Exhibit 4.2
EXECUTION COPY
$300,000,000
AFFINIA GROUP INC.
9% SENIOR SUBORDINATED NOTES DUE 2014
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
-----------------------------
November 30, 2004
Credit Suisse First Boston LLC
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co.
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc.
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
As Representatives of the
Several Initial Purchasers
c/o Credit Suisse First Boston LLC
Eleven Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000-0000
Dear Sirs:
Affinia Group Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Issuer"), proposes to
issue and sell to Credit Suisse First Boston LLC, Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co., X.X.
Xxxxxx Securities Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and UBS Securities LLC
(collectively, the "Initial Purchasers"), upon the terms set forth in a purchase
agreement dated November 12, 2004 (the "Purchase Agreement"), $300,000,000
aggregate principal amount of its 9% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2014 (the
"Initial Securities") to be unconditionally guaranteed (the "Guaranties") by
each of the entities listed in Schedule A hereto (the "Guarantors" and together
with the Issuer, the "Company"). The Initial Securities will be issued pursuant
to an Indenture, dated as of November 30, 2004, (the "Indenture") among the
Company, the Guarantors named therein and Wilmington Trust Company (the
"Trustee"). As an inducement to the Initial Purchasers, the Company agrees with
the Initial Purchasers, for the benefit of the holders of the Initial Securities
(including, without limitation, the Initial Purchasers), the Exchange Securities
(as defined below) and the Private Exchange Securities (as defined below)
(collectively the "Holders"), as follows:
1. Registered Exchange Offer. The Company shall, at its own cost, use
its reasonable best efforts to prepare and file with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission") a registration statement (the "Exchange Offer
Registration Statement") on an appropriate form under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), with respect to a proposed offer (the
"Registered Exchange Offer") to the Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities
(as defined in Section 6 hereof), who are not prohibited by any law or policy of
the Commission from participating in the Registered Exchange Offer, to issue and
deliver to such Holders, in exchange for the Initial Securities, a like
aggregate principal amount of debt securities (the "Exchange Securities") of the
Company issued under the Indenture and identical in all material respects to the
Initial Securities (except for the transfer restrictions relating to the Initial
Securities and the provisions relating to the matters described in Section 6
hereof) that would be registered under the Securities Act. The Company shall use
its reasonable best efforts to cause such Exchange Offer Registration Statement
to become effective under the Securities Act, shall keep the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement effective for not less than 20 business days (or longer,
if required by applicable law) after the date notice of the Registered Exchange
Offer is mailed to the Holders (such period being called the "Exchange Offer
Registration Period") and shall consummate the Registered Exchange Offer within
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270 days after (or, if the 270th day is not a business day, the first business
day thereafter) the date of original issue of the Initial Securities (the "Issue
Date").
If the Company effects the Registered Exchange Offer, the Company will
be entitled to close the Registered Exchange Offer 20 business days after the
commencement thereof provided that the Company has accepted all the Initial
Securities theretofore validly tendered and not withdrawn in accordance with the
terms of the Registered Exchange Offer.
Following the declaration of the effectiveness of the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement, the Company shall as soon as practicable commence the
Registered Exchange Offer, it being the objective of such Registered Exchange
Offer to enable each Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities (as defined in
Section 6 hereof) electing to exchange the Initial Securities for Exchange
Securities (assuming that such Holder is not an affiliate of the Company within
the meaning of the Securities Act, acquires the Exchange Securities in the
ordinary course of such Holder's business and has no arrangements or
understandings with any person to participate in the distribution of the
Exchange Securities and is not prohibited by any law or policy of the Commission
from participating in the Registered Exchange Offer) to trade such Exchange
Securities from and after their receipt without any limitations or restrictions
under the Securities Act and without material restrictions under the securities
laws of the several states of the United States.
The Company acknowledges that, pursuant to current interpretations by
the Commission's staff of Section 5 of the Securities Act, in the absence of an
applicable exemption therefrom, (i) each Holder which is a broker-dealer
electing to exchange Securities, acquired for its own account as a result of
market making activities or other trading activities, for Exchange Securities
(an "Exchanging Dealer"), is required to deliver a prospectus containing the
information set forth in (a) Annex A hereto on the cover, (b) Annex B hereto in
the "Exchange Offer Procedures" section and the "Purpose of the Exchange Offer"
section, and (c) Annex C hereto in the "Plan of Distribution" section of such
prospectus in connection with a sale of any such Exchange Securities received by
such Exchanging Dealer pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer and (ii) an
Initial Purchaser that elects to sell Exchange Securities acquired in exchange
for Securities constituting any portion of an unsold allotment is required to
deliver a prospectus containing the information required by Items 507 or 508 of
Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, as applicable, in connection with such
sale.
The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to keep the Exchange
Offer Registration Statement effective and to amend and supplement the
prospectus contained therein in order to permit such prospectus to be lawfully
delivered by all persons subject to the prospectus delivery requirements of the
Securities Act for such period of time as such persons must comply with such
requirements in order to resell the Exchange Securities; provided, however, that
(i) in the case where such prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto
must be delivered by law by an Exchanging Dealer or an Initial Purchaser, such
period shall be the lesser of 180 days and the date on which all Exchanging
Dealers and the Initial Purchasers have sold all Exchange Securities held by
them (unless such period is extended pursuant to Section 3(j) below) and (ii)
the Company shall make such prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto,
available to any broker-dealer for use in connection with any resale of any
Exchange Securities for a period of not less than 180 days after the
consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer.
If, upon consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer, any Initial
Purchaser holds Initial Securities acquired by it as part of its initial
distribution, the Company, simultaneously with the delivery of the Exchange
Securities pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer, shall issue and deliver to
such Initial Purchaser upon the written request of such Initial Purchaser, in
exchange (the "Private Exchange") for the Initial Securities held by such
Initial Purchaser, a like principal amount of debt securities of the Company
issued under the Indenture and substantially identical in all material respects
(including the existence of restrictions on transfer under the Securities Act
and the securities laws of the several states of the United States, but
excluding provisions relating to the matters described in Section 6 hereof) to
the Initial Securities (the "Private Exchange Securities"). The Initial
Securities, the Exchange Securities and the Private Exchange Securities are
herein collectively called the "Securities".
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In connection with the Registered Exchange Offer, the Company shall:
(a) mail or cause to be mailed to each Holder a copy of the
prospectus forming part of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement,
together with an appropriate letter of transmittal and related
documents;
(b) keep the Registered Exchange Offer open for not less than
20 business days (or longer, if required by applicable law) after the
date notice thereof is mailed to the Holders;
(c) utilize the services of a depositary for the Registered
Exchange Offer with an address in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of
New York, or Wilmington, Delaware, which may be the Trustee or an
affiliate of the Trustee;
(d) permit Holders to withdraw tendered Securities at any time
prior to the close of business, New York time, on the last business day
on which the Registered Exchange Offer shall remain open; and
(e) otherwise comply with all applicable laws.
As soon as practicable after the close of the Registered Exchange Offer
or the Private Exchange, as the case may be, the Company shall:
(x) accept for exchange all the Securities validly tendered
and not withdrawn pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer and the
Private Exchange;
(y) deliver to the Trustee for cancellation all the Initial
Securities so accepted for exchange; and
(z) cause the Trustee to authenticate and deliver promptly to
each Holder of the Initial Securities, Exchange Securities or Private
Exchange Securities, as the case may be, equal in principal amount to
the Initial Securities of such Holder so accepted for exchange.
The Indenture will provide that the Exchange Securities will not be
subject to the transfer restrictions set forth in the Indenture and that all the
Securities will vote and consent together on all matters as one class and that
none of the Securities will have the right to vote or consent as a class
separate from one another on any matter.
Interest on each Security issued pursuant to the Registered Exchange
Offer and in the Private Exchange will accrue from the last interest payment
date on which interest was paid on the Initial Securities surrendered in
exchange therefor or, if no interest has been paid on the Initial Securities,
from the date of original issue of the Initial Securities.
Each Holder participating in the Registered Exchange Offer shall be
required to represent to the Company that at the time of the consummation of the
Registered Exchange Offer (i) any Exchange Securities received by such Holder
will be acquired in the ordinary course of its business, (ii) such Holder will
have no arrangement or understanding with any person to participate in the
distribution of the Securities or the Exchange Securities within the meaning of
the Securities Act, (iii) such Holder is not an "affiliate," as defined in Rule
405 of the Securities Act, of the Company, or if it is an affiliate, such Holder
will comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the
Securities Act to the extent applicable, (iv) if such Holder is not a
broker-dealer, that it is not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, the
distribution of the Exchange Securities and (v) if such Holder is a
broker-dealer, that it will receive Exchange Securities for its own account in
exchange for Initial Securities that were acquired as a result of market-making
activities or other trading activities and that it will be required to
acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of
such Exchange Securities.
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Notwithstanding any other provisions hereof, the Company will ensure
that (i) any Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any amendment thereto and
any prospectus forming part thereof and any supplement thereto complies in all
material respects with the Securities Act and the rules and regulations
thereunder, (ii) any Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any amendment
thereto does not, when it becomes effective, 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 and (iii) any prospectus
forming part of any Exchange Offer Registration Statement, and any supplement to
such prospectus, does not include an 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 under which they
were made, not misleading.
2. Shelf Registration. If, (i) because of any change in law or in
applicable interpretations thereof by the staff of the Commission, the Company
is not permitted to effect a Registered Exchange Offer, as contemplated by
Section 1 hereof, (ii) the Registered Exchange Offer is not consummated within
270 days of the Issue Date, (iii) any Initial Purchaser shall notify us
following the consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer that the Initial
Securities (or the Private Exchange Securities) not eligible to be exchanged for
Exchange Securities in the Registered Exchange Offer or (iv) any Holder (other
than an Exchanging Dealer) is not eligible to participate in the Registered
Exchange Offer or, in the case of any Holder (other than an Exchanging Dealer)
that participates in the Registered Exchange Offer, such Holder does not receive
freely tradeable Exchange Securities on the date of the exchange, the Company
shall take the following actions:
(a) The Company shall, at its cost, promptly file with the
Commission and thereafter shall use its reasonable best efforts to
cause to be declared effective on or prior to the 270th day after the
Issue Date a registration statement (the "Shelf Registration Statement"
and, together with the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, a
"Registration Statement") on an appropriate form under the Securities
Act relating to the offer and sale of the Transfer Restricted
Securities (as defined in Section 6 hereof) by the Holders thereof from
time to time in accordance with the methods of distribution set forth
in the Shelf Registration Statement and Rule 415 under the Securities
Act (hereinafter, the "Shelf Registration"); provided, however, that no
Holder (other than an Initial Purchaser) shall be entitled to have the
Securities held by it covered by such Shelf Registration Statement
unless such Holder agrees in writing to be bound by all the provisions
of this Agreement applicable to such Holder.
(b) The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to keep
the Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective in order to
permit the prospectus included therein to be lawfully delivered by the
Holders of the relevant Securities, for a period of two years (or for
such longer period if extended pursuant to Section 3(j) below) from the
Issue Date or such shorter period that will terminate when all the
Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement (i) have been
disposed of pursuant thereto or (ii) are no longer restricted
securities (as defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act, or any
successor rule thereof) (the "Shelf Registration Period").
(c) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement to
the contrary, the Company shall cause the Shelf Registration Statement
and the related prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, as
of the effective date of the Shelf Registration Statement, amendment or
supplement, (i) to comply in all material respects with the applicable
requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the
Commission and (ii) not to contain 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 light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
3. Registration Procedures. In connection with any Shelf Registration
contemplated by Section 2 hereof and, to the extent applicable, any Registered
Exchange Offer contemplated by Section 1 hereof, the following provisions shall
apply:
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(a) The Company shall (i) furnish to each Initial Purchaser,
prior to the filing thereof with the Commission, a copy of the
Registration Statement and each amendment thereof and each supplement,
if any, to the prospectus included therein and, in the event that an
Initial Purchaser (with respect to any portion of an unsold allotment
from the original offering) is participating in the Registered Exchange
Offer or the Shelf Registration Statement, the Company shall use its
reasonable efforts to reflect in each such document, when so filed with
the Commission, such comments as such Initial Purchaser reasonably may
propose; (ii) include the information set forth in Annex A hereto on
the cover, in Annex B hereto in the "Exchange Offer Procedures" section
and the "Purpose of the Exchange Offer" section and in Annex C hereto
in the "Plan of Distribution" section of the prospectus forming a part
of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement and include the
information set forth in Annex D hereto in the Letter of Transmittal
delivered pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer; (iii) if requested
by an Initial Purchaser, include the information required by Items 507
or 508 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, as applicable, in
the prospectus forming a part of the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement; (iv) include within the prospectus contained in the Exchange
Offer Registration Statement a section entitled "Plan of Distribution,"
reasonably acceptable to the Initial Purchasers, which shall contain a
summary statement of the positions taken or policies made by the staff
of the Commission with respect to the potential "underwriter" status of
any broker-dealer that is the beneficial owner (as defined in Rule
13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
"Exchange Act")) of Exchange Securities received by such broker-dealer
in the Registered Exchange Offer (a "Participating Broker-Dealer"),
whether such positions or policies have been publicly disseminated by
the staff of the Commission or such positions or policies, in the
reasonable judgment of the Initial Purchasers based upon advice of
counsel (which may be in-house counsel), represent the prevailing views
of the staff of the Commission; and (v) in the case of a Shelf
Registration Statement, include the names of the Holders, who propose
to sell Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement, as
selling securityholders.
(b) The Company shall give, or cause to be given, written
notice to the Initial Purchasers, the Holders of the Securities and any
Participating Broker-Dealer from whom the Company has received prior
written notice that it will be a Participating Broker-Dealer in the
Registered Exchange Offer (which notice pursuant to clauses (ii)-(v)
hereof shall be accompanied by an instruction to suspend the use of the
prospectus until the requisite changes have been made):
(i) when the Registration Statement or any amendment
thereto has been filed with the Commission and when the
Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto
has become effective;
(ii) of any request by the Commission for amendments
or supplements to the Registration Statement or the prospectus
included therein or for additional information;
(iii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop
order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement or the initiation of any proceeding for that
purpose;
(iv) of the receipt by the Company or its legal
counsel of any notification with respect to the suspension of
the qualification of the Securities for sale in any
jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any
proceeding for such purpose; and
(v) of the happening of any event that requires the
Company to make changes in the Registration Statement or the
prospectus in order that the Registration Statement or the
prospectus do not contain an untrue statement of a material
fact nor omit to state a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the
case of the prospectus, in light of the circumstances under
which they were made) not misleading.
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(c) The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to
obtain the withdrawal at the earliest possible time, of any order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement.
(d) The Company shall furnish to each Holder of Securities
included within the coverage of the Shelf Registration, without charge,
at least one copy of the Shelf Registration Statement and any
post-effective amendment thereto, including financial statements and
schedules, and, if the Holder so requests in writing, all exhibits
thereto (including those, if any, incorporated by reference).
(e) The Company shall deliver to each Exchanging Dealer and
each Initial Purchaser, and to any other Holder who so requests,
without charge, at least one copy of the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, including financial
statements and schedules, and, if any Initial Purchaser or any such
Holder requests, all exhibits thereto (including those incorporated by
reference).
(f) The Company shall, during the Shelf Registration Period,
deliver to each Holder of Securities included within the coverage of
the Shelf Registration, without charge, as many copies of the
prospectus (including each preliminary prospectus) included in the
Shelf Registration Statement and any amendment or supplement thereto as
such person may reasonably request. The Company consents, subject to
the provisions of this Agreement, to the use of the prospectus or any
amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders of the
Securities in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities
covered by the prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto,
included in the Shelf Registration Statement.
(g) The Company shall deliver to each Initial Purchaser, any
Exchanging Dealer, any Participating Broker-Dealer and such other
persons required to deliver a prospectus following the Registered
Exchange Offer, without charge, as many copies of the final prospectus
included in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement and any amendment
or supplement thereto as such persons may reasonably request. The
Company consents, subject to the provisions of this Agreement, to the
use of the prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto by any
Initial Purchaser, if necessary, any Participating Broker-Dealer and
such other persons required to deliver a prospectus following the
Registered Exchange Offer in connection with the offering and sale of
the Exchange Securities covered by the prospectus, or any amendment or
supplement thereto, included in such Exchange Offer Registration
Statement.
(h) Prior to any public offering of the Securities, pursuant
to any Registration Statement, the Company shall register or qualify or
cooperate with the Holders of the Securities included therein and their
respective counsel in connection with the registration or qualification
of the Securities for offer and sale under the securities or "blue sky"
laws of such states of the United States as any Holder of the
Securities reasonably requests in writing and do any and all other acts
or things necessary or advisable to enable the offer and sale in such
jurisdictions of the Securities covered by such Registration Statement;
provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to (i)
qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not then so
qualified or (ii) take any action which would subject it to service of
process or to taxation in any jurisdiction where it is not then so
subject.
(i) The Company shall cooperate with the Holders of the
Securities to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of
certificates representing the Securities to be sold pursuant to any
Registration Statement free of any restrictive legends and in such
denominations and registered in such names as the Holders may request
in writing a reasonable period of time prior to sales of the Securities
pursuant to such Registration Statement.
(j) Upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by
paragraphs (ii) through (v) of Section 3(b) above during the period for
which the Company is required to maintain an effective Registration
Statement, the Company shall promptly prepare and file a post-effective
amendment
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to the Registration Statement or a supplement to the related
prospectus and any other required document so that, as thereafter
delivered to Holders of the Securities or purchasers of Securities, the
prospectus will not contain an 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. If the Company notifies the
Initial Purchasers, the Holders of the Securities and any known
Participating Broker-Dealer in accordance with paragraphs (ii) through
(v) of Section 3(b) above to suspend the use of the prospectus until
the requisite changes to the prospectus have been made, then the
Initial Purchasers, the Holders of the Securities and any such
Participating Broker-Dealers shall suspend use of such prospectus, and
the period of effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement
provided for in Section 2(b) above and the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement provided for in Section 1 above shall each be extended by the
number of days from and including the date of the giving of such notice
to and including the date when the Initial Purchasers, the Holders of
the Securities and any known Participating Broker-Dealer shall have
received such amended or supplemented prospectus pursuant to this
Section 3(j).
(k) Not later than the effective date of the applicable
Registration Statement, the Company will provide a CUSIP number for the
Initial Securities, the Exchange Securities or the Private Exchange
Securities, as the case may be, and provide the applicable trustee with
printed certificates for the Initial Securities, the Exchange
Securities or the Private Exchange Securities, as the case may be, in a
form eligible for deposit with The Depository Trust Company.
(l) The Company will comply in all material respects with all
rules and regulations of the Commission to the extent and so long as
they are applicable to the Registered Exchange Offer or the Shelf
Registration and will make generally available to its security holders
(or otherwise provide in accordance with Section 11(a) of the
Securities Act) an earnings statement satisfying the provisions of
Section 11(a) of the Securities Act, no later than 45 days after the
end of a 12-month period (or 90 days, if such period is a fiscal year)
beginning with the first month of the Company's first fiscal quarter
commencing after the effective date of the Registration Statement,
which statement shall cover such 12-month period.
(m) The Company shall cause the Indenture to be qualified
under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, in a timely manner
and containing such changes, if any, as shall be necessary for such
qualification. In the event that such qualification would require the
appointment of a new trustee under the Indenture, the Company shall
appoint a new trustee thereunder pursuant to the applicable provisions
of the Indenture.
(n) The Company may require each Holder of Securities to be
sold pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement to furnish to the
Company such information regarding the Holder and the distribution of
the Securities as the Company may from time to time reasonably require
for inclusion in the Shelf Registration Statement, and the Company may
exclude from such registration the Securities of any Holder that
unreasonably fails to furnish such information within a reasonable time
after receiving such request.
(o) The Company shall enter into such customary agreements
(including, if requested, an underwriting agreement in customary form)
and take all such other action, if any, as any Holder of the Securities
shall reasonably request in order to facilitate the disposition of the
Securities pursuant to any Shelf Registration.
(p) In the case of any Shelf Registration, the Company shall
(i) make reasonably available for inspection at a location where
normally kept and during normal business hours by a representative of
the Holders of the Securities (an "Inspector"), any underwriter
participating in any disposition pursuant to the Shelf Registration
Statement and any attorney, accountant or other agent retained by the
Holders of the Securities or any such underwriter all relevant
financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and
properties of the Company and (ii) cause the
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Company's officers, directors, employees, accountants and auditors to
supply all relevant information reasonably requested by the Holders of
the Securities or any such underwriter, attorney, accountant or agent
in connection with the Shelf Registration Statement, in each case, as
shall be reasonably necessary to enable such persons, to conduct a
reasonable investigation within the meaning of Section 11 of the
Securities Act; provided, however, (i) that the foregoing inspection
and information gathering shall be coordinated on behalf of the Initial
Purchasers by you and on behalf of the other parties, by one counsel
designated by and on behalf of such other parties as described in
Section 4 hereof; and (ii) that any information that is reasonably and
in good faith designated by the Company in writing as confidential at
the time of delivery of such information shall be kept confidential by
the Holders or any such underwriter, attorney, accountant or other
agent, unless (1) disclosure of such information is required by court
or administrative order or is necessary to respond to inquiries of
regulatory authorities, (2) disclosure of such information is required
by law (including any disclosure requirements pursuant to federal
securities laws in connection with the filing of such Registration
Statement or the use of any Prospectus), (3) such information becomes
generally available to the public other than as a result of a
disclosure or failure to safeguard such information by such person or
(4) such information becomes available to such Holder, underwriter,
attorney, accountant or other agent from a source other than the
Company and such source is not known, after due inquiry, by the
relevant Inspector, underwriter, attorney, accountant or other agent to
be bound by a confidentiality agreement or is not otherwise under a
duty of trust to the Company.
(q) In the case of any Shelf Registration, the Company, if
requested by any Holder of Securities covered thereby, shall cause (i)
its counsel to deliver an opinion and updates thereof relating to the
Securities in customary form addressed to such Holders and the managing
underwriters, if any, thereof and dated, in the case of the initial
opinion, the effective date of such Shelf Registration Statement (it
being agreed that the matters to be covered by such opinion shall
include, without limitation, the due incorporation and good standing of
the Company and its subsidiaries; the qualification of the Company and
its subsidiaries to transact business as foreign corporations; the due
authorization, execution and delivery of the relevant agreement of the
type referred to in Section 3(o) hereof; the due authorization,
execution, authentication and issuance, and the validity and
enforceability, of the applicable Securities; the absence of material
legal or governmental proceedings involving the Company and its
subsidiaries; the absence of governmental approvals required to be
obtained in connection with the Shelf Registration Statement, the
offering and sale of the applicable Securities, or any agreement of the
type referred to in Section 3(o) hereof; the compliance as to form of
such Shelf Registration Statement and any documents incorporated by
reference therein and of the Indenture with the requirements of the
Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act, respectively; and, as of
the date of the opinion and as of the effective date of the Shelf
Registration Statement or most recent post-effective amendment thereto,
as the case may be, the absence from such Shelf Registration Statement
and the prospectus included therein, as then amended or supplemented,
and from any documents incorporated by reference therein of an untrue
statement of a material fact or the omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading (in the case of any such documents,
in the light of the circumstances existing at the time that such
documents were filed with the Commission under the Exchange Act); (ii)
its officers to execute and deliver all customary documents and
certificates and updates thereof requested by any underwriters of the
applicable Securities and (iii) its independent public accountants to
provide to the selling Holders of the applicable Securities and any
underwriter therefor a comfort letter in customary form and covering
matters of the type customarily covered in comfort letters in
connection with primary underwritten offerings, subject to receipt of
appropriate documentation as contemplated, and only if permitted, by
Statement of Auditing Standards No. 72.
(r) In the case of the Registered Exchange Offer, if requested
by any Initial Purchaser or any known Participating Broker-Dealer, the
Company shall cause (i) its counsel to deliver to such Initial
Purchaser or such Participating Broker-Dealer a signed opinion in the
form set forth in Section 6(c) of the Purchase Agreement with such
changes as are customary in connection with the
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preparation of a Registration Statement and (ii) its independent public
accountants to deliver to such Initial Purchaser or such Participating
Broker-Dealer a comfort letter, in customary form, meeting the
requirements as to the substance thereof as set forth in Section 6(a)
of the Purchase Agreement, with appropriate date changes.
(s) If a Registered Exchange Offer or a Private Exchange is to
be consummated, upon delivery of the Initial Securities by Holders to
the Company (or to such other Person as directed by the Company) in
exchange for the Exchange Securities or the Private Exchange
Securities, as the case may be, the Company shall xxxx, or caused to be
marked, on the Initial Securities so exchanged that such Initial
Securities are being canceled in exchange for the Exchange Securities
or the Private Exchange Securities, as the case may be; in no event
shall the Initial Securities be marked as paid or otherwise satisfied.
(t) In the event that any broker-dealer registered under the
Exchange Act shall underwrite any Securities or participate as a member
of an underwriting syndicate or selling group or "assist in the
distribution" (within the meaning of the Conduct Rules (the "Rules") of
the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD")) thereof,
whether as a Holder of such Securities or as an underwriter, a
placement or sales agent or a broker or dealer in respect thereof, or
otherwise, the Company will assist such broker-dealer in complying with
the requirements of such Rules, including, without limitation, by (i)
if such Rules, including Rule 2720, shall so require, engaging a
"qualified independent underwriter" (as defined in Rule 2720) to
participate in the preparation of the Registration Statement relating
to such Securities, to exercise usual standards of due diligence in
respect thereto and, if any portion of the offering contemplated by
such Registration Statement is an underwritten offering or is made
through a placement or sales agent, to recommend the yield of such
Securities, (ii) indemnifying any such qualified independent
underwriter to the extent of the indemnification of underwriters
provided in Section 5 hereof and (iii) providing such information to
such broker-dealer as may be required in order for such broker-dealer
to comply with the requirements of the Rules.
(u) The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to take
all other steps necessary to effect the registration of the Securities
covered by a Registration Statement contemplated hereby.
4. Registration Expenses. The Company shall bear all fees and expenses
incurred in connection with the performance of its obligations under Sections 1
through 3 hereof (including the reasonable fees and expenses, if any, of
Cravath, Swaine & Xxxxx LLP, counsel for the Initial Purchasers, incurred in
connection with the Registered Exchange Offer), whether or not the Registered
Exchange Offer or a Shelf Registration is filed or becomes effective, and, in
the event of a Shelf Registration, shall bear or reimburse the Holders of the
Securities covered thereby for the reasonable fees and disbursements of one firm
of counsel designated by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the
Initial Securities covered thereby to act as counsel for the Holders of the
Initial Securities in connection therewith.
5. Indemnification. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold
harmless each Holder of the Securities, any Participating Broker-Dealer and each
person, if any, who controls such Holder or such Participating Broker-Dealer
within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act (each Holder, any
Participating Broker-Dealer and such controlling persons are referred to
collectively as the "Indemnified Parties") from and against any losses, claims,
damages or liabilities, joint or several, or any actions in respect thereof
(including, but not limited to, any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or
actions relating to purchases and sales of the Securities) to which each
Indemnified Party may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act
or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or actions
arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement
of a material fact contained in a Registration Statement or prospectus or in any
amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus relating to a
Shelf Registration, 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 shall reimburse, as
incurred, the Indemnified Parties for any legal or other expenses reasonably
incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such loss,
claim,
10
damage, liability or action in respect thereof; provided, however, that (i) the
Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that such loss,
claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement
or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in a
Registration Statement or prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto
or in any preliminary prospectus relating to a Shelf Registration in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information pertaining to such Holder and
furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Holder specifically for
inclusion therein and (ii) with respect to any untrue statement or omission or
alleged untrue statement or omission made in any preliminary prospectus relating
to a Shelf Registration Statement, the indemnity agreement contained in this
subsection (a) shall not inure to the benefit of any Holder or Participating
Broker-Dealer from whom the person asserting any such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities purchased the Securities concerned, to the extent that a prospectus
relating to such Securities was required to be delivered by such Holder or
Participating Broker-Dealer under the Securities Act in connection with such
purchase, such untrue statement or omission was corrected in the prospectus and
any such loss, claim, damage or liability of such Holder or Participating
Broker-Dealer results from the fact that there was not sent or given to such
person, at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of such Securities
to such person, a copy of the final prospectus if the Company had previously
furnished copies thereof to such Holder or Participating Broker-Dealer; provided
further, however, that this indemnity agreement will be in addition to any
liability which the Company may otherwise have to such Indemnified Party. The
Company shall also indemnify underwriters, their officers and directors and each
person who controls such underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act
or the Exchange Act to the same extent as provided above with respect to the
indemnification of the Holders of the Securities if requested by such Holders.
(b) Each Holder of the Securities, severally and not jointly, will
indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its officers and directors that have
signed a Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the
Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act from and
against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities or any actions in respect
thereof, to which the Company or any such controlling person may become subject
under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses,
claims, damages, liabilities or actions arise out of or are based upon any
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in a
Registration Statement or prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto
or in any preliminary prospectus relating to a Shelf Registration, or arise out
of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but in
each case only to the extent that the untrue statement or omission or alleged
untrue statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with
written information pertaining to such Holder and furnished to the Company by or
on behalf of such Holder specifically for inclusion therein; and, subject to the
limitation set forth immediately preceding this clause, shall reimburse, as
incurred, the Company for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the
Company or any such controlling person in connection with investigating or
defending any loss, claim, damage, liability or action in respect thereof. This
indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which such Holder may
otherwise have to the Company or any of its controlling persons.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 5
of notice of the commencement of any action or proceeding (including a
governmental investigation), such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect
thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 5,
notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof; but the failure to
notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve the indemnifying party 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 of the indemnifying party's choice, provided
that such counsel is reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party, and
after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its
election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party will not be
liable to such indemnified party under this Section 5 for any legal or other
expenses, other than reasonable costs of
11
investigation, subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection
with the defense thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in any such action, 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 reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified
party; (iii) the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded (based on
advice of counsel) 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. Any such separate firm for any Indemnified Parties shall be designated
in writing by a representative of the majority in aggregate principal amount of
the Securities held by such Indemnified Parties and any such separate firm for
the Company, its officers and directors that have signed a Registration
Statement and any control persons of the Company shall be designated in writing
by the Company. No indemnifying party shall be liable for any settlement or any
proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such
consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying
party agrees to indemnify each indemnified party from and against any loss or
liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the
foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested
that an indemnifying party reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses
of counsel as contemplated by this paragraph, the indemnifying party shall be
liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent
if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 60 days after receipt by the
indemnifying party of such request and (ii) the indemnifying party shall not
have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to
the date of such settlement. 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 (i) includes 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 a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 5 is
unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under
subsections (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 (or actions in respect thereof) referred to in
subsection (a) or (b) above (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect
the relative benefits received by the indemnifying party or parties on the one
hand and the indemnified party on the other from the exchange of the Securities,
pursuant to the Registered Exchange Offer, or (ii) if the allocation provided by
the foregoing clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law or if the failure of
an indemnified party to notify the indemnifying party of its right to
indemnification pursuant to subsection (a) or (b) above, has materially
prejudiced the indemnifying party (through the forfeiture of substantive rights
or defenses), 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 indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and the indemnified party on
the other in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) as well
as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the
parties 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
on the one hand or such Holder or such other indemnified party, as the case may
be, on the other, and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to
information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission and
other equitable considerations appropriate in the circumstances. 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
12
this subsection (d). Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 5(d),
the Holders of the Securities shall not be required to contribute any amount in
excess of the amount by which the net proceeds received by such Holders from the
sale of the Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement exceeds the amount
of damages which such Holders have otherwise been required to pay by reason of
such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No
person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section
11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person
who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this
paragraph (d), each person, if any, who controls such indemnified party within
the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act shall have the same rights
to contribution as such indemnified party and each person, if any, who controls
the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act shall
have the same rights to contribution as the Company.
(e) The agreements contained in this Section 5 shall survive the sale
of the Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement and shall remain in full
force and effect, regardless of any termination or cancellation of this
Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
6. Additional Interest Under Certain Circumstances. (a) Additional
interest (the "Additional Interest") with respect to the Initial Securities
shall be assessed as follows if any of the following events occur (each such
event in clauses (i) through (iii) below a "Registration Default"):
(i) If the Registered Exchange Offer is not consummated on or
before the 270th day after the Issue Date;
(ii) If the Company is obligated to file a Shelf Registration
Statement pursuant to Section 2, the Shelf Registration Statement is
not declared effective on or prior to the 270th day after the Issue
Date; or
(iii) If after either the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement or the Shelf Registration Statement, as the case may be, is
declared effective (A) such Registration Statement thereafter ceases to
be effective during the periods during which such Registration
Statements are required to remain effective hereunder; or (B) such
Registration Statement or the related prospectus ceases to be usable
during the periods during which such Registration Statements are
required to remain effective hereunder (except as permitted in
paragraph (b)) in connection with resales of Transfer Restricted
Securities during the periods specified herein because either (1) any
event occurs as a result of which the related prospectus forming part
of such Registration Statement would include any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the
statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made not misleading, or (2) it shall be necessary to amend such
Registration Statement or supplement the related prospectus, to comply
with the Securities Act or the Exchange Act or the respective rules
thereunder.
Additional Interest shall accrue on the Initial Securities over and above the
interest set forth in the title of the Securities from and including the date on
which any such Registration Default shall occur to but excluding the date on
which all such Registration Defaults have been cured, at a rate of 0.25% per
annum for the first 90-day period immediately following the occurrence of a
Registration Default, and such rate will increase by an additional 0.25% per
annum with respect to each subsequent 90-day period until all Registration
Defaults have been cured, up to a maximum additional interest rate of 1.0% per
annum.
(b) A Registration Default referred to in Section 6(a)(iii)(B) hereof
shall be deemed not to have occurred and be continuing in relation to a Shelf
Registration Statement or the related prospectus if (i) such Registration
Default has occurred solely as a result of (x) the filing of a post-effective
amendment to such Shelf Registration Statement to incorporate annual audited
financial information with respect to the Company where such post-effective
amendment is not yet effective and needs to be declared effective to permit
Holders to use the related prospectus or (y) other material events, with respect
to the Company that would need to be described in such Shelf Registration
Statement or the related prospectus and (ii) in the case of clause (y), the
Company is proceeding promptly and in good faith to amend or supplement such
Shelf Registration Statement and related prospectus to describe such events;
provided, however, that in any
13
case if such Registration Default occurs for a continuous period in excess of 30
days, Additional Interest shall be payable in accordance with the above
paragraph from the day such Registration Default occurs until such Registration
Default is cured.
(c) Any amounts of Additional Interest due pursuant to clause (i), (ii)
or (iii) of Section 6(a) above will be payable in cash on the regular interest
payment dates with respect to the Initial Securities. The amount of Additional
Interest will be determined by multiplying the applicable Additional Interest
rate by the principal amount of the Initial Securities, multiplied by a
fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days such Additional Interest
rate was applicable during such period (determined on the basis of a 360-day
year comprised of twelve 30-day months), and the denominator of which is 360.
(d) "Transfer Restricted Securities" means each Security until (i) the
date on which such Transfer Restricted Security has been exchanged by a person
other than a broker-dealer for a freely transferable Exchange Security in the
Registered Exchange Offer, (ii) following the exchange by a broker-dealer in the
Registered Exchange Offer of a Initial Security for an Exchange Note, the date
on which such Exchange Note is sold to a purchaser who receives from such
broker-dealer on or prior to the date of such sale a copy of the prospectus
contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, (iii) the date on which
such Initial Security has been effectively registered under the Securities Act
and disposed of in accordance with the Shelf Registration Statement or (iv) the
date on which such Initial Securities is distributed to the public pursuant to
Rule 144 under the Securities Act or is saleable pursuant to Rule 144(k) under
the Securities Act. The Company shall notify the Trustee within one business day
after each and every date on which an event occurs in respect of which
Additional Interest is required to be paid and within one business day after
such Additional Interest ceases to accrue.
7. Rules 144 and 144A. The Company shall use its best efforts to file
the reports required to be filed by it under the Securities Act and the Exchange
Act in a timely manner and, if at any time the Company is not required to file
such reports, it will, upon the request of any Holder of Initial Securities,
make publicly available other information so long as necessary to permit sales
of their securities pursuant to Rules 144 and 144A. The Company covenants that
it will take such further action as any Holder of Initial Securities may
reasonably request, all to the extent required from time to time to enable such
Holder to sell Initial Securities without registration under the Securities Act
within the limitation of the exemptions provided by Rules 144 and 144A
(including the requirements of Rule 144A(d)(4)). The Company will provide a copy
of this Agreement to prospective purchasers of Initial Securities identified to
the Company by the Initial Purchasers upon request. Upon the request of any
Holder of Initial Securities, the Company shall deliver to such Holder a written
statement as to whether it has complied with such requirements. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, nothing in this Section 7 shall be deemed to require the Company
to register any of its securities pursuant to the Exchange Act.
8. Underwritten Registrations. If any of the Transfer Restricted
Securities covered by any Shelf Registration are to be sold in an underwritten
offering, the investment banker or investment bankers and manager or managers
that will administer the offering ("Managing Underwriters") will be selected by
the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of such Transfer
Restricted Securities to be included in such offering and Holders of Securities
covered by such offering shall be responsible for all underwriting discounts and
commissions (other than any discounts and commissions, if any, payable to any
qualified independent underwriter retained pursuant to Section 3(t)), transfer
taxes and expenses of counsel in connection therewith.
No person may participate in any underwritten registration hereunder
unless such person (i) agrees to sell such person's Transfer Restricted
Securities on the basis reasonably provided in any underwriting arrangements
approved by the persons entitled hereunder to approve such arrangements and (ii)
completes and executes all questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities,
underwriting agreements and other documents reasonably required under the terms
of such underwriting arrangements.
9. Miscellaneous.
14
(a) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement may not be
amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from
the provisions hereof may not be given, except by the Company and the written
consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities
affected by such amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consents.
(b) Notices. All notices and other communications provided for or
permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand delivery, first-class mail,
facsimile transmission, or air courier which guarantees overnight delivery:
(1) if to a Holder of the Securities, at the most current
address given by such Holder to the Company which address initially is with
respect to each Holder, the address of such Holder maintained by the Registrar
(as such term is defined in the Indenture);
(2) if to the Initial Purchasers initially at the address or
addresses set forth in the Purchase Agreement; and
(3) if to the Company initially at the address set forth in
the Purchase Agreement.
All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly
given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; three business
days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; when receipt
is acknowledged by recipient's facsimile machine operator, if sent by facsimile
transmission; and on the day delivered, if sent by overnight air courier
guaranteeing next day delivery.
(c) No Inconsistent Agreements. The Company has not, as of the date
hereof, entered into, nor shall it, on or after the date hereof, enter into, any
agreement with respect to its securities that is inconsistent with the rights
granted to the Holders herein or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof.
(d) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon the
Company and its successors and assigns.
(e) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which
when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken
together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
(f) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of
reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
(g) Governing Law. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED
IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
(h) Severability. If any one or more of the provisions contained
herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is held invalid, illegal
or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of any such
provision in every other respect and of the remaining provisions contained
herein shall not be affected or impaired thereby.
(i) Securities Held by the Company. Whenever the consent or approval of
Holders of a specified percentage of principal amount of Securities is required
hereunder, Securities held by the Company or its affiliates (other than
subsequent Holders of Securities if such subsequent Holders are deemed to be
affiliates solely by reason of their holdings of such Securities) shall not be
counted in determining whether such consent or approval was given by the Holders
of such required percentage.
[Signatures follow]
15
Very truly yours,
Affinia Group Inc.
By /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
--------------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Chief Financial Officer and
Treasurer
Affinia Group Intermediate Holdings Corp.
By /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
--------------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Chief Financial Officer and
Treasurer
AAG Acquisition Corp.
By /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
--------------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Vice President and
Assistant Treasurer
AAG GP Acquisition Corp.
By /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
--------------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Treasurer
AAG Offshore Acquisition Corp.
By /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
--------------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Treasurer
Auto Parts Acquisition LLC
By /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
--------------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Vice President and
Assistant Treasurer
16
Automotive Brake Company Inc.
By /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
--------------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Vice President and
Assistant Treasurer
Brake Parts Inc.
By /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
--------------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Vice President and
Assistant Treasurer
Iroquois Tool Systems, Inc.
By /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
--------------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Vice President and
Assistant Treasurer
Xxxxxxx International Inc.
By /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
--------------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Vice President and
Assistant Treasurer
Wix Filtration Corp.
By /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
--------------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Vice President and
Assistant Treasurer
Wix Filtration Media Specialists, Inc.
By /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
--------------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Vice President and
Assistant Treasurer
17
The foregoing Registration Rights
Agreement is hereby confirmed and
accepted as of the date first above written.
CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON LLC
XXXXXXX, SACHS & CO.
X.X. XXXXXX SECURITIES INC.
DEUTSCHE BANK SECURITIES INC.
Acting on behalf of themselves and as
the Representatives of the several
Initial Purchasers.
CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON LLC
By: /s/ Xxxxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
----------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Title: Director
18
XXXXXXX, SACHS & CO.
/s/ Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co.
-----------------------------------
(Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co.)
19
X.X. XXXXXX SECURITIES INC.
By: /s/ Xxxx X. Sell
---------------------------------------------
Name: Xxxx X. Sell
Title: Vice President
20
DEUTSCHE BANK SECURITIES INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxx X. Paris
-----------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxx X. Paris
Title: Director
DEUTSCHE BANK SECURITIES INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Frauen
--------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Frauen
Title: Managing Director
SCHEDULE A
GUARANTORS
AAG Acquisition Corp.
AAG GP Acquisition Corp.
Affinia Group Intermediate Holdings Inc.
AAG Offshore Acquisition Corp.
Auto Parts Acquisition LLC
Automotive Brake Company Inc.
Brake Parts Inc.
Iroquois Tool Systems, Inc.
Xxxxxxx International, Inc.
Wix Filtration Corp.
Wix Filtration Media Specialists, Inc.
ANNEX A
Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its own
account pursuant to the Exchange Offer must acknowledge that it will deliver a
prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities. The Letter
of Transmittal states that by so acknowledging and by delivering a prospectus, a
broker-dealer will not be deemed to admit that it is an "underwriter" within the
meaning of the Securities Act. This Prospectus, as it may be amended or
supplemented from time to time, may be used by a broker-dealer in connection
with resales of Exchange Securities received in exchange for Initial Securities
where such Initial Securities were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of
market-making activities or other trading activities. The Company has agreed
that, for a period of 180 days after the Expiration Date (as defined herein), it
will make this Prospectus available to any broker-dealer for use in connection
with any such resale. See "Plan of Distribution."
ANNEX B
Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its own
account in exchange for Securities, where such Initial Securities were acquired
by such broker-dealer as a result of market-making activities or other trading
activities, must acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection
with any resale of such Exchange Securities. See "Plan of Distribution."
ANNEX C
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
Each broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its own
account pursuant to the Exchange Offer must acknowledge that it will deliver a
prospectus in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities. This
Prospectus, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, may be used
by a broker-dealer in connection with resales of Exchange Securities received in
exchange for Initial Securities where such Initial Securities were acquired as a
result of market-making activities or other trading activities. The Company has
agreed that, for a period of 180 days after the Expiration Date, it will make
this prospectus, as amended or supplemented, available to any broker-dealer for
use in connection with any such resale. In addition, until , 200 , all
dealers effecting transactions in the Exchange Securities may be required to
deliver a prospectus.(1)
The Company will not receive any proceeds from any sale of Exchange
Securities by broker-dealers. Exchange Securities received by broker-dealers for
their own account pursuant to the Exchange Offer may be sold from time to time
in one or more transactions in the over-the-counter market, in negotiated
transactions, through the writing of options on the Exchange Securities or a
combination of such methods of resale, at market prices prevailing at the time
of resale, at prices related to such prevailing market prices or negotiated
prices. Any such resale may be made directly to purchasers or to or through
brokers or dealers who may receive compensation in the form of commissions or
concessions from any such broker-dealer or the purchasers of any such Exchange
Securities. Any broker-dealer that resells Exchange Securities that were
received by it for its own account pursuant to the Exchange Offer and any broker
or dealer that participates in a distribution of such Exchange Securities may be
deemed to be an "underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act and any
profit on any such resale of Exchange Securities and any commission or
concessions received by any such persons may be deemed to be underwriting
compensation under the Securities Act. The Letter of Transmittal states that, by
acknowledging that it will deliver and by delivering a prospectus, a
broker-dealer will not be deemed to admit that it is an "underwriter" within the
meaning of the Securities Act.
For a period of 180 days after the Expiration Date the Company will
promptly send additional copies of this Prospectus and any amendment or
supplement to this Prospectus to any broker-dealer that requests such documents
in the Letter of Transmittal. The Company has agreed to pay all expenses
incident to the Exchange Offer (including the expenses of one counsel for the
Holders of the Securities) other than commissions or concessions of any brokers
or dealers and will indemnify the Holders of the Securities (including any
broker-dealers) against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the
Securities Act.
--------
(1) In addition, the legend required by Item 502(e) of Regulation S-K
will appear on the back cover page of the Exchange Offer prospectus.
ANNEX D
o CHECK HERE IF YOU ARE A BROKER-DEALER AND WISH TO RECEIVE 10 ADDITIONAL
COPIES OF THE PROSPECTUS AND 10 COPIES OF ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS THERETO.
Name: ____________________________________________
Address: __________________________________________
__________________________________________
If the undersigned is not a broker-dealer, the undersigned represents that it is
not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, a distribution of Exchange
Securities. If the undersigned is a broker-dealer that will receive Exchange
Securities for its own account in exchange for Initial Securities that were
acquired as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities, it
acknowledges that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of
such Exchange Securities; however, by so acknowledging and by delivering a
prospectus, the undersigned will not be deemed to admit that it is an
"underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act.
