockholders as soon as practicable after the end of each fiscal year an annual report (including a balance sheet and statements of income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries certified by independent public accountants) and, as soon as practicable after the end of each of the first three quarters of each fiscal year (beginning with the fiscal quarter ending after the effective date of the Registration Statement), to make available to its stockholders consolidated summary financial information of the Company and its subsidiaries for such quarter in reasonable detail; provided, however, that the Company may satisfy the requirements of this subsection (f) by electronically filing such information with the Commission via the Commission’s EDGAR system (or any successor system);

 

(h)                                 During a period of two years from the effective date of the Registration Statement, to furnish to you copies of all reports or other communications (financial or other) furnished to the Company’s stockholders, and to deliver to you as soon as practicable after they are available, copies of any reports and financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange on which any class of securities of the Company is listed other than such reports and financial statements that are publicly available on the Commission’s EDGAR system (or any successor system);

 

(i)                                     [Reserved];

 

(j)                                     To use its best efforts to list for quotation the Shares on the NASDAQ Global Market (“NASDAQ”);

 

(k)                                  If the Company elects to rely upon Rule 462(b), the Company shall file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in compliance with Rule 462(b) by 10:00 P.M., Washington, D.C.  time, on the date of this Agreement, and the Company shall at the time of filing either pay to the Commission the filing fee for the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or give irrevocable instructions for the payment of such fee pursuant to Rule 111(b) under the Act;

 

(l)                                     Upon request of the Underwriter, to furnish, or cause to be furnished, to the Underwriter an electronic version of the Company’s trademarks, servicemarks and corporate logo for use on the website, if any, operated by the Underwriter for the purpose of facilitating the on-line offering of the

 

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Shares (the “License”); provided, however, that the License shall be used solely for the purpose described above, is granted without any fee and may not be assigned or transferred; and

 

(m)                               The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action that is designed to or that has constituted or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.

 

7.                                       (a)                                  Each of the Company and the Selling Stockholder represents and agrees that, without the prior consent of the Underwriter, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute a “free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 405 under the Act; the Underwriter represents and agrees that, without the prior consent of the Company it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute a free writing prospectus; any such free writing prospectus the use of which has been consented to by the Company is listed on Schedule II hereto;

 

(b)                                 The Company has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 under the Act applicable to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, including timely filing with the Commission or retention where required and legending;

 

(c)                                  The Company agrees that if at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus any event occurred or occurs as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus would conflict with the information in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then prevailing, not misleading, the Company will give prompt notice thereof to the Underwriter, and if requested by the Underwriter, will prepare and furnish without charge to the Underwriter an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or other document which will correct such conflict, statement or omission; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions in an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by the Underwriter expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information is that described in Section 10(c) hereof.

 

8.                                       The Company and the Selling Stockholder covenant and agree with one another and with the Underwriter that the Company will pay or cause to be paid the following:  (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel, the Selling Stockholder’s counsel and the Company’s accountants in connection with the registration of the Shares under the Act and all other expenses in connection with the preparation, printing, reproduction and filing of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriter and dealers; (ii) the cost of printing or producing any Agreement by the Underwriter, this Agreement, the Blue Sky Memorandum, closing documents (including any compilations thereof) and any other documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Shares; (iii) all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Shares for offering and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 6(b) hereof, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriter in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky survey; (iv) all fees and expenses in connection with listing the Shares on NASDAQ; (v) the filing fees incident to, and the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriter in connection with, any required review by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.  of the terms of the sale of the Shares; (vi) the cost of preparing any stock certificates; (vii) the cost and charges of any transfer agent or registrar; and (viii) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section.  It is understood, however, that, except as provided in this Section, and Sections 10 and 12

 

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hereof, the Underwriter will pay all of its own costs and expenses, including the fees of its counsel, stock transfer taxes on resale of any of the Shares by it, and any advertising expenses connected with any offers the Underwriter may make.

 

9.                                       The obligations of the Underwriter hereunder, as to the Shares to be delivered at the Time of Delivery, shall be subject, in its discretion, to the condition that all representations and warranties and other statements of the Company and of the Selling Stockholder herein, and the statements of the officers of the Company pursuant to the provisions hereof, at and as of the Time of Delivery, are true and correct, the condition that the Company and the Selling Stockholder shall have performed all of its obligations hereunder theretofore to be performed, and the following additional conditions:

 

(a)                                  The Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by the rules and regulations under the Act and in accordance with Section 6(a) hereof; all material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by Rule 433; if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 462(b) under the Act, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall have become effective by              [a.m./p.m.], Washington, D.C.  time, on the date of this Agreement; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof shall have been issued and no proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; no stop order suspending or preventing the use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission shall have been complied with to your reasonable satisfaction;

 

(b)                                 [Name of Underwriter’s counsel], counsel for the Underwriter, shall have furnished to you such written opinion or opinions, dated the Time of Delivery, in form and substance satisfactory to you, with respect to such matters as you may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such papers and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters;

 

(c)                                  Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP, counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to you their written opinion, dated the Time of Delivery, in form and substance satisfactory to you.

 

(d)                                 Counsel for the Selling Stockholder, as indicated in Schedule II hereto, shall have furnished to you their written opinion with respect to the Selling Stockholder for whom they are acting as counsel, dated the Time of Delivery, in form and substance satisfactory to you.

 

(e)                                  On the date hereof at a time prior to the execution of this Agreement, at          [a.m./p.m.], New York City time, on the effective date of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement filed subsequent to the date of this Agreement and also at the Time of Delivery, KPMG LLP shall have furnished to you a letter or letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof, in form and substance satisfactory to you, except that, in any letter dated as of the Time of Delivery, the specified date referred to such letter shall be a date no more than three days prior to such Time of Delivery;

 

(f)                                    Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, there shall not have occurred (i) any change, or any development or event involving a prospective change, in the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole which, in the judgment of the Underwriter, is material and adverse and makes it impractical or inadvisable to market the Shares; (ii) any downgrading in the

 

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rating of any debt securities of the Company by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined for purposes of Section 3 of the Exchange Act), or any public announcement that any such organization has under surveillance or review its rating of any debt securities of the Company (other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading, and no implication of a possible downgrading, of such rating) or any announcement that the Company has been placed on negative outlook; (iii) any change in U.S.  or international financial, political or economic conditions or currency exchange rates or exchange controls the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Underwriter, impractical to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of, or to enforce contracts for the sale of, the Shares, whether in the primary market or in respect of dealings in the secondary market, (iv) any suspension or material limitation of trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange, or any setting of minimum or maximum prices for trading on such exchange; (v) any suspension of trading of any securities of the Company on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market; (vi) any banking moratorium declared by any U.S. federal or New York authorities; (vii) any major disruption of settlements of securities, payment, or clearance services in the United States or any other country where such securities are listed or (viii) any attack on, outbreak or escalation of hostilities or act of terrorism involving the United States, any declaration of war by Congress or any other national or international calamity or emergency if, in the judgment of the Underwriter, the effect of any such attack, outbreak, escalation, act, declaration, calamity or emergency is such as to make it in the judgment of the Underwriter impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Shares or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Shares;

 

(g)                                 The Shares to be sold at the Time of Delivery shall have been duly listed for quotation on NASDAQ;

 

(h)                                 The Company shall have obtained and delivered to the Underwriter executed copies of an agreement from the stockholders, directors and executive officers named on Schedule III, in form and substance satisfactory to you;

 

(i)                                     The Company shall have complied with the provisions of Section 6(c) hereof with respect to the furnishing of prospectuses on the New York Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement; and

 

(j)                                     The Company and the Selling Stockholder shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to you at the Time of Delivery certificates of officers of the Company and of the Selling Stockholder satisfactory to you as to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company and the Selling Stockholder, respectively, herein at and as of the Time of Delivery, as to the performance by the Company and the Selling Stockholder of all of their respective obligations hereunder to be performed at or prior to the Time of Delivery, and the Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished certificates as to the matters set forth in subsections (a) and (f) of this Section, and from the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company as to certain information substantially in a form satisfactory to you.

 

The Company will furnish the Underwriter with such conformed copies of such opinions, certificates, letters and documents as the Underwriter reasonably requests.

 

10.           (a)                                  The Company will indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriter against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which the Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the

 

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Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse the Underwriter for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Underwriter in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability, action, litigation or investigation or proceeding whatsoever (whether or not the Underwriter is a party thereto), whether threatened or commenced, and in connection with the enforcement of this provision with respect to any of the above, as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter expressly for use therein as described in subsection (c) below.

 

(b)                                 The Selling Stockholder will indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriter and the Company against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which the Underwriter and the Company may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, in reliance upon and in conformity with the Selling Stockholder Information; and will reimburse the Underwriter and the Company for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Underwriter and the Company in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability, action, litigation or investigation or proceeding whatsoever (whether or not the Underwriter is a party thereto), whether threatened or commenced, and in connection with the enforcement of this provision with respect to any of the above, as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Selling Stockholder shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter expressly for use therein as described in subsection (c) below; provided, further, that the liability of the Selling Stockholder pursuant to this subsection (b) shall be limited to an amount equal to the amount of gross proceeds attributable to the sale of the Selling Stockholder’s Shares.

 

(c)                                  The Underwriter will indemnify and hold harmless the Company and the Selling Stockholder against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company or such Selling Stockholder may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission

 

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or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter expressly for use therein; and will reimburse the Company and the Selling Stockholder for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company and the Selling Stockholder in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred; it being understood that the only such information furnished by the Underwriter consists of the fourth, fifth and sixth paragraphs under the caption “Underwriting” in the Prospectus.

 

(d)                                 Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a), (b) or (c) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under such subsection.  In case any such action shall be brought against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and, after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by such indemnified party, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation.  No indemnifying party shall, without the written consent of the indemnified party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified party is an actual or potential party to such action or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes an unconditional release of the indemnified party from all liability arising out of such action or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

 

(e)                                  If the indemnification provided for in this Section 10 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a), (b) or (c) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling Stockholder on the one hand and the Underwriter on the other from the offering of the Shares.  If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law or if the indemnified party failed to give the notice required under subsection (d) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company and the Selling Stockholder on the one hand and the Underwriter on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.  The relative benefits received by the Company and the Selling Stockholder on the one hand and the Underwriter on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Selling Stockholder bear to the total underwriting discount and commissions received by the Underwriter.  The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Selling Stockholder on the one hand or the Underwriter on the other and the parties’ relative

 

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intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.  The Company, the Selling Stockholder and the Underwriter agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this subsection (e) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this subsection (e).  The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this subsection (e) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim.  Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (e), (i) the Underwriter shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which the Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission, and (ii) the Selling Stockholder shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the aggregate gross proceeds received by the Selling Stockholder from the Underwriter for the Shares.  No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

 

(f)                                    The obligations of the Company and the Selling Stockholder under this Section 10 shall be in addition to any liability which the Company and the Selling Stockholder may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to the Underwriter’s partners, members, directors, officers, employees, agents, affiliates and to each person, if any, who controls the Underwriter within the meaning of the Act and each affiliate of the Underwriter; and the obligations of the Underwriter under this Section 10 shall be in addition to any liability which the Underwriter may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each officer and director of the Company and to each person, if any, who controls the Company or the Selling Stockholder within the meaning of the Act.

 

11.                                 The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company, the Selling Stockholder or their officers and of the Underwriter, as set forth in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf of the Underwriter or any controlling person of the Underwriter, or the Company, or the Selling Stockholder, or any officer or director or controlling person of the Company, or any controlling person of the Selling Stockholder, and shall survive delivery of and payment for the Shares.

 

12.                                 If for any reason, any Shares are not delivered by or on behalf of the Selling Stockholder as provided herein, the Selling Stockholder will reimburse the Underwriter for all of its out-of-pocket expenses, including fees and disbursements of counsel, reasonably incurred by the Underwriter in making preparations for the purchase, sale and delivery of the Shares not so delivered, but the Company and the Selling Stockholder shall then be under no further liability to the Underwriter except as provided in Sections 8 and 10 hereof.

 

13.                                 All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in writing, and if to the Underwriter shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to you at [UNDERWRITER] [UNDERWRITER ADDRESS], with a copy to [UNDERWRITER COUNSEL] [UNDERWRITER COUNSEL ADDRESS]; and if to the Company shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to the address of the Company set forth in the Registration Statement, Attention:  General Counsel and Secretary; and if to the Selling Stockholder shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission in care of [SELLING STOCKHOLDER COUNSEL]; provided, however, that any notice to the Underwriter pursuant to Section 10(c) hereof shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to the Underwriter at its address set forth in its Underwriter’s Questionnaire, or telex constituting such Questionnaire, which address will be supplied to the Company

 

18



 

and the Selling Stockholder by you upon request; provided, however, that notices under subsection 6(e) shall be in writing, and if to the Underwriter shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to you at [UNDERWRITER] [UNDERWRITER ADDRESS].  Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect upon receipt thereof.

 

14.                                 This Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure solely to the benefit of, the Underwriter, the Company, the Selling Stockholder and, to the extent provided in Sections 10 and 11 hereof, the officers and directors of the Company and each person who controls the Company, the Selling Stockholder or the Underwriter, and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and no other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement.  No purchaser of any of the Shares from the Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign by reason merely of such purchase.

 

15.                                 Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement.  As used herein, the term “business day” shall mean any day when the Commission’s office in Washington, D.C.  is open for business.

 

16.                                 Each of the Company and the Selling Stockholder acknowledges and agrees that (i) the purchase and sale of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company and the Selling Stockholder, on the one hand, and the Underwriter, on the other, (ii) in connection therewith and with the process leading to such transaction the Underwriter is acting solely as a principal and not the agent or fiduciary of the Company or the Selling Stockholder, (iii) the Underwriter has not assumed an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company or the Selling Stockholder with respect to the offering contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether the Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company or the Selling Stockholder on other matters) or any other obligation to the Company or the Selling Stockholder except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement and (iv) the Company and the Selling Stockholder have consulted their respective legal and financial advisors to the extent they deemed appropriate.  Each of the Company and the Selling Stockholder agrees that it will not claim that the Underwriter has rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owes a fiduciary or similar duty to the Company or the Selling Stockholder, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.

 

17.                                 This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) among the Company, the Selling Stockholder and the Underwriter, or between any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof.

 

18.                                 This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

The Company and Selling Stockholder hereby submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal and state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.  The Company and Selling Stockholder irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby in Federal and state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit or proceeding in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

 

19.                                 The Company, the Selling Stockholder and the Underwriter hereby irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

19



 

20.           This Agreement may be executed by any one or more of the parties hereto in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.

 

21.           Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Company and the Selling Stockholder are authorized to disclose to any persons the U.S.  federal and state income tax treatment and tax structure of the potential transaction and all materials of any kind (including tax opinions and other tax analyses) provided to the Company and the Selling Stockholder relating to that treatment and structure, without the Underwriter imposing any limitation of any kind.  However, any information relating to the tax treatment and tax structure shall remain confidential (and the foregoing sentence shall not apply) to the extent necessary to enable any person to comply with securities laws.  For this purpose, “tax structure” is limited to any facts that may be relevant to that treatment.

 

22.           In accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the Underwriter is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies their respective clients, including the Company, which information may include the name and address of its clients, as well as other information that will allow the Underwriter to properly identify its clients.

 

20



 

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and return to us six counterparts hereof, and upon the acceptance hereof by you, this letter and such acceptance hereof shall constitute a binding agreement among the Underwriter, the Company and the Selling Stockholder.

 

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

TriMas Corporation

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

[SELLING STOCKHOLDER]

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

Accepted as of the date hereof:

 

 

 

 

 

[UNDERWRITER]

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

 

21



 

SCHEDULE I

 

Underwriter

 

Total
Number of
Shares
to be
Purchased

 

Price
Per Share

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

SCHEDULE II

 

Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses:

 



 

Schedule III

 

Signatories to Lock-up Agreements

 

 

 

Total
Number of
Shares
to be
Sold

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

 

 

 

 


Exhibit 1.2

 

FORM OF UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

 

$                 

 

TriMas Corporation

 

% [Senior] [Subordinated] Notes due

 

Underwriting Agreement

 

, 20  

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

1.             Introductory.

 

(a)           TriMas Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several Purchasers listed in Schedule 1 hereto (the “Purchasers”), for whom you are acting as representative (the “Representative”), $                       principal amount of its           % [Senior] [Subordinated] Notes due          (the “Offered Securities”).  The Offered Securities will be issued pursuant to an Indenture to be dated as of                             , 200      (the “Indenture”) among the Company, [list guarantors][the guarantors listed in Schedule 2 hereto] (the “Guarantors”) and [trustee], as trustee (the “Trustee”), and may be guaranteed on an unsecured [senior][subordinated] basis by each of the Guarantors (the “Guarantees”).

 

(b)           The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-172525), including a prospectus, relating to the Offered Securities.  Such registration statement, as amended at the time it becomes effective, including the information, if any, deemed pursuant to Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act to be part of the registration statement at the time of its effectiveness (“Rule 430 Information”), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement”; and as used herein, the term “Preliminary Prospectus” means each prospectus included in such registration statement (and any amendments thereto) before it becomes effective, any prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) under the Securities Act and the prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time of its effectiveness that omits Rule 430 Information, and the term “Prospectus” means the prospectus in the form first used (or made available upon request of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) in connection with confirmation of sales of the Offered Securities.  If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the “Rule 462 Registration Statement”), then any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement.  Any reference in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3

 



 

under the Securities Act, as of the effective date of the Registration Statement or the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be and any reference to “amend”, “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed after such date under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”) that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein.  Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

 

At or prior to the time when sales of the Offered Securities were first made (the “Applicable Time”), the following information shall have been prepared (collectively, the “General Disclosure Package”): a Preliminary Prospectus dated                           , 20    , and each “free-writing prospectus” (as defined pursuant to Rule 405 under the Securities Act, “Free Writing Communication”) listed on Annex B hereto as constituting part of the General Disclosure Package.

 

The Company and the Guarantors acknowledge and agree that the Purchasers are acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Company and the Guarantors with respect to the offering of Offered Securities contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of the offering) and not as financial advisors or fiduciaries to, or agents of, the Company, the Guarantors or any other person.  Additionally, neither the Representative nor any other Purchaser is advising the Company, the Guarantors or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction.  The Company and the Guarantors shall consult with their own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making their own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and neither the Representative nor any other Purchasers shall have any responsibility or liability to the Company or the Guarantors with respect thereto. Any review by the Representative or any Purchaser of the Company, the Guarantors, and the transactions contemplated hereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the benefit of the Representative or such Purchaser, as the case may be, and shall not be on behalf of the Company, the Guarantors or any other person..

 

Each of the Company and each of the Guarantors hereby agrees with the several Purchasers as follows:

 

2.             Representations and Warranties of the Company and Guarantors.  The Company and each Guarantor, jointly and severally, represent and warrant to, and agree with, the several Purchasers that:

 

(a)           Preliminary Prospectus; Final Prospectus; Certain Defined Terms.

 

(i)            The Company has prepared or will prepare a Preliminary Prospectus and a Prospectus.

 

(ii)           No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus has been issued by the Commission.

 

(iii)          The Company (including its agents and representatives, other than the Purchasers in their capacity as such) has not prepared, made, used, authorized, approved or referred to and will not prepare, make, use, authorize, approve or refer to any “written communication” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Offered Securities (each such communication by the Company or its agents and representatives (other than a communication referred to in clauses (i) (ii) and (iii) below) an “Issuer Free Writing Communication”) other than (i) any document not constituting a prospectus pursuant to Section 2(a)(10)(a) or (b) of the Securities Act or Rule 134 under the Securities Act, (ii) the Preliminary Prospectus, (iii) the Prospectus, (iv) the documents listed on Annex B hereto as constituting the General Disclosure Package and (v) any electronic road show or other written communications, in each case approved in writing in advance by the Representative.  Each such Issuer Free Writing Communication complied in all material respects with the Securities Act, has been or will be (within the time period specified in Rule 433) filed in accordance with the Securities Act (to the extent required thereby).

 

2



 

(iv)          The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued by the Commission and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act against the Company or related to the offering has been initiated or threatened by the Commission; as of the applicable effective date of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto, the Registration Statement complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Trust Indenture Act”).

 

(v)           The documents incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the General Disclosure Package, when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act, of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”); and any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the General Disclosure Package, when such documents become effective or are filed with the Commission, conformed or will conform, as the case may be, in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable.

 

For purposes of this Agreement:

 

Closing Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 3 hereof.

 

Sarbanes-Oxley” means the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

 

Supplemental Marketing Material” means any Issuer Free Writing Communication other than any Issuer Free Writing Communication specified in Annex B hereto.  Supplemental Marketing Materials include, but are not limited to, the electronic Bloomberg roadshow slides and the accompanying audio recording.

 

Unless otherwise specified, a reference to a “rule” is to the indicated rule under the Securities Act.

 

(b)           Disclosure.  As of the date of this Agreement, none of the Registration Statement, Preliminary Prospectus, General Disclosure Package or any Issuer Free Writing Communication does, and as of the Closing Date, none of the General Disclosure Package, Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Communication will include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to that part of the Registration Statement that constitutes the Statement of Eligibility and Qualification (Form T-1) of the Trustee under the Trust Indenture Act.  The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from the Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package, any Issuer Free Writing Communication or any Supplemental Marketing Material based upon written information furnished to the Company by any Purchaser through the Representative specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information is that described as such in Section 9(b) hereof.

 

(c)           No Material Adverse Change in Business.  Neither the Company, the Guarantors nor any of their respective subsidiaries has sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the General Disclosure Package any material loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the General Disclosure Package; and, since the respective dates as of which information is given in the General Disclosure Package (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto), there has not been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company, the Guarantors or any of their respective subsidiaries or any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the general affairs, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company, the Guarantors or any of their respective subsidiaries, taken as a whole, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the General Disclosure Package.

 

3



 

(d)           Title to Property.   The Company, the Guarantors and their respective subsidiaries have good and valid title in fee simple to all real property and good and valid title to all personal property owned by them, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as are described in the General Disclosure Package, Permitted Liens (as defined in the General Disclosure Package) or such other liens, encumbrances and defects as would not have a material adverse affect on the consolidated financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company, the Guarantors and their subsidiaries taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Effect”); and any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company, the Guarantors and their respective subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are described in the General Disclosure Package or as would not have a Material Adverse Effect, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles and entitled to the benefits and security provided by the Indenture.

 

(e)           Good Standing of the Company, Guarantors and Subsidiaries.  Each of the Company and each Guarantor has been duly incorporated and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure Package; and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties or conducts any business so as to require such qualification except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified in any such jurisdiction would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and each subsidiary of the Company and the Guarantors has been duly organized, is validly existing and is in good standing (to the extent such concept is applicable) under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation or formation, as applicable.

 

(f)            Capitalization.  As of [            ], the Company had the capitalization as set forth under the heading “Capitalization” under the column “Actual” in the Preliminary Prospectus.  On the Closing Date, all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and conform, or will conform, to the description of the capital stock contained in the General Disclosure Package; and all of the issued shares of capital stock of each subsidiary of the Company and the Guarantors have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and (except for directors’ qualifying shares) are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims, except for such liens or encumbrances as described in the General Disclosure Package.

 

(g)           Corporate Structure.  The entities listed on Schedule 2 hereto are the only U.S. subsidiaries, direct or indirect, of the Company.

 

(h)           Indenture.  The Indenture has been duly authorized by the Company and each Guarantor and, on the Closing Date, will be duly executed and delivered, by the Company and each Guarantor and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery thereof by the Trustee, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company and each Guarantor, enforceable against the Company and each Guarantor in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles and entitled to the benefits and security provided by the Indenture.

 

(i)            Offered Securities.  The Offered Securities have been duly authorized by the Company and, on the Closing Date, will have been duly executed by the Company and, when authenticated, issued and delivered in the manner provided for in the Indenture and delivered against payment of the purchase price therefor as provided in this Agreement, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles.

 

(j)            Guarantees.  The Guarantees of the Offered Securities have been duly authorized by each Guarantor and, on the Closing Date, when executed and delivered in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, will constitute valid and binding obligations of each Guarantor, enforceable against each

 

4



 

Guarantor in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles.

 

(k)           Trust Indenture Act.  On the Closing Date, the Indenture will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act, and the rules and regulations of the Commission applicable to an indenture which is qualified thereunder, except as expressly stated in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

(l)            Absence of Defaults and Conflicts Resulting from Transaction.  The execution, delivery and performance of the Indenture and this Agreement, and the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities and Guarantees and compliance with the terms and provisions thereof will not result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default or a Debt Repayment Triggering Event (as defined below) under, or result in the imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance (other than as contemplated by the Indenture) upon any property or assets of the Company, the Guarantors or any of their respective subsidiaries pursuant to, (i) the charter or bylaws of the Company, the Guarantors or any of their respective subsidiaries, (ii) any statute, any rule, regulation or order of any governmental agency or body or any court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company, the Guarantors or any of their respective subsidiaries or any of their properties or (iii) any agreement or instrument to which the Company, the Guarantors or any of their respective subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company, the Guarantors or any of their respective subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the properties of the Company, the Guarantors or any of their respective subsidiaries is subject, except in the case of subclauses (ii) and (iii) above, for breaches, violations or defaults that would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; a “Debt Repayment Triggering Event” means any event or condition that gives, or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would give, the holder of any note, debenture, or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company, the Guarantors or any of their respective subsidiaries.

 

(m)          Absence of Existing Defaults and Conflicts.  None of the Company, the Guarantors or their respective subsidiaries is (i) in violation of their respective charter or by-laws or (ii) in default in the performance or observance of any material obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound, except in the case of this subsection (ii) for defaults which would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(n)           Authorization of Agreement.  This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the Guarantors.

 

(o)           Accurate Disclosure.  The statements in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the headings [             ] insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and documents referenced to therein, are accurate, complete and fair.

 

(p)           Litigation.  Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company, the Guarantors or any of their respective subsidiaries is a party or of which any property of the Company, the Guarantors or any of their respective subsidiaries is the subject which, if determined adversely to the Company, the Guarantors or any of their respective subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect; and, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others.

 

(q)           Investment Company Act.  The Company and the Guarantors are not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Offered Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the General Disclosure Package, will not be an “investment company,” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).

 

5



 

(r)                                    Internal Controls and Compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.  Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, the Company maintains a system of internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act that complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act and has been designed by the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer, or under their supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.  Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting is effective and the Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting.  Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the General Disclosure Package, there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.  Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, the Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act; such disclosure controls and procedures have been designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company and its subsidiaries is made known to the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer by others within those entities; and, except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, such disclosure controls and procedures are effective.

 

(s)                                  Financial Statements.  The financial statements included in the General Disclosure Package present fairly the financial position of the Company, the Guarantors and their respective consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates shown and their results of operations and cash flows for the periods shown, and, except as otherwise disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with the generally accepted accounting principles in the United States applied on a consistent basis.

 

(t)                                    Environmental Laws.  Except as described in the General Disclosure Package and except as would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect (A) none of the Company, any Guarantor or any of their respective subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human health (to the extent relating to exposure to Hazardous Materials (as defined below)), the environment (including ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products, asbestos containing materials or toxic mold (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (B) the Company, the Guarantors and their respective subsidiaries have all permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their requirements, (C) there are no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits or written demands, demand letters, claims, notices of noncompliance or violation, or investigations or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the Company, the Guarantors or any of their respective subsidiaries and (D) to the Company’s knowledge, there are no events or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean-up or remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or governmental body or agency, against the Company, the Guarantors or any of their respective subsidiaries pursuant to any Environmental Laws.

 

(u)                                 Possession of Licenses and Permits.  The Company, the Guarantors and their respective subsidiaries possess such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations (collectively, “Governmental Licenses”) issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, except where the failure so to possess would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; the Company, the Guarantors and their respective subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all such Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material

 

6



 

Adverse Effect; all of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except when the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure of such Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and neither the Company, the Guarantors nor any of their respective subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such Governmental Licenses which, singly or in the aggregate, would have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(v)                                 Possession of Intellectual Property.  The Company, the Guarantors and their respective subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks, trade names or other intellectual property (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) necessary to carry on the business now operated by them, and neither the Company, the Guarantors nor any of their respective subsidiaries has received any notice or has knowledge of any infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual Property or of any facts or circumstances which would render any Intellectual Property invalid or inadequate to protect the interest of the Company, the Guarantors or any of their respective subsidiaries therein, and which infringement or conflict (if the subject of any unfavorable decision, ruling or finding) or invalidity or inadequacy, singly or in the aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(w)                               Insurance.  Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, each of the Company, the Guarantors and their respective subsidiaries maintains insurance covering its properties, operations, personnel and businesses which insures against such losses and risks as are adequate in accordance with its reasonable business judgment to protect the Company, the Guarantors and their subsidiaries and their businesses, and all such insurance is in full force and effect.  The Company has no reason to believe that it, any Guarantor or any of their respective subsidiaries will not be able (A) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (B) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not have a Material Adverse Effect.  None of the Company, any Guarantor or any of their respective subsidiaries has been denied any material insurance coverage which it has sought or for which it has applied.

 

(x)                                   No Finder’s Fee.  Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any Purchaser for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment in connection with the offer or sale of the Offered Securities.

 

(y)                                 No Registration Rights.  Except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company or any Guarantor and any person granting such person the right to require the Company or such Guarantor to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company or such Guarantor or to require the Company or such Guarantor to include such securities with the Securities and Guarantees registered pursuant to any registration statement.

 

(z)                                   Absence of Further Requirements.  No consent, approval, authorization, or order of, or filing or registration with, any person (including any governmental agency or body or any court) is required for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Indenture in connection with the offering, issuance and sale of the Offered Securities and the Guarantees by the Company and the Guarantors, other than filings of appropriate financing statements, mortgages, filings in connection with blue sky qualifications or other filings in accordance with the Indenture.

 

(aa)                            Absence of Labor Dispute.  No labor dispute with the employees of the Company, the Guarantors or any of their respective subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company or the Guarantors, is imminent that could have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(bb)                          Absence of Manipulation.  None of the Company, the Guarantors or their respective affiliates has, either alone or with one or more other persons, bid for or purchased for any account in which it or any of its affiliates had a beneficial interest any Offered Securities or attempt to induce any person to purchase any Offered Securities.

 

(cc)                            Statistical and Market-Related Data.  Any third-party statistical and market related data included in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Communication are based on or derived from sources that the Company and the Guarantors believe to be reliable and accurate.

 

(dd)                          Regulations T, U, X.  Neither the Company nor any Guarantor nor any of their respective subsidiaries nor any agent thereof acting on their behalf has taken, and none of them will take, any action that might cause this Agreement or the issuance or sale of the Offered Securities to violate Regulation T, Regulation U or Regulation X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

 

(ee)                            Ratings.  No “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” as such term is defined for purposes of Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act has imposed (or has informed the Company or any Guarantor that it is considering imposing) any condition (financial or otherwise) on the Company’s or and Guarantor’s retaining any rating assigned to the Company or any Guarantor or any securities of the Company or any Guarantor or (ii) has indicated to the Company or any Guarantor that it is considering any of the actions described in Section 7(b)(ii) hereof.

 

(ff)                                Solvency.  The Company and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis are, and immediately after the Closing Date will be, Solvent.  As used herein, the term “Solvent” means, with respect to any person on a particular date, that on such date (i) the fair market value of the assets of such person is greater than the total amount of liabilities (including contingent liabilities) of such person, (ii) the present fair salable value of the assets of such person is greater than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liabilities of such person on its debts as they become absolute and matured, (iii) such person is able to realize upon its assets and pay its debts and other liabilities, including contingent obligations, as they mature and (iv) such person does not have unreasonably small capital.

 

(gg)                          No Unlawful Contributions or Other Payments. Each of the Company, the Guarantors and their respective subsidiaries and any of their respective officers, directors, supervisors, managers, agents or employees has not violated, its participation in the offering will not violate, and it has instituted and maintains policies and procedures designed to ensure continued compliance each of the following laws:  (a) anti-bribery laws, including but not limited to, any applicable law, rule, or regulation of any locality, including but not limited to any law, rule, or regulation promulgated to implement the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, signed December 17, 1997, including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 or any other law, rule or regulation of similar purpose and scope, (b) anti-money laundering laws, including but not limited to, applicable federal, state, international, foreign or other laws, regulations or government guidance regarding anti-money laundering, including, without limitation, Title 18 U.S. Code section 1956 and 1957, the Patriot Act, the Bank Secrecy Act, and international anti-money laundering principals or procedures by an intergovernmental group or organization, such as the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering, of which the United States is a member and with which designation the United States representative to the group or organization continues to concur, all as amended, and any Executive order, directive, or regulation pursuant to the authority of any of the foregoing, or any orders or licenses issued thereunder and (c) laws and regulations imposing U.S. economic sanctions measures, including, but not limited to, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the Trading with the Enemy Act, the United Nations Participation Act, and the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Act, all as amended, and any Executive Order, directive, or regulation pursuant to the authority of any of the foregoing, including the regulations of the United States Treasury Department set forth under 31 CFR, Subtitle B, Chapter V, as amended, or any orders or licenses issued thereunder.

 

(hh)                          Auditor Independence.  KPMG LLP, who has certified certain financial statements of the Company, is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company within the

 

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applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and as required by the Securities Act.

 

3.                                       Purchase, Sale and Delivery of Offered Securities.  The Company agrees to issue and sell the Offered Securities to the several Purchasers as provided in this Agreement, and each Purchaser, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective principal amount of Offered Securities set forth opposite such Purchaser’s name in Schedule 1 hereto at a price equal to [     ]% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued interest, if any, from [            ], 20[   ] to the Closing Date (as defined below).  The Company will not be obligated to deliver any of the Offered Securities except upon payment for all the Offered Securities to be purchased as provided herein.

 

The Company understands that the Purchasers intend to make a public offering of the Offered Securities as soon after the effectiveness of this Agreement as in the judgment of the Representative is advisable, and initially to offer the Offered Securities on the terms set forth in the General Disclosure Package.

 

The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Purchasers may offer and sell Offered Securities to or through any affiliate of an Purchaser and that any such affiliate may offer and sell Offered Securities purchased by it to or through any Purchaser.

 

Payment for and delivery of the Offered Securities will be made at the offices of [                                        ] at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on [                 ], 20[  ], or at such other time or place on the same or such other date, not later than the fifth business day thereafter, as the Representative and the Company may agree upon in writing.  The time and date of such payment and delivery is referred to herein as the “Closing Date”.

 

Payment for the Offered Securities shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account(s) specified by the Company to the Representative against delivery to the nominee of The Depository Trust Company, for the account of the Purchasers, of one or more global notes representing the Offered Securities (collectively, the “Global Note”), with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the sale of the Offered Securities duly paid by the Company.  The Global Note will be made available for inspection by the Representative not later than 1:00 P.M., New York City time, on the business day prior to the Closing Date.

 

4.                                       Representations by Purchasers; Resale by Purchasers.

 

(a)                                  It has not and will not use, authorize use of, refer to, or participate in the planning for use of, any “free writing prospectus”, as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act (which term includes use of any written information furnished to the Commission by the Company and not incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and any press release issued by the Company) other than (i) a free writing prospectus that, solely as a result of use by such underwriter, would not trigger an obligation to file such free writing prospectus with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433, (ii) any Issuer Free Writing Communication listed on Annex B or prepared pursuant to Section 3(c) or Section 4(c) above (including any electronic road show), or (iii) any free writing prospectus prepared by such underwriter and approved by the Company in advance in writing (each such free writing prospectus referred to in clauses (i) or (iii), an “Purchaser Free Writing Communication”).  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Purchasers may use a term sheet substantially in the form of Annex C hereto without the consent of the Company.

 

(b)                                 It is not subject to any pending proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act with respect to the offering (and will promptly notify the Company if any such proceeding against it is initiated during the Prospectus Delivery Period).

 

5.                                       Certain Agreements of the Company and each Guarantor.  The Company and each Guarantor agree with the several Purchasers that:

 

(a)                                  Required Filings.  The Company will file the final Prospectus with the Commission within the time periods specified by Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act,

 

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will file any Issuer Free Writing Communication (including the Term Sheet in the form of Annex C hereto) to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act; and the Company will furnish copies of the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Communication (to the extent not previously delivered) to the Purchasers in New York City prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement in such quantities as the Representative may reasonably request.

 

(b)                                 Furnishing of Preliminary Prospectus and Final Prospectus.  The Company will deliver, without charge, (i) to the Representative, two signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto, in each case including all exhibits and consents filed therewith; and (ii) to each Purchaser (A) a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto, in each case including all exhibits and consents filed therewith and (B) during the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined below), as many copies of the Prospectus (including all amendments and supplements thereto) and each Issuer Free Writing Communication as the Representative may reasonably request.  As used herein, the term “Prospectus Delivery Period” means such period of time after the first date of the public offering of the Offered Securities as in the opinion of counsel for the Purchasers a prospectus relating to the Offered Securities is required by law to be delivered (or required to be delivered but for Rule 172 under the Securities Act) in connection with sales of the Offered Securities by any Purchaser or dealer.

 

(c)                                  Amendments or Supplements; Issuer Free Writing Communications.  Before making, preparing, using, authorizing, approving, referring to or filing any Issuer Free Writing Communication, and before filing any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, the Company will furnish to the Representative and counsel for the Purchasers a copy of the proposed Issuer Free Writing Communication, amendment or supplement for review and will not make, prepare, use, authorize, approve, refer to or file any such Issuer Free Writing Communication or file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representative reasonably objects.

 

(d)                                 Notice to the Representative.  The Company will advise the Representative promptly, and confirm such advice in writing, (i) when the Registration Statement has become effective; (ii) when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective; (iii) when any supplement to the Prospectus or any amendment to the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Communication has been filed; (iv) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or the receipt of any comments from the Commission relating to the Registration Statement or any other request by the Commission for any additional information; (v) of the issuance by the Commission of any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act; (vi) of the occurrence of any event within the Prospectus Delivery Period as a result of which the Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or any Issuer Free Writing Communication as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or any such Issuer Free Writing Communication is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading; and (vii) of the receipt by the Company of any notice with respect to any suspension of the qualification of the Offered Securities for offer and sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and the Company will use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or suspending any such qualification of the Offered Securities and, if any such order is issued, will obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.

 

(e)                                  General Disclosure Package.  If at any time prior to the Closing Date (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which any of the General Disclosure Package as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement any of the General Disclosure Package to comply with law, the Company will immediately notify the Purchasers thereof and forthwith prepare

 

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and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission (to the extent required) and furnish to the Purchasers and to such dealers as the Representative may designate, such amendments or supplements to any of the General Disclosure Package (or any document to be filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference therein) as may be necessary so that the statements in any of the General Disclosure Package as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, be misleading or so that any of the General Disclosure Package will comply with law.

 

(f)                                    Ongoing Compliance.  If during the Prospectus Delivery Period (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with law, the Company will immediately notify the Purchasers thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission and furnish to the Purchasers and to such dealers as the Representative may designate, such amendments or supplements to the Prospectus as may be necessary so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus will comply with law.

 

(g)                                 Blue Sky Qualifications.  The Company will qualify the Offered Securities for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative shall reasonably request and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for distribution of the Offered Securities; provided that neither the Company nor any of the Guarantors shall be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (ii) file any general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not otherwise so subject.

 

(h)                                 Reporting Requirements.  For so long as the Offered Securities remain outstanding, the Company and the Guarantors will furnish to the Representative and, upon request, to each of the other Purchasers, as soon as practicable after the end of each fiscal year, a copy of their respective annual reports to stockholders for such year; and the Company  and the Guarantors will furnish to the Representative and, upon request, to each of the other Purchasers (i) as soon as available, a copy of each report and any definitive proxy statement of the Company and the Guarantors filed with the Commission under the Exchange Act or mailed to stockholders, and (ii) from time to time, such other information concerning the Company and the Guarantors as the Representative may reasonably request.  However, so long as the Company is subject to the reporting requirements of either Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act and is timely filing reports with the Commission on its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (“EDGAR”), it is not required to furnish such reports or statements to the Purchasers.

 

(i)                                     Investment Company.  During the period of two years after the Closing Date, neither the Company nor any Guarantor will be or become, an open-end investment company, unit investment trust or face-amount certificate company that is or is required to be registered under Section 8 of the Investment Company Act.

 

(j)                                     Payment of Expenses.  The Company and the Guarantors will pay all expenses incidental to the performance of their respective obligations under this Agreement and the Indenture, including but not limited to (i) the fees and expenses of the Trustee and its professional advisers; (ii) all expenses in connection with the execution, issue, authentication, packaging and initial delivery of the Offered Securities, the preparation and printing of this Agreement, the Offered Securities, the Indenture, the Preliminary Prospectus, any other documents comprising any part of the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, all amendments and supplements thereto, each item of Supplemental Marketing Material and any other document relating to the issuance, offer, sale and delivery of the Offered Securities; (iii) the cost of any advertising approved by the Company in connection with the issue of the Offered Securities; (iv) any expenses (including fees and disbursements of counsel to the Purchasers) incurred in connection with qualification of the Offered Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions in the United States and Canada as the Representative designate and the preparation and printing of memoranda relating thereto, (v)

 

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any fees charged by investment rating agencies for the rating of the Offered Securities, and (vi) expenses incurred in distributing the Preliminary Prospectus, any other documents comprising any part of the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus (including any amendments and supplements thereto) and any Supplemental Marketing Material to the Purchasers.   The Company and the Guarantors will also pay or reimburse the Purchasers (to the extent incurred by them) for costs and expenses of the Purchasers and the Company’s officers and employees and any other expenses of the Purchasers, and the Company and the Guarantors relating to investor presentations on any “road show” in connection with the offering and sale of the Offered Securities including, without limitation, any travel expenses of the Company’s and the Guarantors’ officers and employees and any other expenses of the Company and the Guarantors including the chartering of airplanes.

 

(k)                                  Use of Proceeds.  The Company will use the net proceeds received in connection with this offering in the manner described in the “Use of Proceeds” section of the General Disclosure Package and, except as disclosed in the General Disclosure Package, the Company does not intend to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Offered Securities hereunder to repay any outstanding debt owed to any affiliate of any Purchaser.

 

(l)                                     Restriction on Sale of Securities.  For a period of [   ] days after the date hereof, neither the Company nor any Guarantor will, directly or indirectly, take any of the following actions with respect to any United States dollar-denominated debt securities issued or guaranteed by the Company or such Guarantor and having a maturity of more than one year from the date of issue or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any of its Offered Securities (“Lock-Up Securities”):  (i) offer, sell, issue, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of Lock-Up Securities, (ii) offer, sell, issue, contract to sell, contract to purchase or grant any option, right or warrant to purchase Lock-Up Securities, (iii) enter into any swap, hedge or any other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, the economic consequences of ownership of Lock-Up Securities, (iv) establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position in Lock-Up Securities within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act or (v) file with the Commission a registration statement under the Securities Act relating to Lock-Up Securities or publicly disclose the intention to take any such action, without the prior written consent of the Representative.  Neither the Company nor any Guarantor will at any time directly or indirectly, take any action referred to in clauses (i) through (v) above with respect to any securities under circumstances where such offer, sale, pledge, contract or disposition would cause the exemption afforded by Section 4(2) of the Securities Act or the safe harbor of Regulation S thereunder to cease to be applicable to the offer and sale of the Offered Securities.

 

6.                                       [Reserved].

 

7.                                       Conditions of the Obligations of the Purchasers.  The obligations of the several Purchasers to purchase and pay for the Offered Securities will be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company and the Guarantors herein (as though made on the date hereof and the Closing Date), to the accuracy of the statements of officers of the Company and the Guarantors made pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company and the Guarantors of their obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions precedent:

 

(a)                                  Registration Compliance; No Stop Order.  No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose or pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission; the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Communication shall have been timely filed with the Commission under the Securities Act (in the case of a Issuer Free Writing Communication, to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act) and in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof; and all requests by the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representative.

 

(b)                                 Accountants’ Comfort Letter.  The Purchasers shall have received letters, dated respectively, the date hereof on the General Disclosure Package and the Closing Date on the Prospectus, of KPMG LLP in form and substance satisfactory to the Purchasers concerning the financial information with respect to the Company set forth in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

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(c)           No Material Adverse Change.  Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, there shall not have occurred (i) any change, or any development or event involving a prospective change, in the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business or properties of the Company, the Guarantors and their respective subsidiaries taken as a whole which, in the judgment of the Representative, is material and adverse and makes it impractical or inadvisable to market the Offered Securities; (ii) any downgrading in the rating of any debt securities of the Company or any Guarantor by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined for purposes of Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act), or any public announcement that any such organization has under surveillance or review its rating of any debt securities of the Company or any Guarantor (other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading, and no implication of a possible downgrading, of such rating) or any announcement that the Company or any Guarantor has been placed on negative outlook; (iii) any change in U.S. or international financial, political or economic conditions or currency exchange rates or exchange controls the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representative, impractical to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of, or to enforce contracts for the sale of, the Offered Securities, whether in the primary market or in respect of dealings in the secondary market, (iv) any suspension or material limitation of trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange, or any setting of minimum or maximum prices for trading on such exchange; (v) any suspension of trading of any securities of the Company or any Guarantor on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market; (vi) any banking moratorium declared by any U.S. federal or New York authorities; (vii) any major disruption of settlements of securities, payment, or clearance services in the United States or any other country where such securities are listed or (viii) any attack on, outbreak or escalation of hostilities or act of terrorism involving the United States, any declaration of war by Congress or any other national or international calamity or emergency if, in the judgment of the Representative, the effect of any such attack, outbreak, escalation, act, declaration, calamity or emergency is such as to make it in the judgment of the Representative  impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Offered Securities or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Offered Securities.

 

(d)           Opinion of Counsel for Company.  The Purchasers shall have received an opinion, dated as of the Closing Date, of each of (i) Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP, counsel for the Company and the Guarantors and (ii) Joshua Sherbin, general counsel for the Company, in each case in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Purchasers.

 

(e)           Opinion of Counsel for Purchasers.  The Purchasers shall have received from [           ], counsel for the Purchasers, such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Date, with respect to such matters as the Representative may require, and the Company and the Guarantors shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.

 

(f)            Officers’ Certificate.  The Purchasers shall have received certificates, dated Closing Date, of an executive officer of the Company and the Guarantors and a principal financial or accounting officer of the Company and the Guarantors in which such officers shall state that the representations and warranties of the Company and the Guarantors in this Agreement are true and correct, that the Company and the Guarantors have complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on their part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date, and that, subsequent to the dates of the most recent financial statements in the General Disclosure Package there has been no material adverse change, nor any development or event involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business or properties of the Company, the Guarantors and their respective subsidiaries taken as a whole except as set forth in the General Disclosure Package or as described in such certificate.

 

(g)           Indenture.  The Indenture shall have been executed and delivered by the Issuer, the Guarantors and the Trustee.

 

The Company and the Guarantors will furnish the Purchasers with such conformed copies of such opinions, certificates, letters and documents as the Purchasers reasonably request.  The Representative may in its sole discretion waive on behalf of the Purchasers compliance with any conditions to the obligations of the Purchasers hereunder.

 

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8.             [Reserved].

 

9.             Indemnification and Contribution.

 

(a)           Indemnification of Purchasers.  The Company and the Guarantors will, jointly and severally, indemnify and hold harmless each Purchaser, its officers, employees, agents, partners, members, directors and its affiliates and each person, if any, who controls such Purchaser within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (each, an “Indemnified Party”), against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Indemnified Party may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, other Federal or state statutory law or regulation or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the Registration Statement, Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, in each case as amended or supplemented, or any Issuer Free Writing Communication (including without limitation, any Supplemental Marketing Material) or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and will reimburse each Indemnified Party for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with investigating, preparing or defending against any loss, claim, damage, liability, action, litigation, investigation or proceeding whatsoever (whether or not such Indemnified Party is a party thereto) whether threatened or commenced and in connection with the enforcement of this provision with respect to any of the above as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company and the Guarantors will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement in or omission or alleged omission from any of such documents in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Purchaser through the Representative specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information consists of the information described as such in subsection (b) below.

 

(b)           Indemnification of Company.  Each Purchaser will severally and not jointly indemnify and hold harmless each of the Company, the Guarantors, each of their respective directors and each of their respective officers and each person, if any, who controls the Company or such Guarantor within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (each, a “Purchaser Indemnified Party”), against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which such Purchaser Indemnified Party may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, other Federal or state statutory law or regulation or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the Registration Statement, Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, in each case as amended or supplemented, or any Issuer Free Writing Communication or arise out of or are based upon the omission or the alleged omission of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Purchaser through the Representative specifically for use therein, and will reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Purchaser Indemnified Party in connection with investigating, preparing or defending against any such loss, claim, damage, liability, action, litigation, investigation or proceeding whatsoever (whether or not such Purchaser Indemnified Party is a party thereto) whether threatened or commenced based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission as such expenses are incurred, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Purchaser consists of the following information in the Preliminary and Prospectus:  under the caption “Underwriting”, in [              ]; provided, however, that the Purchasers shall not be liable for any losses, claims, damages or liabilities arising out of or based upon the Company’s failure to perform its obligations under Section 5(a) of this Agreement.

 

(c)           Actions against Parties; Notification.  Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under subsection (a) or (b) above, notify the

 

14



 

indemnifying party of the commencement thereof; but the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under subsection (a) or (b) above except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided further that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an indemnified party otherwise than under subsection (a) or (b) above.  In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party and it notifies the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it may wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party).  In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (ii) the indemnifying party has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party; (iii) the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying party; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them.  It is understood and agreed that the indemnifying party shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceeding in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all indemnified parties, and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred.  No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened action in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party unless such settlement includes (i) an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on any claims that are the subject matter of such action and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

 

(d)           Contribution.  If the indemnification provided for in this Section is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in subsection (a) or (b) above (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Purchasers on the other from the offering of the Offered Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company and the Guarantors on the one hand and the Purchasers on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.  The relative benefits received by the Company and the Guarantors on the one hand and the Purchasers on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total discounts and commissions received by the Purchasers from the Company under this Agreement.  The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company and the Guarantors or the Purchasers and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission.  The amount paid by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim which is the subject of this subsection (d).  Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), no Purchaser shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total discount at which the Offered Securities purchased by it were resold exceeds the amount of any damages which such Purchaser has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.  The Purchasers’ obligations in this subsection (d) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective purchase obligations and not joint.  The Company, the Guarantors and the Purchasers agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 9(d) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if

 

15



 

the Purchasers were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this Section 9(d).

 

10.           Default of Purchasers.  If any Purchaser or Purchasers default in their obligations to purchase Offered Securities hereunder and the aggregate principal amount of Offered Securities that such defaulting Purchaser or Purchasers agreed but failed to purchase does not exceed 10% of the total principal amount of Offered Securities, the Representative may make arrangements satisfactory to the Company for the purchase of such Offered Securities by other persons, including any of the Purchasers, but if no such arrangements are made by the Closing Date, the non-defaulting Purchasers shall be obligated severally, in proportion to their respective commitments hereunder, to purchase the Offered Securities that such defaulting Purchasers agreed but failed to purchase.  If any Purchaser or Purchasers so default and the aggregate principal amount of Offered Securities with respect to which such default or defaults occur exceeds 10% of the total principal amount of Offered Securities and arrangements satisfactory to the Representative and the Company for the purchase of such Offered Securities by other persons are not made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement will terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Purchaser or the Company, except as provided in Section 11.  As used in this Agreement, the term “Purchaser” includes any person substituted for a Purchaser under this Section.  Nothing herein will relieve a defaulting Purchaser from liability for its default.

 

11.           Survival of Certain Representations and Obligations.  The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company, the Guarantors or their respective officers and of the several Purchasers set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation, or statement as to the results thereof, made by or on behalf of any Purchaser, the Company, the Guarantors or any of their respective representatives, officers or directors or any controlling person, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Offered Securities.  If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 10 or if for any reason the purchase of the Offered Securities by the Purchasers is not consummated, the Company and the Guarantors shall remain responsible for the expenses to be paid or reimbursed by it pursuant to Section 5 and the respective obligations of the Company, the Guarantors and the Purchasers pursuant to Section 9 shall remain in effect.  If the purchase of the Offered Securities by the Purchasers is not consummated for any reason other than solely because of the termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 10 or the occurrence of any event specified in clause (iii), (iv), (vi), (vii) or (viii) of Section 7(b), the Company and the Guarantors will reimburse the Purchasers for all out-of-pocket expenses (including fees and disbursements of counsel) reasonably incurred by them in connection with the offering of the Offered Securities.

 

12.           Notices.  All communications hereunder will be in writing and, if sent to the Purchasers will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to the Purchasers, c/o [             ], or, if sent to the Company or the Guarantors, will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to it at TriMas Corporation, 39400 Woodward Avenue, Suite 130, Bloomfield, Michigan, 48304, Attention:  Chief Financial Officer; provided, however, that any notice to a Purchaser pursuant to Section 8 will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed to such Purchaser.

 

13.           Successors.  This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the controlling persons referred to in Section 8, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder, except that holders of Offered Securities shall be entitled to enforce the agreements for their benefit contained in the second and third sentences of Section 5(b) hereof against the Company as if such holders were parties thereto.

 

14.           Representation of Purchasers.  You will act for the several Purchasers in connection with this purchase, and any action under this Agreement taken by you jointly or by the Representative will be binding upon all the Purchasers.

 

15.           Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement.

 

16.           Absence of Fiduciary Relationship.  The Company and the Guarantors acknowledge and agree that:

 

16



 

(a)           No Other Relationship.  The Representative has been retained solely to act as initial purchaser(s) in connection with the initial purchase, offering and resale of the Offered Securities and that no fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship between the Company or the Guarantors and the Representative exists or has been created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, irrespective of whether the Representative has advised or are advising the Company or the Guarantors on other matters;

 

(b)           Arm’s-Length Negotiations.  The purchase price of the Offered Securities set forth in this Agreement was established by the Company and the Guarantors following discussions and arm’s-length negotiations with the Representative and the Company and the Guarantors are capable of evaluating and understanding and understand and accept the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;

 

(c)           Absence of Obligation to Disclose.  The Company has and the Guarantors have been advised that the Representative and its affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions which may involve interests that differ from those of the Company or the Guarantors and that the Representative has no obligation to disclose such interests and transactions to Company or the Guarantors by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship; and

 

(d)           Waiver.  The Company and the Guarantors waive, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims it may have against the Representative for breach of fiduciary duty or alleged breach of fiduciary duty and agree that the Representative shall have no liability (whether direct or indirect) to the Company or the Guarantors in respect of such a fiduciary duty claim or to any person asserting a fiduciary duty claim on behalf of or in right of the Company, including stockholders, employees or creditors of the Company or the Guarantors.

 

17.           Applicable Law.  This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

 

The Company and the Guarantors hereby submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal and state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.  The Company and the Guarantors irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby in Federal and state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit or proceeding in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

 

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

17



 

If the foregoing is in accordance with the Purchasers’ understanding of our agreement, kindly sign and return to us one of the counterparts hereof, whereupon it will become a binding agreement between the Company, the Guarantors and the several Purchasers in accordance with its terms.

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

TRIMAS CORPORATION

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GUARANTORS]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

18



 

The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date first above written.

 

 

 

 

[                ]

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Acting on behalf of itself and as the Representative of the several Purchasers

 

 

19


 

Exhibit 5.1

 

[Letterhead of CGR]

 

 

 

 

 

March 31, 2011

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Re:

TriMas Corporation

 

 

 

 

 

Registration Statement on Form S-3

 

 

 

 

 

File No. 333-172525

 

 

 

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We have acted as counsel for TriMas Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) in connection with the preparation and filing of a registration statement on Form S-3 (the “Initial Registration Statement”) on February 28, 2011, and Amendment No. 1 to the Initial Registration Statement filed on March 31, 2011 (as so amended, the “Registration Statement”), in each case relating to the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”) of:

 

(A)          up to 11,904,972 shares of common stock, $0.01 par value, plus an indeterminate number of shares of common stock that may be issued upon stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions in accordance with Rule 416 of the Act, of the Company (collectively, the “Common Stock”), which may be offered and sold from time to time by the selling stockholder named therein (the “Selling Stockholder Shares”); and

 

(B)           up to $250,000,000 in aggregate initial public offering price of securities that may be offered and sold from time to time by the Company (collectively, the “Company Offered Securities”, and together with the Selling Stockholder Shares, the “Offered Securities”), including (i) shares of Common Stock (the “Company Common Shares”) and (ii) secured or unsecured debt securities, in one or more series, which may be either senior or subordinated debt securities (the “Debt Securities”), which may be guaranteed (the “Guarantees”) by the Company’s subsidiaries that are co-registrants under the Registration Statement (each, a “Guarantor” and collectively, the “Guarantors”).

 

This opinion is being furnished in accordance with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Act.

 



 

In rendering the opinion set forth herein, we have examined originals, photocopies or conformed copies certified to our satisfaction of all such corporate records, agreements, instruments and documents of the Company and the Guarantors, certificates of public officials and other certificates and opinions, and we have made such other investigations, as we have deemed necessary in connection with the opinions set forth herein.  In our examinations, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals and the conformity to originals of all documents submitted to us as photocopies or conformed copies.

 

In connection with each of the opinions expressed below, we have assumed that at or prior to the time of delivery of any Offered Security:

 

(i)            the Registration Statement, as finally amended (including all necessary post-effective amendments), has become effective under the Act;

 

(ii)           an appropriate prospectus supplement or term sheet with respect to the Offered Securities has been prepared, delivered and filed in compliance with the Act and the applicable rules and regulations promulgated thereunder;

 

(iii)          an underwriting agreement with respect to the Company Offered Securities has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the other parties thereto;

 

(iv)          the certificates evidencing the Company Common Shares are duly executed and delivered;

 

(v)           the Debt Securities and Guarantees, if any, will be issued under one more or more indentures, the forms of which are attached as exhibits to the Registration Statement, which may be amended or supplemented from time to time (each an “Indenture”), and each Indenture has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and one or more trustees, and any such Debt Security and Guarantee issued thereunder has been duly established in accordance with such Indenture and applicable law, authenticated by such trustee and duly executed and delivered on behalf of the Company and the applicable Guarantor against payment thereof in accordance with the terms of such Indenture;

 

(vi)          the Board of Directors of the Company and each Guarantor, as applicable, including any appropriate committee appointed thereby, and appropriate officers of the Company and each Guarantor, as applicable, have taken all necessary corporate action to approve the issuance of the Offered Securities and related matters; and

 

(vii)         the terms of the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities have been duly established in conformity with the Certificate of Incorporation. By-laws or other organizational documents of the Company and each Guarantor so as not to violate any applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation. By-laws or other organizational documents of the Company and each Guarantor or result in default under or breach of any agreement or instrument binding upon the Company or any Guarantor and so as to comply with any requirement or restriction imposed by any court or governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company and each Guarantor.

 



 

Subject to the qualifications and limitations set forth in this opinion, we are of the opinion that:

 

(1)           The Selling Stockholder Shares are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable shares of the Company’s Common Stock.

 

(2)           The Company Common Shares, when issued and sold in the manner contemplated by the Registration Statement and in accordance with the applicable underwriting or purchase agreement or any other duly authorized, executed and delivered valid and binding purchase or agency agreement, will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

 

(3)           With respect to any series of Debt Securities offered under the Registration Statement, when (i) the specific terms of the particular Debt Security have been duly established in accordance with the applicable Indenture and a trustee has been selected and qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, (ii) the applicable Indenture and any supplemental indenture to be entered into in connection with the issuance of any Debt Security has been authorized, executed, issued and delivered by the trustee and the Company and (iii) the Debt Securities have been duly authorized, authenticated, executed, issued and delivered in accordance with the terms of the applicable Indenture and the applicable underwriting or other agreement against payment therefor, such Debt Security will be a valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights and remedies generally and subject to general principles of equity, including principles of commercial reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding at law or in equity).

 

(4)           With respect to any Guarantee offered under the Registration Statement, when (i) the specific terms of the particular Guarantee have been duly established in accordance with the applicable Indenture, (ii) the applicable Indenture and any supplemental indenture to be entered into in connection with the issuance of any Guarantee had been authorized, executed, issued and delivered by the trustee and the Company and (iii) the Guarantees have been duly authorized, executed, issued and delivered in accordance with the terms of the applicable, Indenture and the applicable underwriting or other agreement against payment therefor, such Guarantee will be a valid and binding obligation of the applicable Guarantor enforceable against such Guarantor in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights and remedies generally and subject to general principles of quality, including principles of commercial reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding at law or in equity).

 

In rendering this opinion we express no opinion as to the laws of any jurisdiction other than the laws of the State of New York, the Delaware General Corporation Law (including the statutory provisions, all applicable provisions of the Delaware Constitution and reported judicial decisions interpreting the foregoing).

 

We hereby consent to the use of our name under the caption “Legal Matters” in the prospectus included in the Registration Statement and to the filing of a copy of this opinion with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder.

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

/s/ Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP

 


Exhibit 23.2

 

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

The Board of Directors
TriMas Corporation:

 

We consent to the use of our reports with respect to the consolidated financial statements and schedule and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting incorporated by reference herein.

 

(signed) KPMG LLP

 

Detroit, Michigan
March 31, 2011