Share Purchase Agreement among Visteon UK Limited, Linamar UK Holdings Inc., and Visteon Swansea Limited (July 7, 2008)
This agreement is between Visteon UK Limited (the seller), Linamar UK Holdings Inc. (the buyer), and Visteon Swansea Limited (the company being sold). Visteon UK Limited agrees to sell all shares of Visteon Swansea Limited to Linamar UK Holdings Inc. for a specified purchase price. The contract outlines the terms of the sale, warranties from both parties, closing procedures, and indemnification obligations. It also addresses confidentiality, cooperation on certain claims, and other general provisions. The agreement is effective as of July 7, 2008.
OF
VISTEON SWANSEA LIMITED
Page | ||||||
ARTICLE 1 DEFINITIONS | 2 | |||||
1.1 | Definitions | 2 | ||||
1.2 | Additional Rules of Interpretation | 7 | ||||
ARTICLE 2 SALE AND PURCHASE OF SHARES | 8 | |||||
2.1 | Purchase and Sale | 8 | ||||
2.2 | Amount of Purchase Price | 8 | ||||
2.3 | Payment of Purchase Price | 8 | ||||
ARTICLE 3 WARRANTIES | 8 | |||||
3.1 | Warranties of the Seller | 8 | ||||
3.2 | Warranties of the Buyer | 9 | ||||
ARTICLE 4 CLOSING ARRANGEMENTS | 10 | |||||
4.1 | Closing | 10 | ||||
4.2 | Closing Deliveries | 10 | ||||
4.3 | Further Assurance | 11 | ||||
4.4 | Change of Name | 11 | ||||
ARTICLE 5 INDEMNIFICATION, | 11 | |||||
5.1 | Indemnity by the Buyer | 11 | ||||
5.2 | Indemnity by the Seller | 11 | ||||
5.3 | Notice of Claim | 12 | ||||
5.4 | Third Party Claim | 13 | ||||
ARTICLE 6 GENERAL | 14 | |||||
6.1 | General | 14 | ||||
6.2 | Confidential Information | 16 | ||||
6.3 | Announcements | 17 | ||||
6.4 | Assignment | 17 | ||||
6.5 | Sellers Co-Operation With Capital Allowances Claims | 17 | ||||
6.6 | Subscription For Deferred Shares | 17 | ||||
6.7 | VAT Group | 18 | ||||
6.8 | Entire Agreement | 19 | ||||
6.9 | Notices | 19 | ||||
6.10 | Counterparts | 20 | ||||
6.11 | Governing Law And Jurisdiction | 20 |
(1) | VISTEON UK LIMITED, a company incorporated in England (Company Number ###-###-####) whose registered office is at Endeavour Drive, Basildon, Essex, SS14 3WF (the Seller); and | |
(2) | LINAMAR UK HOLDINGS INC., a company incorporated in Ontario, Canada (Ontario Corporation Number 002176570) whose registered office is at 287 Speedvale Avenue West, Guelph, Ontario, Canada (the Buyer); and | |
(3) | VISTEON SWANSEA LIMITED, a company incorporated in England (Company Number ###-###-####) whose registered office is at Endeavour Drive, Basildon, Essex, SS14 3WF (the Corporation). |
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(a) | the business methods, technical processes, corporate plans, management systems, finances, new business opportunities or development projects of the Business; | ||
(b) | the marketing or sales of any past or present or future products, goods or services of the Business including customer names and lists and other details of customers, sales targets, sales statistics, market share statistics, prices, market research reports and surveys and advertising and other promotional materials; | ||
(c) | future projects, business development or planning, commercial relationships and negotiations of the Business; or | ||
(d) | any trade secrets or other information relating to the provision of any product or service of the Business. |
(a) | all information of a confidential nature, in whatever form communicated or maintained, whether orally, in writing, electronically, in computer readable form or otherwise, that the Discloser discloses to, or that is gathered by inspection by a party (the Recipient) or any of the Recipients Representatives in the course of the Recipients review of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, whether provided before or after the date of this Agreement, including information that contains or otherwise reflects information concerning the Discloser or its businesses, affairs, financial condition, assets, liabilities, operations, prospects or activities, and specifically includes financial information, budgets, business plans, ways of doing business, business results, prospects, customer lists, forecasts, engineering reports, environmental reports, evaluations, legal opinions, names of venture partners and contractual parties, and any information provided to the Discloser by third parties under circumstances in which the Discloser has an obligation to protect the confidentiality of such information where the Discloser has made such obligation known to the Recipient; |
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(b) | all plans, proposals, reports, analyses, notes, studies, forecasts, compilations or other information, in any form, that are based on, contain or reflect any Confidential Information regardless of the identity of the person preparing the same; | ||
(c) | all Non-Patented IP licensed to the Corporation and Engineering Design Tools licensed to the Corporation in accordance with Schedule 6 of the Business Purchase Agreement; | ||
(d) | the terms of this Agreement; and | ||
(e) | the fact that discussions or negotiations are or may be taking place with respect to possible commercial arrangements between Buyers Group and Ford Motor Company and/or its affiliates, the proposed or actual terms of any such commercial arrangements and any legal or other documentation and the status of any such discussions or negotiations; |
(f) | is at the time of disclosure to the Recipient or thereafter becomes generally available to the public, other than as a result of a disclosure by the Recipient or any of the Recipients Representatives in breach of this Agreement; | ||
(g) | is or was received by the Recipient from a source other than the Discloser or its Representatives if such source is not known to the Recipient to be prohibited from disclosing the information to the Recipient by a confidentiality agreement with, or a contractual, fiduciary or other legal confidentiality obligation to, the Discloser; or | ||
(h) | was known by the Recipient prior to disclosure in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and was not subject to any contractual, fiduciary or other legal confidentiality obligation to the Discloser on the part of the Recipient, |
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(a) | Eastern Car Park, Fabian Way, Crymlyn Burrows, Neath, Swansea comprised in a lease dated 14 January 2005 and made between Gracelands Investments Limited (1) and the Seller (2), and |
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(b) | the Sprinkler Tanks, Fabian Way, Crymlyn Burrows, Neath, Swansea comprised in a lease dated 14 January 2005 and made between Gracelands Investments Limited (1) and the Seller (2), |
(i) | Applicable Law; | |
(ii) | Assets; | |
(iii) | Business Day; | |
(iv) | Business IP Licences; | |
(v) | Completion; | |
(vi) | Contracts; | |
(vii) | Employees; | |
(viii) | Engineering Design Tools; | |
(ix) | Intellectual Property | |
(x) | Law; | |
(xi) | Leased Assets; | |
(xii) | Leasing Agreements; | |
(xiii) | Legal Proceeding; | |
(xiv) | Licences; | |
(xv) | Losses; | |
(xvi) | Non-Patented IP; | |
(xvii) | Patents; | |
(xviii) | Records; | |
(xix) | Related to the Business; | |
(xx) | Representative; | |
(xxi) | Security Interest; | |
(xxii) | Stock; | |
(xxiii) | Tax or Taxation; | |
(xxiv) | Third Party Intellectual Property Rights; and | |
(xxv) | Threatened. |
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(a) | words denoting the singular include the plural and vice versa; | ||
(b) | words denoting any gender include all other genders; | ||
(c) | any reference to persons is to be broadly interpreted and includes individuals, bodies corporate, companies, partnerships, unincorporated associations, firms, trusts, Competent Authorities and all other legal entities; | ||
(d) | all references to time are to London time; | ||
(e) | wherever the words include, includes or including are used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words without limitation and the words following include, includes or including shall not be considered to set forth an exhaustive list; | ||
(f) | the words hereof, herein, hereto, hereunder, hereby and similar expressions shall be construed as referring to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular clause or portion of it; | ||
(g) | all references herein to any agreement (including this Agreement), document or instrument mean such agreement, document or instrument as amended, supplemented, modified, varied, restated or replaced from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof and, unless otherwise specified therein, includes all schedules and exhibits attached thereto; and | ||
(h) | any reference to a party is to a party to this Agreement and includes its successors and permitted assigns. |
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(a) | in relation to all of the Warranties in Schedule 1, Steve Gawne, Michael Sharnas, Jaime Knizacky, Clifford Peterson; | ||
(b) | in relation to the Warranties at paragraph 2.6 (Intellectual Property) of Schedule 1 only, Dan Sepanik; | ||
(c) | in relation to the Warranties at paragraph 6 (Employment) of Schedule 1 only, Len Drury and Matthew Evans; | ||
(d) | in relation to the Warranties at paragraph 7 (Property) of Schedule 1 only, Willi Helgers; and | ||
(e) | in relation to the Warranties at paragraph 8 (Environmental Matters) of Schedule 1 only, David Neil. | ||
(f) | in relation to the Warranties at paragraph 9 (Taxation) of Schedule 1 only, Robert Aprilliano. |
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(a) | Incorporation and Corporate Power. The Buyer is a corporation incorporated, organized and subsisting under the laws of Ontario. The Buyer has the corporate power, authority and capacity to execute and deliver this Agreement and all other agreements and instruments to be executed by it as contemplated herein and to perform its obligations under this Agreement and under all such other agreements and instruments. | ||
(b) | Authorization by Buyer. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and all other agreements and instruments to be executed by it as contemplated herein and the completion of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and all such other agreements and instruments have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Buyer. | ||
(c) | Enforceability of Obligations. This Agreement constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the Buyer enforceable against the Buyer in accordance with its terms. |
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(d) | Absence of Conflicting Agreements. There are no agreements (including its articles of incorporation or other constating documents), court orders or any other restrictions of any kind that prohibit or restrict the Buyers ability to enter into and perform this Agreement. | ||
(e) | Provision of Employee Consultation Information. The Buyer provided to the Seller prior to the Completion Date all such information and at such time as to enable the Seller to comply with its obligations under Regulation 13 of the Transfer Regulations in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Business Purchase Agreement. |
(a) | minutes of a meeting of the board of directors of the Seller authorising the execution and performance of this Agreement and each of the Agreed Documents and the performance of each of the matters contemplated by this Agreement and the Agreed Documents; | ||
(b) | the certificate or certificates representing the Shares; | ||
(c) | a transfer of the Shares in agreed form, duly executed by the Seller; | ||
(d) | all statutory books and registers, minute books, share certificate books and corporate seals of the Corporation; | ||
(e) | a true copy of the Excluded Assets and Liabilities Transfer Agreement duly executed by the Seller and the Corporation; | ||
(f) | a true copy of the Transitional Services Agreement duly executed by the Seller and the Corporation; | ||
(g) | a written resignation and release of all claims against the Corporation, in agreed form, duly executed by each director and officer of the Corporation designated by the Buyer; | ||
(h) | a guarantee in agreed form duly executed by Visteon Corporation in favour of the Buyer and the Corporation, guaranteeing on the terms set out therein the performance by the Seller and/or Visteon Global Technologies, Inc., as the case may be, of their obligations contained in this Agreement, the Agreed Documents, |
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the Business Purchase Agreement, the BPA Agreed Documents and the Excluded Assets and Liabilities Transfer Agreement, as the case may be; | |||
(i) | the duly completed Licences to Assign executed by the landlord of the Leasehold Premises; | ||
(j) | the duly completed Leasehold Transfers; | ||
(k) | the duly completed Surrender Documents; | ||
(l) | the TR1 relating to the Freehold Premises; and | ||
(m) | the title deeds and documents relating to the Premises listed in part 3 of Schedule 4 |
(a) | written resolution of the board of directors of the Buyer authorising the execution and performance of this Agreement and each of the Agreed Documents and the performance of each of the matters contemplated by this Agreement and the Agreed Documents; | ||
(b) | the payment referred to in clause 2.3; and | ||
(c) | a guarantee in the agreed form duly executed by Linamar Corporation in favour of the Seller, guaranteeing on the terms set out therein: (i) the performance by the Buyer of its obligations contained in this Agreement and the Agreed Documents, and (ii) the performance by the Corporation of its obligations contained in the Business Purchase Agreement, the BPA Agreed Documents and the Excluded Assets and Liabilities Transfer Agreement, as the case may be. |
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(a) | arise directly from or are increased by any act or omission or failure to act on the part of the Corporation in connection with the Transfer or attempted Transfer of the Permits to the Corporation, or the failure or refusal by the Corporation to give its consent pursuant to clause 6.1(17)(d); or | ||
(b) | arise directly from or are increased by any additional restriction, condition, emission or control measure, or other limitation on the operation of the Business at the Premises in respect of any Order of any Competent Authority, arising directly or indirectly out of or in connection with the Transfer of the Permits to the Corporation (Additional Restrictions), to the extent that such Additional Restrictions would have been imposed had the Permits been effectively Transferred in accordance with Environmental Law to the Corporation at the Completion Time. |
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(a) | the Indemnifying Party may assume such control at its expense through counsel of its choice and shall reimburse the Indemnified Party for all of the Indemnified Partys out-of-pocket expenses incurred as a result of such assumption of control; and | ||
(b) | the Indemnified Party shall allow the Indemnifying Party to participate in all negotiations and correspondence with such third party and shall conduct proceedings in respect of such Third Party Claim in accordance with the Indemnifying Partys instructions provided that the Indemnified Party shall continue to have the right to participate in the negotiation, settlement or defence of such Third Party Claim and to retain counsel to act on its behalf (provided that the fees and disbursements of such counsel shall be paid by the Indemnified Party unless the Indemnifying Party consents to the retention of such counsel at its expense or unless the named parties to any action or proceeding include both the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party and a representation of both the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to the actual or potential differing interests between them (such as the availability of different defences), in which case the fees and disbursements of such counsel shall be paid by the Indemnifying Party). |
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(a) | the legality, validity or enforceability in that jurisdiction of any other provision of this Agreement; or | ||
(b) | the legality, validity or enforceability under the law of any other jurisdiction of that or any other provision of this Agreement. |
(a) | Transfer the Greenhouse Gas Permit to the Corporation as soon as reasonably practicable following the Closing Date and in any event in accordance with clause 6.1(17); and |
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(b) | within the later of 5 working days of the Closing Date and the date upon which the Buyer opens an appropriate account to receive the allowances allocated at the date of the Permit in respect of the installation or installations at the Premises and the second scheme phase covered by the Greenhouse Gas Emissions trading scheme regulations 2005, Transfer all those allowances to the Corporation at no cost to the Corporation . |
(a) | The Seller shall prepare and be responsible for, at its own cost, the applications (with all supporting documentation) for the Transfer and the Corporation shall provide all reasonable assistance to the Seller in connection therewith. | ||
(b) | Within 5 Business Days of the date of this Agreement, the Corporation and the Seller shall, to the extent that it is within their respective power so to do, procure the submission to the relevant Competent Authority of a completed joint application by the Seller and the Corporation for the Transfer. | ||
(c) | The Seller shall use all reasonable endeavours to effect the Transfer, subject always to compliance by the Seller with sub-clause 6.1(17)(d) below, and the Corporation shall provide all reasonable assistance to the Seller in connection therewith. | ||
(d) | The Seller shall not agree to any alteration of the terms and conditions of nor accept any greater liability under the Permits without the prior written consent of the Corporation acting in its absolute discretion. |
(a) | such Confidential Business Information has come into the public domain (other than as a result of breach of any obligation of confidence by the Seller); or | ||
(b) | any disclosure of such Confidential Business Information has been authorised in writing by the Buyer in advance; or | ||
(c) | disclosure of the Confidential Business Information concerned is required: |
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(i) | by law or any Competent Authority or by the rules of any securities exchange; or |
(ii) | for the purposes of any dispute or claim in connection with this Agreement or any other Agreed Document. |
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(a) | HMRC means Her Majestys Revenue & Customs; | ||
(b) | Representative Member means the Seller; and | ||
(c) | Sellers VAT Group means the group of companies registered for VAT under number GB ###-###-#### 37. |
(a) | provides to the Representative Member after Closing such documents, information and assistance as it may reasonably require in writing to enable it to comply with its obligations in the making of VAT returns and accounting for VAT to HMRC in respect of supplies or acquisitions made by the Corporation for VAT purposes in the prescribed accounting period (as defined in section 25(1) VATA) current at Closing and in the event that the Corporations exclusion from the Sellers VAT Group takes effect after the end of that prescribed accounting period in respect of supplies or acquisitions made by the Corporation in the next and any subsequent prescribed accounting period (Relevant PAPs) in each case where they are, for the purposes of section 43 VATA (groups of companies), treated as made by the Representative Member; and |
(b) | pays the Representative Member not less than two Business Days before the same is required to be paid to HMRC an amount equal to any VAT for which the Representative Member has to account (or would have to account but for any input tax credit or repayment of VAT due from HMRC in respect of actual supplies made to the members of the Sellers VAT Group other than the Corporation) to HMRC in respect of the Relevant PAPs and which results from supplies, deemed supplies, importations or acquisitions made by the Corporation in the Relevant PAPs but treated as made by the Representative Member under section 43(1) VATA and, in computing such amount of VAT, credit shall be given |
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to the Corporation for any input tax to which it is entitled under the VATA on supplies, deemed supplies made to or importations or acquisitions made by the Corporation in the Relevant PAP, but treated as made to or by the Representative Member. |
(a) | if delivered by hand, at the time of actual delivery to the address referred to in clause 6.9(1); | ||
(b) | in the case of pre-paid recorded delivery or registered post, two Business Days after the date of posting; |
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(c) | in the case of registered airmail, five Business Days after the date of posting; and | ||
(d) | if sent by fax, at the time of completion of transmission. |
SIGNED by VISTEON UK LIMITED acting by its duly authorised signatory: | ||||
/s/ Timothy McGraw | ||||
SIGNED by LINAMAR UK HOLDINGS INC. acting by its duly authorised signatory: | ||||
/s/ Roger Fulton | ||||
SIGNED by VISTEON SWANSEA LIMITED acting by its duly authorised signatory: | ||||
/s/ Stephen Gawne |
1. | CORPORATE MATTERS OF THE SELLER | |
1.1 | Authority and Capacity of Seller. |
(a) | The Seller is a corporation incorporated, organized and subsisting under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation. | ||
(b) | The Seller has full corporate power, authority and capacity to enter into and perform this Agreement and the Agreed Documents. | ||
(c) | This Agreement and the Agreed Documents constitute, or will when executed constitute, valid and binding obligations on the Seller in accordance with their respective terms. | ||
(d) | The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the Agreed Documents and the completion of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Seller. | ||
(e) | There are no agreements (including the Sellers memorandum or articles of association), court orders or any other restrictions of any kind that prohibit or restrict the Sellers ability to sell the Shares on the terms of this Agreement. |
1.2 | No Insolvency of the Seller. |
(a) | The Seller is not unable to pay its debts within the meaning of section 123(1)(e) of the Insolvency Act 1986. | ||
(b) | No order has been made or petition presented or meeting convened for the purpose of considering a resolution for the winding up of the Seller nor has any such resolution been passed. No petition has been presented for an administration order to be made in relation to the Seller and no receiver (including any administrative receiver) has been appointed in respect of the whole or any part of any of the property, assets or undertaking of the Seller. | ||
(c) | No distress, execution or other process has been levied or applied for in respect of the whole or any part of any of the property, assets or undertaking of the Seller. |
1.3 | Ownership of Shares. | |
The Shares have been fully-paid and validly issued in compliance with the constitutional documents of the Corporation and Applicable Law. The Seller is the registered and beneficial holder of the Shares, free and clear of all Security Interests. There are no restrictions of any kind on the transfer of the Shares except those set out in the constitutional documents of the Corporation (true, complete and current copies of which have been provided to the Buyer). The Seller has the full legal right, power and authority to transfer the Shares to the Buyer free and clear of all Security Interests. The Shares constitute the entire issued share capital of the Corporation. | ||
THE CORPORATION |
1.4 | Organization and Operation of the Corporation. | |
The Corporation was incorporated on June 2, 2008 and is organized and subsisting under the laws of England. There are no shareholders agreements governing the affairs of the Corporation |
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or the relationship, rights and duties of its shareholders, nor are there any voting trusts, pooling arrangements or other similar agreements with respect to the ownership or voting of any shares of the Corporation. There are no Security Interests and no rights, subscriptions, warrants, options, conversion rights, calls, commitments or plans or agreements of any kind outstanding which would enable any person to purchase or otherwise acquire any shares or other securities of the Corporation. |
1.5 | Purpose of Corporation. | |
The only activities of the Corporation prior to the Closing Time have been to take all necessary corporate action to duly authorize the execution and delivery of the Business Purchase Agreement, the BPA Agreed Documents and the Excluded Assets and Liabilities Transfer Agreement, to enter into and deliver and perform the Business Purchase Agreement, the BPA Agreed Documents and the Excluded Assets and Liabilities Transfer Agreement, to own the Assets and the After-Acquired Assets in the Ordinary Course of Business, to acquire the After-Acquired Assets and otherwise carry on the Business in the Ordinary Course of Business and to issue the Shares to the Seller. The Corporation does not own and has never owned any assets other than the Assets and the After-Acquired Assets. | ||
1.6 | Business Purchase Agreement, Etc. | |
The Business Purchase Agreement, the BPA Agreed Documents and the Excluded Assets and Liabilities Transfer Agreement, true, complete and current copies of which are attached as Schedule 13, have been duly executed by and are enforceable against each of the parties thereto. The Corporation has all right, title, interest, property, claim and demand in and to the Assets and the After-Acquired Assets (subject to the terms of the Business Purchase Agreement and the Excluded Assets and Liabilities Transfer Agreement). Neither the Corporation nor the Seller is in default under the Business Purchase Agreement, the Excluded Assets and Liabilities Transfer Agreement or any of the BPA Agreed Documents. | ||
1.7 | Contracts. | |
The Corporation is not a party to any contract, agreement, order, lease or arrangement in writing other than the Contracts, the Business Purchase Agreement, the BPA Agreed Documents and the Excluded Assets and Liabilities Transfer Agreement. | ||
1.8 | Transactions with Affiliates. | |
Except for the liabilities and other obligations of the Corporation pursuant to the terms and conditions Business Purchase Agreement and the BPA Agreed Documents, the Corporation is not liable in respect of advances, loans, guarantees, liabilities or other obligations to or on behalf of any shareholder, officer, director or employee of the Corporation, Seller or any other member of Sellers Group. Except for intercompany services provided to the Corporation pursuant to the Business Purchase Agreement or the BPA Agreed Documents, there are no intercompany services provided to the Corporation by the Seller or any other member of Sellers Group. | ||
1.9 | Operated in Ordinary Course. | |
The Corporation has operated the Business in the Ordinary Course of Business since the Completion Date. | ||
1.10 | No Extraordinary Actions. | |
The Corporation has not: |
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(a) | amended its articles or by-laws or similar document adopted or filed in connection with the creation, formation or organization of the Corporation; | ||
(b) | directly or indirectly, declared, set aside for payment or paid any dividend or makes any other payment or distribution on or in respect of any of its shares; | ||
(c) | redeemed, purchased, retired or otherwise acquired, directly or indirectly, any of its shares; | ||
(d) | issued or sold any shares or other securities to any person other than the Shares issued to the Seller or issued, sold or granted any option, warrant or right to purchase any of its shares or other securities or issues any security convertible into its shares, granted any registration rights or otherwise made any change to its authorized or issued share capital; | ||
(e) | disposed of or revalued any of its assets, except sales of Stock in the Ordinary Course of Business or in accordance with the Excluded Assets and Liabilities Transfer Agreement; | ||
(f) | made any change in its accounting principles, policies, practices or methods; | ||
(g) | mortgaged, pledged, granted a security interest in or otherwise creates a Security Interest on any of its property or assets, except in the Ordinary Course of Business and in amounts which, individually and in the aggregate, are not material to the financial condition of the Corporation or the operation of the Business; | ||
(h) | terminated, cancelled, modified or amended in any material respect or taken or failed to take any action which would entitle any party to any Contract to terminate, cancel, modify or amend any Contract; | ||
(i) | incurred any indebtedness for borrowed money to any other Person; | ||
(j) | given or agreed to give or becomes a party to or bound by any guarantee, surety or indemnity in respect of indebtedness or other obligations or liabilities of any other Person or becomes a party to any other commitment by which the Corporation is, or is contingently, responsible for such indebtedness or other liability or obligation; | ||
(k) | purchased or otherwise acquired any interest in any securities of any other person; | ||
(l) | made any capital expenditure or authorized any capital expenditure or made any commitment for the purchase, construction or improvement of any capital assets except in the Ordinary Course of Business; | ||
(m) | entered into any Contract or commitment to hire, or terminated the services of, any officer or senior management employee; or |
agreed, committed or entered into any understanding to take any actions enumerated in paragraphs (a) to (l) of this Section 1.10. | ||
1.11 | Corporate Records. | |
The minute books of the Corporation have been maintained in accordance with Applicable Law and contain true, correct and complete copies of its articles, the minutes of every meeting of its board of directors and every committee thereof and of its shareholders and every written resolution of its directors and shareholders. All meetings of directors and shareholders of each of the Corporation have been duly called and held and all resolutions have been duly passed in accordance with Applicable Law at such meetings or by written resolution. The share certificate |
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book, register of shareholders, register of transfers and register of directors and officers of the Corporation are complete. |
1.12 | No Insolvency of the Corporation. |
(a) | The Corporation is not unable to pay its debts within the meaning of Section 123(1)(e) of the Insolvency Act, 1986. | ||
(b) | No order has been made or petition presented or meeting convened for the purpose of considering a resolution for the winding up of the Corporation nor has any such resolution been passed. No petition has been presented for an administration order to be made in relation to the Corporation and no receiver (including any administrative receiver) has been appointed in respect of the whole or any part of the property, assets or undertaking of the Corporation. | ||
(c) | No distress, execution or other process has been levied or applied for in respect of the whole or any part of any of the property, Assets or undertaking of the Corporation. |
2. | ASSETS | |
2.1 | Ownership of Assets. |
(a) | The Corporation is the sole legal and beneficial owner of all of the Assets and any After-Acquired Assets free from all Security Interests except for: Stock sold in the Ordinary course of Business following the Completion Date; After-Acquired Assets conveyed to the Seller in accordance with the Excluded Assets and Liabilities Transfer Agreement; and that the Leased Assets are subject to the Leasing Agreements. | ||
(b) | The Corporation has not granted or agreed to grant and there does not exist any Security Interest on or over any of the Assets or the After-Acquired Assets. There has been no exercise, purported exercise or claim for any Security Interest on or over any of the Assets or the After-Acquired Assets and there is no dispute directly or indirectly relating to any of the Assets or the After-Acquired Assets. No claim has been made by any person to be entitled to any Security Interest on or over any of the Assets. | ||
(c) | There is no agreement, option or other right or privilege outstanding in favour of any person for the purchase from the Corporation of the Business or of any of the Assets or the After-Acquired Assets other than the purchase of Stock in the Ordinary Course of Business. | ||
(d) | The Seller has paid the Closing Payment to the Corporation. |
2.2 | Stock. | |
Stock levels (measured in day supply) as at the Closing Time are: (i) consistent with the levels of Stock (measured in day supply) that have been maintained in the operation of the Business prior to the Closing Date in the Ordinary Course of Business; and (ii) not in excess of known or anticipated customer requirements. | ||
2.3 | Leased Assets. |
(a) | In relation to any Leased Asset, all payments due under the relevant Leasing Agreement in respect of any period on or before Closing have been made. | ||
(b) | A complete list of all the Leased Assets is set out in Schedule 7 to the Business Purchase Agreement. |
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(c) | A complete list of all the Leasing Agreements is set out in Schedule 9 to the Business Purchase Agreement. |
2.4 | Fixed Assets. |
(a) | A complete list of all the Plant and Machinery is set out in Schedule 2 to the Business Purchase Agreement. | ||
(b) | A complete list of all the Fixtures and Fittings is set out in Schedule 3 to the Business Purchase Agreement. |
2.5 | Condition of Assets. | |
All items comprising the Personal Property and the Leased Assets: |
(a) | are in good repair and condition (having regard to their age and reasonable usage); | ||
(b) | are in good working order (fair wear and tear excepted); and | ||
(c) | are capable of being used for the purposes for which they are used by the Corporation (having regard to their age and reasonable usage). |
2.6 | Intellectual Property Rights. | |
In this paragraph 2.6 of this Schedule 1, all references to paragraphs refer to paragraphs in Schedule 6 (Intellectual Property Transfer and License Provisions) of the Business Purchase Agreement and all references to the Seller mean the Seller or Visteon Global Technologies, Inc., as the case may be and all capitalised terms defined in Schedule 6 to the Business Purchase Agreement shall bear that meaning in this paragraph. |
(a) | All (i) Patents referred to in paragraph 2.1; (ii) Intellectual Property referred to in paragraph 2.2; (iii) licences referred to in paragraph 2.3; (iv) licences referred to in paragraph 2.4(a); and (v) licences referred to in paragraph 2.4(b) are legally and beneficially owned by the Corporation free from any Security Interests. All Intellectual Property referred to in paragraph 2.4(c) and Engineering Design Tools referred to in paragraph 2.5 are legally and beneficially owned by the Seller free from any Security Interests. | ||
(b) | Except as set forth in the Share Sale Disclosure Letter, the Corporation has not granted any licences in respect of all Patents referred to in paragraph 2.1 and all Intellectual Property referred to in paragraph 2.2. | ||
(c) | The Corporation is the sole registered proprietor (or, where relevant, applicant for registration) of all Patents referred to in paragraph 2.1. | ||
(d) | All Patents referred to in paragraph 2.1have been properly maintained and are subsisting and have not been surrendered or are currently being prosecuted to grant. | ||
(e) | All renewal and prosecution fees which have become due for payment prior to the Completion Date in respect of any Patents referred to in paragraph 2.1 have been paid in time and in full. | ||
(f) | So far as the Seller is aware the Patents referred to in paragraph 2.1 and the Patents listed in Exhibit 2 to Schedule 6 of the Business Purchase Agreement constitute all registered Intellectual Property owned by the Seller, the Corporation or any other member of the Sellers Group or by Automotive Component Holdings, Inc. which are used or exploited in the Business. Subject to the foregoing, the Patents referred to in |
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paragraph 2.1, the Intellectual Property referred to in paragraph 2.2, the Patents listed in Exhibit 2 to Schedule 6 of the Business Purchase Agreement, the Intellectual Property referred to in paragraph 2.4(a), the Intellectual Property referred to in paragraph 2.4(b), the Intellectual Property referred to in paragraph 2.4(c), the Intellectual Property in and to the Engineering Design Tools referred to in paragraph 2.5, the Intellectual Property under the Business IP Licences included in the Excluded Assets and the Intellectual Property in commercially available off-the-shelf software constitute all Intellectual Property used or exploited in the Business. | |||
(g) | So far as the Seller is aware, the Engineering Design Tools listed in Exhibit 4 to Schedule 6 of the Business Purchase Agreement are the only computer aided engineering tools and documentation held by and used or exploited in the Business. | ||
(h) | The Corporation does not use any internet domain names exclusively or primarily in connection with the Business. | ||
(i) | None of the Patents referred to in paragraph 2.1 are the subject of any pending or threatened proceedings for opposition, cancellation, revocation, rectification, licence of right or relating to title or any similar proceedings anywhere in the world. The Seller is not aware of any circumstances which might result in any such proceedings. | ||
(j) | So far as the Seller is aware there is no fact or matter (including any act or omission of the Seller) which might result in any Patents referred to in paragraph 2.1 or any Patents listed in Exhibit 2 to Schedule 6 of the Business Purchase Agreement, either in whole or in part, being revoked, invalidated or rendered unenforceable or, in the case of applications for registration, which might prejudice the prospects of registration. | ||
(k) | The Corporation is entitled to use under a licence all Third Party Intellectual Property Rights for all purposes necessary to conduct the Business in the manner in which it is carried on by the Corporation at Closing. | ||
(l) | So far as the Seller is aware, the Patents listed in Exhibit 2 to Schedule 6 of the Business Purchase Agreement constitute all registered Third Party Intellectual Property Rights. | ||
(m) | So far as the Seller is aware, details of all Business IP Licences in respect of registered Third Party Intellectual Property Rights are set out in Part 2 of Exhibit 2 to Schedule 6 of the Business Purchase Agreement. | ||
(n) | Save as set out in the Share Sale Disclosure Letter, the Business does not use any Third Party Software which is not off the shelf software available for purchase by the Buyer directly from the licensor or its sub-licensor. | ||
(o) | All Business IP Licences are valid and binding and are in full force and effect. | ||
(p) | So far as the Seller is aware, nothing has been done or omitted to be done by the Seller or the Corporation which would enable any Business IP Licence to be terminated or which in any way constitutes a breach of any of the terms of any Business IP Licence. | ||
(q) | So far as the Seller is aware no other party is in breach of any Business IP Licence. | ||
(r) | So far as the Seller is aware the Corporation has not, in each case in the operation of the Business, infringed any Intellectual Property owned by any third party or breached any obligations of confidence owed to any third party. | ||
(s) | So far as the Seller is aware no third party has infringed any Intellectual Property Right, whether registered or unregistered, which is owned by the Seller, the Corporation or any |
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other member of the Sellers Group and Related to the Business, breached any obligations of confidence owed to the Corporation or misappropriated or misused any Confidential Business Information. |
3. | RECORDS. | |
All material financial transactions of the Business have been accurately recorded in the Records. All Records are in the full possession and exclusive control of, and are owned exclusively by, the Corporation and are not dependent upon any computerized or other system, program or device that is not exclusively owned and controlled by the Seller. | ||
4. | TRADING | |
4.1 | Contracts. |
(a) | A complete list of all the Contracts is set out in Schedule 9 to the Business Purchase Agreement. | ||
(b) | The Corporation is not a party to any Contract with any current or former director, officer or employee of the Corporation or with any member of the Sellers Group. | ||
(c) | Neither the Seller nor the Corporation nor, so far as the Seller is aware, any other party to any Contract is in default under any Contract which default would entitle the other party to terminate the Contract. There has not occurred any event which, with the lapse of time or giving of notice or both, would constitute a default under any Contract by the Corporation or the Seller, so far as Seller is aware, any other party to any Contract which would entitle the other party to terminate the Contract. Each Contract is in full force and effect, unamended by written or oral agreement, and the Corporation or the Seller is entitled to the full benefit and advantage of each Contract in accordance with its terms. Neither the Seller nor the Corporation has received any notice of any demand or proposal for the termination of any Contract or for any change to the pricing or other terms of any Contract which is yet to take effect, of a default by the Seller or the Corporation under any Contract or of a dispute between the Seller or the Corporation and any other person in respect of any Contract. | ||
(d) | The completion of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not afford any party to any of the Contracts or any other person the right to terminate any Contract under the terms of such Contract nor will the completion of such transactions result in any additional or more onerous obligation on, or less advantageous entitlement of, the Corporation under the terms of any Contract. |
4.2 | Powers of attorney and authorities. |
(a) | No power of attorney given by the Corporation in relation to the Business or any of the Assets or the After-Acquired Assets is in force. | ||
(b) | There are not outstanding any authorities (express or implied) by which any person (other than a director of the Corporation) may enter into any contract or commitment to do anything on behalf of the Corporation in relation to the Business. |
4.3 | Business names. |
(a) | The Corporation does not use any name for any purpose in connection with the Business other than Visteon, Visteon UK, Visteon UK Limited, Visteon Swansea or Visteon Europe. |
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4.4 | Litigation. |
(a) | Except as plaintiff in relation to the collection of unpaid debts arising in the Ordinary Course of Business which do not exceed £150,000 in aggregate, neither the Seller nor the Corporation is (nor is any person for whose acts or defaults the Seller or the Corporation may be vicariously liable) involved in any Legal Proceeding in relation to the Corporation, the Business, the Shares or any of the Assets or title thereto (whether as plaintiff or defendant or otherwise) and no such proceedings are pending or have been Threatened. | ||
(b) | There is no Order outstanding against or affecting the Corporation, the Business or any of the Assets or the After-Acquired Assets. |
4.5 | Competition and Trade. | |
So far as the Seller is aware the Corporation is not and has not been a party to any agreement, practice or arrangement in relation to the Business (including the Contracts) which in whole or in part contravenes any other anti-trust, anti-monopoly, anti-cartel legislation, fair trading, consumer protection or similar legislation or regulations in any jurisdiction. | ||
4.6 | Data Protection. | |
So far as the Seller is aware, each of the Seller and the Corporation has in relation to the Business duly complied in all material respects with all relevant requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998. | ||
5. | CONDUCT OF THE BUSINESS | |
5.1 | Licences and Compliance with Applicable Law. |
(a) | Schedule 12 to the Business Purchase Agreement lists all the Licences required for the operation of the Business and identifies those that by their terms include any prohibition or condition relating to a change of control of the Corporation. | ||
(b) | So far as the Seller is aware all the Licences are valid and are in full force and effect, the Seller is not so far as it is aware in violation of any term or provision or requirement of any Licence, and no person has threatened to revoke, amend or impose any condition in respect of, or commenced proceedings to revoke, amend or impose conditions in respect of, any Licence. |
5.2 | Suppliers | |
The Seller is not aware of, nor has the Corporation received notice of, any intention on the part of any supplier to cease doing business with the Corporation or to modify or change in any material manner any Contract with the Corporation for the supply of any products or services to the Corporation. | ||
5.3 | Absence of Certain Changes or Events. |
(a) | The Corporation since the Completion Date has carried on the Business in the Ordinary Course of Business and, in particular, but without limitation, has not: |
(i) | mortgaged, pledged or otherwise granted or created a Security Interest in or on any of the Assets or the After-Acquired Assets, except in the Ordinary Course of Business and in amounts which, individually and in the aggregate are not material to the financial condition or operation of the Business; |
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(ii) | entered into any Contract or other transaction that was not in the Ordinary Course of Business; | ||
(iii) | in respect of the Business, made any capital expenditure or authorized any capital expenditure or made any commitment for the purchase, construction or improvement of any capital assets except in the Ordinary Course of Business; or | ||
(iv) | agreed or committed to take any of actions enumerated in paragraphs (i) to (iv) above of this paragraph 5.3. |
6. | EMPLOYMENT | |
6.1 | Employees and terms of employment. |
(a) | No person is employed by the Corporation or providing services to the Corporation under a contract of service or contract for services other than the Employees. | ||
(b) | The Employees are all employed directly by the Corporation and each of the Employees is employed exclusively in the Business. | ||
(c) | The name, date of birth, date of commencement of service, remuneration, other benefits, number of hours worked per week and job description for each Employee is set out in the Share Sale Disclosure Letter. | ||
(d) | Particulars of the terms and conditions of employment of all the Employees (including all information required by law to be included in particulars of terms of employment) are set out in the Share Sale Disclosure Letter. | ||
(e) | Each Employees contract of employment is determinable on three months notice or less without compensation (other than compensation in accordance with Parts X and XI of the Employment Rights Act 1996). | ||
(f) | No Employee has given or received notice terminating his employment with the Corporation. | ||
(g) | Other than set out in the Share Sale Disclosure Letter there are no collective agreements in respect of all or any of the Employees. | ||
(h) | No negotiations for any increase in remuneration or benefits or change in any other term of the employment of any of the Employees are currently or are due to take place within six months after the date of this Agreement, no offer of or demand for any such increase has been made, and no Employee has within the last 12 months received an increase in remuneration of more than 5% or suffered any reduction in remuneration. | ||
(i) | Save for the Employees listed in the Sickness Absence List or PHI List attached at Schedule 8 to this Agreement, no Employee is or has been absent from work at the Closing Time for longer than 4 weeks |
6.2 | Pensions | |
In this paragraph 6.2 the Schemes include each pension arrangement disclosed in the Share Sale Disclosure Letter in relation to this Schedule 1. |
(a) | The Schemes in operation for the benefit of any of the Employees or for the benefit of any dependants of Employees have been disclosed in the Share Sale Disclosure Letter and no assurance has been given to any of the Employees about the introduction of any other Benefits. |
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(b) | There is no obligation to provide Benefits under, or make contributions to, any pension scheme except as revealed in the documents provided to the Buyer. | ||
(c) | No discretion or power has been or will before the Completion Date be exercised under the Schemes to: |
(i) | augment benefits under the Schemes in respect of any of the Employees on the basis which may give rise to an expectation that this practice is to be continued; | ||
(ii) | admit to membership an Employee who would not otherwise have been eligible for admission to membership of the Schemes; or | ||
(iii) | provide in respect of a member who is an Employee a benefit which would not otherwise be provided in respect of such member. |
(d) | Since 30 August 1993 no Employee has had his contract of employment transferred to the Seller from another employer in circumstances where the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 applied to the transfer of his contract of employment. |
6.3 | Bonus and other schemes |
(a) | Other than as set out in the Share Sale Disclosure Letter, there are no schemes (whether contractual or discretionary) in operation by, or in relation to, the Corporation or any member of the Sellers Group under which any Employee is entitled to any bonus, profit-share, commission or other incentive scheme (whether calculated by reference to the whole or part of the turnover, profits/losses or sales of the Business or otherwise). |
6.4 | Changes in remuneration and terms and conditions |
(a) | Since the Last Accounts Date (or, where the relevant employment or holding of office commenced after such date, since the commencement date of the employment or holding of office) no change has been made or proposed in the rate of remuneration, emoluments, pension benefits or other terms of employment of any Employee. |
6.5 | Employment claims |
(a) | There are no legal or other proceedings or demands against the Seller by any Employee or by any third party (including a trade union) on behalf of any such person nor have any such proceedings or demands been threatened. | ||
(b) | No Employee has raised or threatened to raise a grievance within the last 6 months which is still current or outstanding. |
6.6 | Discrimination |
(a) | In the 12 months preceding this Agreement, there has been no recommendation made in relation to the business by an employment tribunal nor any investigation by any body responsible for investigating or enforcing matters relating to sex, race or disability discrimination. |
7. | PROPERTY | |
7.1 | Premises. |
(a) | The Premises comprise all the land and buildings owned, occupied or otherwise used in connection with the Business and all the estate, interest, right and title whatsoever |
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(including interests in the nature of options and rights in the nature of contractual licences) of the Business in respect of any land or premises. The particulars of the Premises shown in Schedule 4 are true and correct. |
(b) | The Premises which are occupied or otherwise used by the Seller or the Corporation in connection with the Business are so occupied or used by right of ownership or under lease or licence, and the terms of any such lease or licence (including whether any lease is an old tenancy or a new tenancy for the purpose of the Landlord and Tenant (Covenants) Act 1995) are summarised in Schedule 4 and permit such occupation or use. | ||
(c) | The Corporation is the sole legal and beneficial owner of the Premises and is in sole and undisputed occupation of each of them. | ||
(d) | The information contained in Schedule 4 as to the tenure of the Premises, the principal terms of the lease or licences held by the Seller or the Corporation, and the principal terms of the tenancies and licences subject to and with the benefit of which the Premises are held is true and accurate in all respects. The present use of Premises is correctly stated in Schedule 4. |
7.2 | Encumbrances. |
(a) | The Premises are free from any Security Interest. | ||
(b) | The Premises are not subject to any covenants, obligations, exceptions, reservations, stipulations, easements, quasi-easements, profits à prendre, wayleaves, licences, grants, restrictions, overriding interests or any other matters which may adversely affect the value of the Premises or their proper use, occupation or enjoyment for the purposes of the Business nor are any such matters being acquired by or against it. | ||
(c) | Where any such matters as are referred to in paragraphs 7.2(a) or 7.2(b) have been disclosed in the Share Sale Disclosure Letter, the obligations and liabilities imposed and arising under them have been fully observed and performed and any payments in respect of them due and payable have been duly paid. | ||
(d) | The Premises are not subject to any option, right of pre-emption or right of first refusal. | ||
(e) | There are no claims, disputes or outstanding orders or notices affecting the Premises (whether served by a landlord, local authority, local planning authority or other body or person). |
7.3 | Statutory obligations. |
(a) | There is no outstanding and unobserved or unperformed obligation with respect to the Premises necessary to comply with the requirements (whether formal or informal) of any competent authority exercising statutory or delegated powers. | ||
(b) | There are not in force or required to be in force any licences whether under the Licensing Act 1964 or otherwise which apply to the Premises or the present use of the Premises for the purpose of the Business. |
7.4 | Adverse Orders. |
(a) | There are no compulsory purchase notices, orders or resolutions or blight notices affecting the Premises nor are there any circumstances likely to lead to any being made. |
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(b) | There are no closing, demolition or clearance orders, enforcement notices or stop notices affecting the Premises nor are there any circumstances likely to lead to any being made. |
7.5 | Leasehold Premises. | |
No notices have been served by the landlord in respect of any Leasehold Premises. | ||
7.6 | Preliminary Enquiries. | |
All replies to preliminary enquiries raised by Linamars Solicitors and attached to the Share Sale Disclosure Letter are true, complete and accurate in all respects and contain all information known or available to the Seller. | ||
8. | ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS | |
8.1 | Environmental Matters. |
(a) | The Business and the Assets and the After-Acquired Assets as carried on or used by the Corporation and the Seller and the Sellers predecessors at the Premises (including the condition of the Premises and the waters on or under the Premises) have been carried on and used and are currently carried on and used in compliance with all Environmental Law. | ||
(b) | The Corporation and the Seller and the Sellers predecessors have not used any of the Assets or the After-Acquired Assets, or permitted them to be used, to generate, manufacture, refine, treat, transport, store, handle, dispose of, transfer, produce or process any Hazardous Substance except in compliance with all Environmental Law. | ||
(c) | Each of the Corporation and the Seller is not, and has not been, subject to any Legal Proceedings (i) investigating or alleging the violation or possible violation of any Environmental Law in connection with the Business, the Premises or the other Assets or the After-Acquired Assets or (ii) to determine whether any study or remedial action is required to respond to a Release or the presence of a Hazardous Substance on the Premises or other Assets or the After-Acquired Assets. | ||
(d) | The Environmental Permits listed in Schedule 12 to the Business Purchase Agreement constitute all Environmental Permits which are required for the operation of the Business or the Assets, including any machinery, equipment or facility included in the Assets or the After-Acquired Assets. The Environmental Permits presently held by the Seller and the Corporation are valid and in full force and effect, and no violations thereof have been experienced, noted or recorded, and no Legal Proceedings are pending or Threatened to revoke or limit any of them. | ||
(e) | There are no Legal Proceedings in progress, pending or Threatened in which it is alleged that the Corporation or the Seller or any predecessor of the Seller or any employee or any director or officer or former employee or former director or officer of the Corporation or the Seller or agent or any other person for whom the Corporation or the Seller is responsible is liable for a domestic or foreign clean-up or remediation of lands contaminated with Hazardous Substances or for any other remedial or corrective action under an Environmental Law in respect of the Premises nor is there any factual or legal basis on which any such Legal Proceedings might be commenced. | ||
(f) | There are no circumstances that could reasonably be expected to give rise to any Legal Proceeding or create any obligation or liability in respect of (i) the Release or presence of a Hazardous Substance on or from the Premises or other Assets or After-Acquired Assets or (ii) the violation of any Environmental Law by the Corporation or the Seller, the |
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Sellers employees, agents or others for whom the Corporation or the Seller is responsible in relation to the Business. |
(g) | All Hazardous Substances disposed of, treated or stored on the Premises have been disposed of, treated and stored in compliance with all Environmental Laws and no part of the Premises or other Assets or After-Acquired Assets contains a Hazardous Substance which exceeds an applicable soil, groundwater or other criterion or standard prescribed by an environmental authority or agency having jurisdiction over the Premises or other Assets or After-Acquired Assets, whether or not such criterion or standard constitutes Environmental Law. | ||
(h) | The Corporation or the Seller and the Sellers predecessors have maintained all environmental and operating documents and records Related to the Business in the manner and for the time periods required by any Environmental Law and have never conducted an environmental audit of the Business, the Premises or any of the other Assets or After-Acquired Assets. For purposes of this paragraph (h), an environmental audit includes any evaluation, assessment, review or study performed at the request of or on behalf of the Seller, a prospective purchaser of the Business or the Assets or After-Acquired Assets or a Competent Authority, whether formally requisitioned or otherwise prepared. | ||
(i) | There are no underground storage tanks, pits, lagoons, waste disposal sites, above-ground storage tanks or materials or other assets containing asbestos or polychlorinated biphenyls located on the Premises. | ||
(j) | So far as the Seller is aware there are no pending or proposed changes to Environmental Laws which would render illegal or materially restrict the operation of the Business or the use or operation of any Asset or After-Acquired Asset. |
9. | TAXATION | |
9.1 | Tax Administration |
(a) | The Corporation is not involved in any dispute with H M Revenue & Customs concerning any matter which affects the Business or any of the Assets. | ||
(b) | H M Revenue & Customs has not operated or agreed to operate any special arrangement (being an arrangement which is not based on the relevant legislation, any published practice or concession or any guidance issued by HM Revenue & Customs) in relation to the tax affairs of the Corporation. |
9.2 | PAYE and National Insurance | |
The Corporation has operated the PAYE system accurately and correctly in respect of the Employees. | ||
9.3 | VAT |
(a) | The Corporation is not registered for the purposes of the VATA in respect of the Business and has kept materially complete and up to date records required for those purposes. | ||
(b) | The Corporation is not registered and is not liable to register with any tax authority outside the United Kingdom for the purposes of paying or administering any tax in respect of the Business. |
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9.4 | None of the Assets or the After-Acquired Assets is a capital item, the input tax on which could be subject to adjustment on accordance with the provisions of Part XV of the Value Added Tax Regulations 1995. | |
9.5 | In respect of each Relevant Lease: |
(a) | the original of all land transaction certificates issued by HMRC and all original self certificates was delivered to the Corporation on Completion; | ||
(b) | no premium or rent was at any time or remains contingent, unascertained or uncertain; | ||
(c) | all land transaction returns (including any supplemental or amending returns) required to be made by the Seller have been properly and duly prepared and punctually submitted and are up-to-date and accurate; | ||
(d) | any SDLT which ought to have been paid by the Seller has been paid in full by the due date; | ||
(e) | no relief or exemption from SDLT has been claimed on any of the Leasehold Premises to be assigned by the Seller to the Corporation on Completion which will or might result in the assignment of the lease by the Seller to the Corporation being deemed to be the grant of a lease for SDLT purposes; | ||
(f) | save in respect of the assignment of the lease by the Seller to the Corporation on Completion, so far as the Seller is aware the Corporation will not after Completion become liable to submit any land transaction return (including any supplemental return) or make any self-certificate in respect of the lease | ||
(g) | so far as the Seller is aware the Corporation will not after Completion become liable to make any payment of SDLT in respect of the lease; |
For the purposes of this warranty 9.5: |
(h) | Relevant Lease means any leasehold interest which the Seller will assign to the Corporation on Completion; and | ||
(i) | terms defined in Finance Act 2003 (as amended) shall have the meanings ascribed by that Act. |
9.6 | There is no branch agent office or permanent establishment (within the meaning of the OECD Model Double Taxation Agreement) of the Corporation outside the United Kingdom. | |
9.7 | Neither the Seller nor any relevant associate (as defined in paragraph 3(7) of Schedule 10 to VATA 1994) has elected to waive exemption or will before Completion elect to waive exemption for VAT purposes in relation to the Premises. | |
9.8 | None of the Premises is a building or engineering work falling within item 1(a) of Group 1 of Schedule 9 to VATA 1994. | |
9.9 | All VAT payable on the importation of goods, and all excise duties payable to HM Revenue & Customs payable in respect of the Assets, including the Stock, have been paid in full, and none of the Assets is liable to confiscation, forfeiture or distress. | |
9.10 | So far as the Seller is aware the information in relation to capital allowances available in respect of the Assets set out in the Share Sale Disclosure Letter with reference to this warranty is materially correct and complete in respect of the Sellers period of ownership of the Assets. |
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9.11 | During the Sellers period of ownership, no capital allowances were claimed in respect of the Assets other than industrial buildings allowances as set out in the information provided in the Share Sale Disclosure Letter as disclosures against warranty 9.10. |
1. | MONETARY LIMITS | |
1.1 | No Losses may be recovered from the Seller pursuant to Warranty Claims under clause 3.1(5): (i) unless the amount of all Losses, when taken together collectively with any Losses (as defined in, respectively, the Business Purchase Agreement and the Excluded Assets and Liabilities Transfer Agreement) suffered or incurred by the Corporation pursuant to Warranty Claims as defined in, respectively, the Business Purchase Agreement and the Excluded Assets and Liabilities Transfer Agreement) under clause 6.5 of the Business Purchase Agreement and clause 8.2 of the Excluded Assets and Liabilities Transfer Agreement, exceeds £75,000 (without duplication as provided in paragraph 4 of this Schedule 10), in which case the whole amount (and not just the amount by which such threshold amount is exceeded) is recoverable; or (ii) in an aggregate amount exceeding £5,000,000. | |
1.2 | The Seller shall have no liability for any Losses pursuant to Warranty Claims under clause 3.1(6) in respect of the Warranties in paragraphs 9.10 and 9.11 of Schedule 1 or any other claim under this Agreement for the loss or non-availability of any capital allowances available on any of the Assets: |
(a) | except to the extent that the amount of Tax which can be saved by the capital allowances available to be used by the Buyer arising from the Assets is less than £1,555,270; or | ||
(b) | where the loss or non-availability of the capital allowances arise as a result of a voluntary act of the Corporation or a member of the Buyers Group after Completion or as a result of a change in law, change in the published practice or concession of any Tax Authority or as a result of the decision of any court or tribunal, in each case after Completion. |
1.3 | The total liability of the Seller in respect of Warranty Claims (as defined in, respectively, this Agreement, the Business Purchase Agreement and the Excluded Assets and Liabilities Transfer Agreement) under clause 3.1(5) of this Agreement (other than the Warranties in paragraphs 1.1, 1.3 and 2.1 of Schedule 1), clause 6.5 of the Business Purchase Agreement (other than the Warranties in paragraphs 1.1 and 2.1 of Schedule 1 to the Business Purchase Agreement) and clause 8.2 of the Excluded Assets and Liabilities Transfer Agreement (other than the Warranties in clauses 8.1(a), (b), (c) or (d) thereof) shall not exceed £5,000,000 and the Corporation hereby acknowledges that the Business Purchase Agreement and the Excluded Assets and Liabilities Transfer Agreement shall be deemed to be amended accordingly. | |
1.4 | For the avoidance of doubt, the limitations set out in paragraphs 1.1 and 1.2 of this Schedule 10 shall have no application to the indemnities of Seller set out in clause 5.2 of this Agreement or Warranty Claims relating to a breach of the Warranties in paragraphs 1.1, 1.3 or 2.1 of Schedule 1. | |
2. | TIME LIMITS | |
2.1 | The Seller shall not be liable for any Warranty Claim (other than a Warranty Claim for breach of the Warranties in paragraphs 1.1, 1.3 or 2.1 of Schedule 1) unless the Seller is given written notice of such Warranty Claim (specifying such reasonable detail of the fact, matter, event or circumstance giving rise to the Warranty Claim as is then available to the Buyer and an estimate (on a without prejudice basis) of the amount of such Warranty Claim) on or before: |
(a) | in the case of a Warranty Claim relating to the Warranties contained in paragraph 9 (Taxation) of Schedule 1, the seventh anniversary of Closing Date; | ||
(b) | in the case of a Warranty Claim relating to the Warranties contained in paragraph 8 (Environmental Matters) of Schedule 1, the tenth anniversary of Closing Date; |
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(c) | in the case of all other Warranty Claims (other than a Warranty Claim for breach of the Warranties in paragraphs 1.1. 1.3 and 2.1 of Schedule 1), the date which falls 18 months after the Closing Date, |
provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, the Sellers Liability for Warranty Claims for breach of the Warranties in paragraphs 1.1, 1.3 or 2.1 of Schedule 1 shall be unlimited in time. | ||
2.2 | Any Warranty Claim shall (if not previously satisfied, withdrawn or settled) be deemed to have been withdrawn and waived by the Buyer unless legal proceedings in respect of such Warranty Claim have been commenced (by being both issued and served on the Seller) by the end of the applicable warranty period set out in paragraph 2.1 of this Schedule 10 and, following expiry of such warranty period, being asserted by the Buyer with a reasonable vigilance that does not, when taken together with lapse of time and other circumstances, cause prejudice to the Seller of a nature that entitles the Seller to the equitable remedy of laches. | |
3. | SHARE SALE DISCLOSURE LETTER | |
3.1 | The Seller shall not be liable for any Warranty Claim if and to the extent that the fact, matter, event or circumstance giving rise to the Warranty Claim was: |
(a) | fairly and accurately disclosed to the Buyer in the Share Sale Disclosure Letter (and for this purpose fairly and accurately disclosed means disclosed in such manner and in such detail as to enable a reasonable buyer to make a reasonably informed and reasonably accurate assessment of the matter concerned); or | ||
(b) | expressly provided for or stated to be an exception under the terms of the Business Purchase Agreement or this Agreement. |
4. | NO DOUBLE RECOVERY | |
The Buyer under this Agreement and the Corporation under the Business Purchase Agreement and the Excluded Assets and Liabilities Transfer Agreement shall not be entitled to recover damages in respect of any Warranty Claim (as defined in, respectively, this Agreement, the Business Purchase Agreement and the Excluded Assets and Liabilities Transfer Agreement) for breach of any of the Warranties (as defined in, respectively, this Agreement, the Business Purchase Agreement and the Excluded Assets and Liabilities Transfer Agreement) or otherwise obtain reimbursement or restitution which exceed the total losses in respect of any breach of Warranty (as defined in, respectively, this Agreement, the Business Purchase Agreement and the Excluded Assets and Liabilities Transfer Agreement) or indemnity claim arising out of or in connection with the same circumstances notwithstanding that such circumstances may involve the breach of more than one Warranty. | ||
5. | ACTS OF THE BUYER | |
5.1 | The Seller shall have no liability whatsoever in respect of a Warranty Claim if and to the extent that: |
(a) | the matter giving rise to a Warranty Claim would not have arisen but for a voluntary act, omission or transaction carried out either: |
(i) | before the Closing Time at the written request of the Buyer; or | ||
(ii) | after the Closing Time by the Buyer other than, in each case: |
(A) | in the ordinary and usual course of business; |
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(B) | as required in order to comply with any obligations under this Agreement. |
6. | GENERAL LIMITATIONS | |
6.1 | The Seller shall not be liable in respect of any Warranty Claim which is based upon a liability which, at the time such claim is notified to the Seller, is contingent only or otherwise not capable of being quantified (including by reasonable estimate) unless and until such liability, in whole or in part, ceases to be contingent or becomes capable of being quantified. | |
6.2 | The Seller shall have no liability whatsoever in respect of a Warranty Claim if and to the extent that the Warranty Claim arises or is increased as a result of, or is otherwise attributable to, the passing or coming into force of, or any change in, after the date of this agreement, any law, rule, regulation, directive, interpretation of the law or any administrative practice of any government, governmental department, agency or regulatory body or any increase in the rates of taxation or any imposition of taxation, in any such case not actually announced or prospectively in force at the date of this agreement. | |
7. | PROCEEDS OF RECOVERY FROM THIRD PARTIES | |
7.1 | If the Seller pays to the Buyer an amount in discharge of a Substantiated Warranty Claim and the Buyer subsequently recovers a sum from some other person (including any insurance company) which is directly referable to the matter giving rise to that Substantiated Warranty Claim or obtains any relief, saving or benefit which is so referable the Buyer shall repay to the Seller: |
(a) | an amount equal to the sum recovered from some other person or the value of the relief, saving or benefit (calculated by reference to the amount saved); or | ||
(b) | if the figure resulting under paragraph 7.1(a) of this Schedule 10 is greater than the amount paid by the Seller to the Buyer in respect of the relevant Substantiated Warranty Claim or the aggregate payments previously made by the Seller in respect of all Substantiated Warranty Claims, such lesser amount as shall have been paid by the Seller. |
7.2 | Any payment required to be made by the Buyer pursuant to paragraph 7.1 of this Schedule 10 shall be made: |
(a) | in a case where the Buyer receives a payment, within 15 Business Days of the receipt of such payment; and | ||
(b) | in a case where the Buyer obtains a relief, saving or benefit, within 15 Business Days of the date on which such relief, saving or benefit is used or within 15 Business Days of the date on which a reduced payment by the Buyer is made as a consequence of such relief, saving or benefit (if earlier). |
8. | MITIGATION BY THE BUYER | |
Nothing in this Agreement shall relieve the Buyer of any common law or other duty to mitigate any loss, liability or damage suffered or incurred by it. | ||
9. | REDUCTION IN CONSIDERATION | |
9.1 | If any amount is paid by the Seller under the Warranties or pursuant to any other claim by the Buyer under this Agreement, the amount of such payment shall be deemed to constitute a reduction in the consideration payable under this Agreement. |