PARSIPPANY, N.J., March 19, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- GenTek Inc. (Nasdaq:GETI) today announced the successful restructuring of its long-term debt obligations and the redemption of the Company's entire second lien term loan.
GenTek's first lien holders have agreed to an amendment to the Company's credit facilities, which have enabled the Company to use the proceeds from the recently completed sale of the Noma wire and cable harness assembly business to redeem the second lien debt. In addition, as part of the amendments, the Company increased by $50 million the amount of debt outstanding on the first lien term loan facility, which along with the proceeds from the Noma sale were used to retire the existing second lien term loan. This restructuring is projected to result in approximately $8 Million in annual cash interest expense savings as the net result of the reduction in debt from the Noma sale proceeds and the increased first lien debt being used to redeem the entire second lien term loan. Following this restructuring, the company will have a $60 million revolver, of which $10 million is currently drawn and approximately $269 million in first lien term debt, maturing in 2010 and 2011 respectively. Finally, first lien holders also agreed to amend certain loan covenants, which are intended to provide the Company with enhanced flexibility relating to potential future strategic initiatives.
In connection with the restructuring of the long-term debt obligation, the Company paid Banc of America Securities LLC a fee of $300,000 for its services in arranging and facilitating the consummation of the transaction.
Commenting on the amendments to the company's credit facilities and its anticipated benefits to the Company and its shareholders, William E. Redmond, Jr., GenTek's President and CEO indicated, "These amendments and the associated debt reduction are a material step forward in achieving our stated objective of long term cash flow improvement. Further, this will give GenTek even greater flexibility to fund our growth initiatives from operating cash flow."
About GenTek Inc.
GenTek provides specialty inorganic chemical products and services for treating water and wastewater, petroleum refining, and the manufacture of personal-care products, and valve-train systems and components for automotive engines. GenTek operates over 50 manufacturing facilities and technical centers and has approximately 1,500 employees.
GenTek's 2,000-plus customers include many of the world's leading manufacturers of cars and trucks, and heavy equipment, in addition to global energy companies and makers of personal-care products. Additional information about the Company is available at www.gentek-global.com.
The GenTek Inc. company logo is available at http://www.primezone.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=3295
Forward-looking statements
This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Certain statements, other than statements of historical facts, included herein may constitute forward-looking statements. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations and projections about future events. Although we believe that our assumptions made in connection with the forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurances that these assumptions and expectations will prove to have been correct. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from these expectations include, among others, our outstanding indebtedness and leverage; the impact of the restrictions imposed by our indebtedness; our ability to fund and execute our business plan; potential adverse developments with respect to our liquidity or results of operations; the high degree of competition in certain of our businesses, and the potential for new competitors to enter into those businesses; continued or increased price pressure in our markets; customers and suppliers seeking contractual and credit terms less favorable to us; our ability to maintain customers and suppliers that are important to our operations; our ability to attract and retain new customers; the impact of possible substantial future cash funding requirements for our pension plans, including if investment returns on pension assets are lower than assumed; the impact of any possible failure to achieve targeted cost reductions; increases in the cost of raw materials, including energy and other inputs used to make our products; future modifications to existing laws and regulations affecting the environment, health and safety; discovery of unknown contingent liabilities, including environmental contamination at our facilities; suppliers' delays or inability to deliver key raw materials; breakdowns or closures of our or certain of our customers' plants or facilities; inability to obtain sufficient insurance coverage or the terms thereof; domestic and international economic conditions, fluctuations in interest rates and in foreign currency exchange rates; the cyclical nature of certain of our businesses and markets; the potential that actual results may differ from the estimates and assumptions used by management in the preparation of the consolidated financial statements; future technological advances which may affect our existing product lines; the potential exercise of our Tranche B and Tranche C warrants and other events could have a substantial dilutive effect on our common stock; our inability to achieve the anticipated benefits from the redemption of the second lien term loan and the amendment of the first lien term loan including the incremental debt; and other risks detailed from time to time in our SEC reports. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events discussed in this press release might not occur.