Exhibit 10.2
STOCKHOLDERS' AGREEMENT
AMENDED AND RESTATED STOCKHOLDERS' AGREEMENT, dated as of
__________, 1997, among Special Metals Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the
"Corporation"), Societe Industrielle de Materiaux Avances, a societe anonyme
organized under the laws of the Republic of France ("SIMA"), Advanced Materials
Investments Holding S.A., a Luxembourg corporation ("AMI"), and LWH Holding
S.A., a Luxembourg corporation ("LWH" and, together with SIMA and AMI, the
"Stockholders").
WHEREAS, in order to provide for the continuity and stability
of the Corporation, the Stockholders and Special Metals and Technologies
Corporation ("SMTC") entered into a Stockholders' Agreement, dated as of January
15, 1990, to set forth the commercial relationship among them;
WHEREAS, the parties have determined that the Corporation will
make an initial public offering of its Common Stock (the "IPO") and in
connection with the IPO, prior thereto, SMTC will merge into the Corporation
(the "Merger") and the shares of common stock of SMTC owned by the Stockholders
will be automatically converted into shares of Common Stock of the Corporation;
WHEREAS, the Corporation and the Stockholders desire to amend
and restate the Stockholders' Agreement in order to facilitate the IPO and to
revise the provisions relating to the transfer and voting of shares of Common
Stock to be owned by the Stockholders following the Merger.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and
obligations hereinafter set forth, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:
SECTION 1. Representations and Warranties; Consent.
(a) Each of the parties hereto represents and warrants
to, and agrees with, the other parties as follows:
(i) Such party is a corporation duly organized,
validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its
incorporation, with full corporate power and authority to execute and deliver
this Agreement and perform its obligations hereunder. The execution, delivery
and performance of this Agreement have been duly authorized by all necessary
action of such party and this Agreement constitutes a valid and binding
obligation of such party, enforceable against it.
(ii) If a Stockholder, such party beneficially owns the
number of shares of common stock of SMTC set forth in Schedule 1 hereto.
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(iii) The execution and delivery of this Agreement will
not (a) violate any provision of the certificate of incorporation or by-laws (or
other governing instrument) of such party, (b) violate, or be in conflict with,
or constitute a default (or an event which, with notice or lapse of time or
both, would constitute a default) under, or result in the termination of, or
accelerate the performance required by, or excuse performance by any person or
entity of any or of its obligations under, or cause the acceleration of the
maturity of any debt or obligation pursuant to, or result in the creation or
imposition of any encumbrance upon any property or assets of such party under,
any agreement or commitment to which such party is a party or by which any of
its properties or assets is bound, or to which any of the properties or assets
of such party is subject, or (c) violate any statute or law or any judgment,
decree, order, regulation or rule of any court or other governmental body
applicable to such party. No consent, approval or authorization of, or
declaration, filing or registration with, any governmental body is required in
connection with the execution, delivery and performance by such party of this
Agreement. No consent of any person or entity is necessary to the execution,
delivery and performance by such party of this Agreement.
(b) Each Stockholder hereby consents to the merger of SMTC
with and into Special Metals Corporation pursuant to which each outstanding
share of common stock of SMTC will be automatically converted into 12,400 shares
of Common Stock of the Corporation and to the sale by the Corporation and
certain Stockholders of shares of Common Stock in the IPO and the other related
transactions all as described in the Corporation's Registration Statement on
Form S-1 (File No. 333-18499), as amended to the date hereof.
SECTION 2. Definitions.
Unless the context otherwise requires:
Affiliate, with respect to a person or entity, means a person
or entity that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries,
controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, such person or
entity. For the purpose of this definition, "control" (including, with
correlative meaning, the terms "controlled by" and "under common control with"),
as used with respect to any person or entity, shall mean the possession,
directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the
management and policies of such person or entity, whether through the ownership
of voting securities or by contract or otherwise.
AMI shall have the meaning set forth in the first paragraph of
this Agreement.
AMI Stockholder means AMI and each Stockholder that acquired
shares of Stock either directly or indirectly from AMI pursuant to Section
3(a)(i) or (ii).
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Base Rate means, for any day, a rate per annum (rounded
upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/16 of 1%) equal to the greater of (a) the
CLNY Base Rate in effect on such day and (b) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in
effect on such day plus 1/4 of 1%. Any change in the Base Rate due to a change
in the CLNY Base Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate shall be effective as
of the opening of business on the effective day of such change in the CLNY Base
Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate, as the case may be.
CLNY Base Rate means the rate of interest per annum
established by Credit Lyonnais, New York branch, from time to time as a
reference rate for short-term commercial loans in U.S. dollars to U.S. domestic
corporate borrowers.
Common Stock means Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of
the Corporation and each other class of Voting Shares of the Corporation. If
there is more than one outstanding class of Common Stock, references to
percentages of Common Stock in this Agreement refer to (and mean) the specified
percentage of each class of Common Stock.
Corporate Transaction shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3(a)(iv).
Corporation shall have the meaning set forth in the first
paragraph of this Agreement.
Fair Market Price means, with respect to any class of Stock as
of any date of calculation, the per share price of such Stock equal to the
average (based on the 20 trading day period immediately prior to the date of
calculation) of (i) the closing prices of such class of Stock on the principal
national securities exchange on which such Stock is listed at the time (or if
there have been no sales on such exchange on any day during the period of
calculation, the average of the highest bid and lowest asked prices on such
exchange at the end of such day), or (ii) if the class of Stock is not listed on
a national securities exchange during the period of calculation, the sales
prices of such class of Stock as reported on the NASDAQ National Market as of
4:00 p.m., New York time, on each day during the period of calculation (or if
there is no reported sales price of such Stock on the NASDAQ National Market on
any day during the period of calculation, the average of the representative bid
and asked prices quoted on the NASDAQ National Market as of 4:00 p.m., New York
time, on such day), or (iii) if such Stock is not reported on the NASDAQ
National Market during the period of calculation, the averages of the
representative bid and asked prices quoted in the NASDAQ System as of 4:00 p.m.,
New York time, on each day during the period of calculation, or (iv) if the
class of Stock is not quoted on the NASDAQ System, the averages of the highest
bid and lowest asked prices on each day during the period of calculation in the
over-the-counter market as reported by the National Quotation Bureau
Incorporated or any similar successor organization. If any class of Stock is not
listed on any national
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securities exchange or quoted on the NASDAQ National Market, in the NASDAQ
System or in the over-the-counter market, the Fair Market Price per share of
such Stock shall be determined by a nationally recognized, independent
investment bank or other appraiser (an "Independent Expert") selected by the
Board of Directors of the Corporation. The selection of the Independent Expert
and the calculation of the Fair Market Price shall be final and binding on all
parties to this Agreement. The Independent Expert shall determine the Fair
Market Price per share of the Stock within 20 days of its selection. The fees
and expenses of the Independent Expert shall be borne equally by (i) the Selling
Stockholders, on the one hand, and any Stockholders exercising their options, on
the other hand, in the case of a proposed sale of Stock under Section 4(a) or
(ii) AMI and SIMA in the case of a proposed sale of Stock under Section 4(d).
Federal Funds Effective Rate means the overnight cost of funds
of Credit Lyonnais, New York branch, as determined solely by Credit Lyonnais,
New York branch.
IPO shall have the meaning set forth in the third paragraph of
this Agreement.
LWH shall have the meaning set forth in the first paragraph of
this Agreement.
LWH Stockholder means LWH and each Stockholder that acquired
shares of Stock either directly or indirectly from LWH pursuant to Section
3(a)(i) or (ii).
Majority Stockholders means the Stockholders who hold at least
a majority of all shares of Common Stock held by all the Stockholders.
Notice of Acceptance shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 4(a).
Notice of Sale shall have the meaning set forth in Section
4(a).
Permitted Transferee means a person to whom Stock is
transferred by a Stockholder in accordance with Section 3(a)(i) or (ii).
Purchase Price shall have the meaning set forth in Section
4(a).
Securities Act means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
or any superseding Federal statute, and the rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder.
Selling Stockholder shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 4(a).
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SIMA shall have the meaning set forth in the first paragraph
of this Agreement.
SIMA Stockholder means SIMA and each Stockholder that acquired
shares of Stock either directly or indirectly from SIMA pursuant to Section
3(a)(i) or (ii).
Stock means shares of Common Stock and shares of each other
class of capital stock of the Corporation.
Stockholders shall have the meaning set forth in the first
paragraph of this Agreement and shall include any Permitted Transferees.
Transfer, as to any Stock, means to sell, or in any other way,
directly or indirectly, transfer, assign, distribute, encumber or otherwise
dispose of, either voluntarily or involuntarily, such Stock or any interest
therein.
Voting Shares of any corporation or entity means securities of
any class or classes (however designated) having ordinary voting power for the
election of at least a majority of the members of the Board of Directors (or
other governing body) of such corporation or entity, other than securities
having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency which has not
occurred.
SECTION 3. Limitations on Transfers of Stock - General.
(a) Each Stockholder hereby agrees that it shall not at
any time Transfer any Stock except:
(i) in accordance with Section 4;
(ii) by Transfer to an Affiliate of such Stockholder;
(iii) by Transfer to another Stockholder; or
(iv) by Transfer (A) in accordance with Rule 144 (or any
successor provision) promulgated under the Securities Act or (B) pursuant to an
effective registration statement under the Securities Act; provided that each
Stockholder, together with its Permitted Transferees, may only Transfer up to
________ shares of Stock (as such number may be adjusted to reflect any
reorganization, recapitalization, reclassification, share combination, share
subdivision, share dividend, merger, consolidation or similar events or
transactions (each a "Corporate Transaction") occurring after the date hereof)
pursuant to this clause (iv).
(v) by Transfer in a tender offer, exchange offer or
Corporate Transaction if (A) the Board of Directors of the Corporation shall
have approved such
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tender offer, exchange offer or Corporate Transaction or (B) the Majority
Stockholders shall have approved such tender offer, exchange offer or Corporate
Transaction and notified the other Stockholders of their approval in writing.
(vi) in a bona fide pledge to bank or other financial
institution (each a "Lender"); provided that no Lender may foreclose upon or
otherwise acquire any Stock pledged to it unless it complies with the provisions
of this Agreement applicable to a Permitted Transferee acquiring the pledged
Stock (including, without limitation, becoming a party to this Agreement in
accordance with Section 3(b)).
(b) Each Permitted Transferee of a Stockholder shall be
deemed, upon Transfer to him or it of shares of Stock, a Stockholder for all
purposes of this Agreement (and shall be subject to the same restrictions or
benefits under this Agreement applicable to the Stockholder who transferred
Stock to him or it) and, prior to the Transfer of shares of Stock to him or it,
shall execute and deliver to the Stockholders and the Corporation a counterpart
of this Agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Company.
(c) At least 20 days prior to any Transfer pursuant to Section
3(a)(iv), the transferring Stockholder shall deliver a written notice to the
other Stockholders stating the number and type of shares of Stock to be sold,
the manner of sale and the types and aggregate number of shares of Stock
previously sold and proposed to be sold by it and its Permitted Transferees
under Section 3(a)(iv).
(d) Any purported Transfer in violation of the provisions
hereof shall be void.
SECTION 4. Procedures on Sales of Stock to Third Parties.
Except as otherwise expressly provided in Section 3, each
Stockholder hereby agrees that it shall not Transfer any Stock except in
accordance with the following procedure:
(a) (i) No Stock may be sold pursuant to this Section 4 unless
the sale is pursuant to a bona fide written offer to purchase for cash and
follows compliance with this Section 4. If a Stockholder or Stockholders (a
"Selling Stockholder") receives a bona fide written offer from a financially
responsible person or entity to purchase for cash, such Stockholder or
Stockholders shall deliver to the other Stockholders a notice (the "Notice of
Sale") stating the name of the person or legal entity to whom the sale is
proposed to be made, the purchase price per share (the "Purchase Price") and the
other terms at which such sale is proposed to be made, which Notice of Sale
shall be accompanied by a copy of the bona fide offer.
(ii) Upon receipt of a Notice of Sale from a Selling
Stockholder who is either (a) a SIMA Stockholder or (b) a LWH Stockholder, (x)
the recipient
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LWH Stockholder or Stockholders (or any person or persons designated by such
recipient LWH Stockholder or Stockholders), if the Selling Stockholder is a SIMA
Stockholder, or (y) the recipient SIMA Stockholder or Stockholders (or any
person or persons designated by such recipient SIMA Stockholder or
Stockholders), if the Selling Stockholder is a LWH Stockholder, shall have the
right and option, for a period of 60 days after receipt of such notice, to
purchase all of the shares of Stock referred to in the Notice of Sale and, if
such option is not exercised within such 60 day period, the recipient AMI
Stockholder or Stockholders (or any person or persons designated by such
recipient AMI Stockholder or Stockholders) shall have the right and option, for
a period of 75 days after receipt of the Notice of Sale, to purchase all of the
shares of Stock referred to in the Notice of Sale, in each case at the terms
stated in such Notice (except that the purchase price per share shall be the
lesser of (i) the Purchase Price or (ii) the Fair Market Price calculated as of
the date of the Notice of Acceptance (as defined below). Such acceptance shall
be made by delivering to the Selling Stockholder, the other Stockholders and the
Corporation, within said 60-day or 75-day period, a written notice to such
effect (the "Notice of Acceptance"). If more than one Stockholder (or designee)
elects to purchase the Stock referred to in the Notice of Sale, the right to
purchase the Stock shall be allocated among them pro rata in accordance with the
respective ownership of shares of Common Stock of such Stockholders or, in the
case of a designee, of its designating Stockholder.
(iii) Upon receipt of a Notice of Sale from a Selling
Stockholder who is a AMI Stockholder, the recipient SIMA Stockholder or
Stockholders and LWH Stockholder or stockholders (or any person or persons
designated by such recipient holder or holders) shall have the right and option,
for a period of 60 days after receipt of such notice, to purchase all of the
shares of Stock referred to in the Notice of Sale at the terms stated in such
Notice (except that the purchase price per share shall be the lesser of (i) the
Purchase Price and (ii) the Fair Market Price calculated as of the date of the
Notice of Acceptance. Such acceptance shall be made by delivering to the Selling
Stockholder, the other Stockholders and the Corporation, within said 60-day
period, a Notice of Acceptance. If more than one Stockholder (or designee)
elects to purchase the Stock referred to in the Notice of Sale, the right to
purchase the Stock shall be allocated among them pro rata in accordance with the
respective ownership of shares of Common Stock of such Stockholders or, in the
case of a designee, of its designating Stockholder.
(b) Sales of Stock pursuant to Section 4(a) or 4(d) shall be
made at the offices of the Corporation on a mutually satisfactory business day
within 30 days after the later of (i) (A) the expiration of the period for
giving the Notice of Acceptance referred to in Section 4(a) or (B) the giving of
notice by SIMA referred to in Section 4(d) or (ii) the date on which the
Stockholders shall have received all requisite regulatory or third party
approvals and consents to necessary consummate the proposed sale of Stock under
Section 4(a) or 4(d). Delivery of certificates or other instruments evidencing
such Stock, duly endorsed for transfer, shall be made on
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such date against payment of the purchase price therefor due at the closing.
Each of the Stockholders and the Corporation shall use their best efforts to
execute and deliver such documents and take such actions as may be reasonably
requested in order to consummate any sale of Stock pursuant to Section 4(a) or
4(d), including, without limitation, obtaining any regulatory approvals or
consents or third party consents necessary to consummate any such sale.
(c) If a Notice of Acceptance shall not be received pursuant
to Section 4(a) with respect to all of the shares of Stock referred to in the
Notice of Sale, then the Stockholder giving the Notice of Sale may sell all (but
not part) of the shares of Stock referred to in the Notice of Sale on the terms
stated in the Notice of Sale, at any time within 90 days after the expiration of
the time period for giving the Notice of Acceptance referred to in Section 4(a).
In the event all of such shares are not sold during such period, the right of
the Stockholder giving the Notice of Sale to sell such Stock shall expire and
the obligations of this Section 4 shall be reinstated.
(d) If any person or entity (other than a person or entity
which is an Affiliate of AMI as of the date hereof) acquires a majority of the
Voting Shares of AMI or acquires a majority of the equity securities of AMI,
then AMI shall, as promptly as practicable after the occurrence of such event,
notify SIMA. SIMA shall have the right, exercisable by written notice to AMI
within 60 days after receipt of AMI's notice, to purchase all shares of Stock
owned by AMI for a price per share equal to the highest of (x) the per share
price paid for such shares by AMI and (y) the Fair Market Price calculated as of
the date of the written notice delivered by SIMA to exercise its right to
purchase the Stock owned by AMI. Fifty percent of the purchase price for AMI's
Stock shall be paid at the closing in accordance with Section 4(b) and the
remainder, together with interest at the average of the Base Rate during such
installment period, shall be paid in six equal quarterly installments commencing
90 days after the closing.
SECTION 5. Voting.
The Stockholders agree that all shares of Stock now
beneficially owned or hereafter acquired by the Stockholders shall be voted
unanimously as a unit, whether for the election of directors or for any other
matter submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation, in accordance
with the instructions of the Majority Stockholders. The Majority Stockholders
shall deliver a written notice to all Stockholders at least 20 days prior to any
election setting forth the Majority Stockholders' voting instructions.
SECTION 6. Board Representation.
(a) At each election for directors of the Corporation, whether
at a stockholders meeting, by written action by the stockholders of the
Corporation or by an action taken by the Board of Directors of the Corporation,
the Stockholders shall
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be entitled to nominate to the Corporation's Board of Directors, a number of
directors, which, when added to the continuing directors on the Corporation's
Board of Directors who were previously designated by the Stockholders pursuant
to this Section 6(a) and Section 6(b), is equal to the Stockholder Percentage
multiplied by the total number of members of the Board of Directors of the
Corporation (rounded up to the nearest whole number) (the "Stockholder
Designees"). The "Stockholder Percentage" shall be determined in the following
manner:
Percentage of Outstanding Common
Stock Held by the Stockholders Stockholder Percentage
------------------------------------ ----------------------
35% or more 56%
27% or more but less than 35% 42%
19% or more but less than 27% 28%
10% or more but less than 19% 14%
less than 10% 0%
The Corporation shall cause the Stockholder Designees (unless, after customary
investigation of any Stockholder Designee's qualifications, the Board of
Directors of the Corporation reasonably determines in good faith that such
person is not qualified or acceptable under standards applied fairly and equally
to all nominees, in which event the Stockholders shall designate another person
that meets the foregoing standards) to be included in the slate of nominees
recommended by the Board of Directors of the Corporation or the nominating
committee of the Board of Directors to the Corporation's stockholders for
election as directors, and the Corporation shall use its best efforts to cause
the election of the Stockholder Designees in such stockholder elections,
including voting all shares for which the Corporation holds proxies (unless
otherwise directed by the stockholder submitting such proxy) or is otherwise
entitled to vote, in favor of the election of the Stockholder Designees.
(b) In the event any Stockholder Designee shall cease to serve
as a director by reason of the death, removal or resignation of such Stockholder
Designee (other than as a result of a reduction of the number of Stockholder
Designees entitled to be members of the Board of Directors), the remaining
directors of the Corporation, subject to their fiduciary duties, shall meet
within 20 days and cause the resulting vacancy to be filled by another
Stockholder Designee. If the size of the Board of Directors of the Corporation
is increased, then the directors of the Corporation, subject to their fiduciary
duties, shall meet within 20 days and cause any vacancies to be filled with an
appropriate number of Stockholder Designees as determined pursuant to Section
6(a).
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(c) The Corporation shall notify the stockholders of any
election for directors of the Corporation at least 75 days (20 days if directors
are to be elected by the Board of Directors) prior to the election. The Majority
Stockholders may designate the Stockholder Designees by delivering a written
notice to the Corporation within 30 days (10 days if directors are to be elected
by the Board of Directors) after receipt of the notice referred to in the
preceding sentence. The initial Stockholder Designees are listed on Schedule 6.
If the Majority Stockholders fail to deliver the written notice specifying the
Stockholder Designees, the Board of Directors of the Corporation (or its
nominating committee) may nominate or elect any persons to the Board of
Directors of the Corporation without regard to this Section 6.
SECTION 7. Additional Shares of Stock.
In the event additional shares of Stock are issued by the
Corporation to a Stockholder or otherwise purchased or acquired by a Stockholder
at any time during the term of this Agreement, either directly or upon the
exercise or exchange of securities of the Corporation exercisable for or
exchangeable into shares of Stock, such additional shares of Stock shall become
subject to the terms and provisions of this Agreement.
SECTION 8. Legend on Stock Certificates.
Each certificate representing shares of Stock subject to this
Agreement shall bear the following legend:
"THE SALE, TRANSFER, ASSIGNMENT, PLEDGE, OR ENCUMBRANCE OF THE
SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS OF
THE HOLDER OF SUCH SECURITIES ARE SUBJECT TO THE TERMS AND
CONDITIONS OF AN AMENDED AND RESTATED STOCKHOLDERS' AGREEMENT,
DATED AS OF ____________________, 1997, AMONG THE CORPORATION
AND CERTAIN HOLDERS OF OUTSTANDING CAPITAL STOCK OF THE
CORPORATION. COPIES OF SUCH AGREEMENT MAY BE OBTAINED AT NO
COST BY WRITTEN REQUEST MADE BY THE HOLDER OF RECORD OF THIS
CERTIFICATE TO THE SECRETARY OF THE CORPORATION."
SECTION 9. Duration of Agreement.
The rights and obligations of each Stockholder under this
Agreement shall terminate as to such Stockholder when it has transferred all
Stock owned by it in
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accordance with this Agreement. Subject to the foregoing, all rights and
obligations of all parties under this Agreement shall terminate on the date on
which all Stockholders cease, in the aggregate, to own 10% or more of the
outstanding Common Stock.
SECTION 10. Hiring of Employees.
Except as expressly contemplated hereby, no party hereto shall
hire, employ or engage the services of, nor offer to pay any commission,
compensation or any other form of incentive to, any employee of any party for
any purpose whatsoever, without the express prior consent of such other party.
SECTION 11. Severability; Governing Law.
If any provision of this Agreement shall be determined to be
illegal and unenforceable by any court of law, the remaining provisions shall be
severable and enforceable in accordance with their terms. This Agreement shall
be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New
York, regardless of the laws that might otherwise govern under applicable
principles of conflict of laws thereof; provided, however, that the laws of the
State of Delaware shall govern the relative rights, obligations, powers, duties
and other internal affairs of the Corporation.
SECTION 12. Benefit of Agreement.
This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit
of the parties and their respective successors and assigns.
SECTION 13. Notices.
All notices and other communications under this Agreement
shall be in writing and shall be considered given when delivered personally, or
by prepaid cable, telex or telecopy, confirmed by a registered or certified
airmail letter, postage prepaid, addressed to the parties at the following
addresses (or at such other address as a party may specify by notice hereunder):
If to AMI, to it at:
▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇-▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Telecopy: ▇▇▇-▇▇-▇▇-▇▇
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If to SIMA, to it at:
41, ▇▇▇ ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇ Neuilly Sur Seine Cedex
France
Telecopy: (▇) ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
If to LWH, to it at:
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇
▇-▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇: ▇▇▇-▇▇-▇▇-▇▇
If to the Corporation, to it at:
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Telecopy: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
SECTION 14. Modification.
Except as otherwise provided herein, neither this Agreement
nor any provision hereof can be modified, changed, discharged or terminated
except by an instrument in writing signed by all the parties hereto. All waivers
must be in writing.
SECTION 15. Captions.
The captions herein are inserted for convenience only and
shall not define, limit, extend or describe the scope of this Agreement or
affect the construction hereof.
SECTION 16. Nouns and Pronouns.
Whenever the context may require, any pronouns used herein
shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine or neuter forms, and the
singular form of names and pronouns shall include the plural and vice versa.
SECTION 17. Survival; Merger Provision.
This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement among the
parties pertaining to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior and
contemporaneous arrangements and understandings of the parties in connection
therewith.
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SECTION 18. Counterparts.
This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts,
each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which taken together
shall constitute one and the same instrument. This Agreement shall become
effective and binding upon each party hereto upon the execution and delivery of
a counterpart hereof by such party.
SECTION 19. Jurisdiction.
All disputes arising in connection with this Agreement and all
agreements entered into pursuant to this Agreement shall be finally settled
under the Rules of Conciliation and Arbitration of the International Chamber of
Commerce by three arbitrators appointed in accordance with said Rules. The
arbitrators shall be attorneys or judges of high repute. The place of
arbitration shall be Brussels, Belgium. The proceedings shall be conducted in
the English language. The expenses of the arbitration shall be borne between the
parties as determined by the arbitrators; each of the parties, however, shall
bear the expenses of its own legal counsel. This
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Agreement shall be enforceable and judgment upon any award rendered by the
arbitrators may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this
Agreement on the date first above written.
SPECIAL METALS CORPORATION
By: _____________________________
Name:
Title:
SOCIETE INDUSTRIELLE DE MATERIAUX
AVANCES
By: _____________________________
Name:
Title:
ADVANCED MATERIALS INVESTMENTS
HOLDING S.A.
By: _____________________________
Name:
Title:
LWH HOLDING S.A.
By: _____________________________
Name:
Title:
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SCHEDULE 1
Number of shares of SMTC common
Stockholder Name stock beneficially owned
---------------- -------------------------------
Societe Industrielle de Materiaux 480
Avances
Advanced Materials Investments 320
Holding S.A.
LWH Holding S.A. 200