Exhibit 10.6

Execution Version

NewPage Corporation

10% Senior Secured Notes due 2012

unconditionally guaranteed as to the

payment of principal, premium,

if any, and interest by the Guarantors named on Schedule I hereto

 

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Exchange and Registration Rights Agreement

December 21, 2007

Goldman, Sachs & Co.,

    As representative of the several Purchasers

    named in Schedule I to the Purchase Agreement

c/o Goldman, Sachs & Co.

85 Broad Street

New York, New York 10004

Ladies and Gentlemen:

NewPage Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue
and sell to the Purchasers (as defined herein) upon the terms set forth in the
Purchase Agreement (as defined herein) $456.0 million in aggregate principal
amount of its 10% Senior Secured Notes due 2012 specified above, which are
unconditionally guaranteed by the Guarantors (as defined herein). As an
inducement to the Purchasers to enter into the Purchase Agreement and in
satisfaction of a condition to the obligations of the Purchasers thereunder, the
Company and the Guarantors agree with the Purchasers for the benefit of holders
(as defined herein) from time to time of the Registrable Securities (as defined
herein) as follows:

1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Exchange and Registration Rights
Agreement (this “Agreement”), the following terms shall have the following
respective meanings:

“Base Interest” shall mean the interest that would otherwise accrue on the
Securities under the terms thereof and the Indenture, without giving effect to
the provisions of this Agreement.

“Blackout Period” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 2(f) hereof.

The term “broker-dealer” shall mean any broker or dealer registered with the
Commission under the Exchange Act.

“Business Day” shall each mean each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and
Friday which is not a day on which banking institutions in New York are
generally authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

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“Closing Date” shall mean the date on which the Securities are initially issued.

“Commission” shall mean the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, or
any other federal agency at the time administering the Exchange Act or the
Securities Act, whichever is the relevant statute for the particular purpose.

“Conduct Rules” shall have the meaning assigned thereto in Section 3(d)(xix)
hereof.

“EDGAR System” means the EDGAR filing system of the Commission and the rules and
regulations pertaining thereto promulgated by the Commission in Regulation S-T
under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, in each case as the same may be
amended or succeeded from time to time (and without regard to format).

“Effective Time,” in the case of (i) an Exchange Registration, shall mean the
time and date as of which the Commission declares the Exchange Registration
Statement effective or as of which the Exchange Registration Statement otherwise
becomes effective and (ii) a Shelf Registration, shall mean the time and date as
of which the Commission declares the Shelf Registration Statement effective or
as of which the Shelf Registration Statement otherwise becomes effective.

“Electing Holder” shall mean any holder of Registrable Securities that has
returned a completed and signed Notice and Questionnaire to the Company in
accordance with Section 3(d)(ii) or Section 3(d)(iii) hereof and the
instructions set forth in the Notice and Questionnaire.

“Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and
the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder, as the same
may be amended or succeeded from time to time.

“Exchange Offer” shall have the meaning assigned thereto in Section 2(a) hereof.

“Exchange Registration” shall have the meaning assigned thereto in Section 3(c)
hereof.

“Exchange Registration Statement” shall have the meaning assigned thereto in
Section 2(a) hereof.

“Exchange Securities” shall have the meaning assigned thereto in Section 2(a)
hereof.

“Guarantor” shall have the meaning assigned thereto in the Indenture.

The term “holder” shall mean each of the Purchasers and other persons who
acquire Registrable Securities from time to time (including any successors or
assigns), in each case for so long as such person owns any Registrable
Securities.

“Indenture” shall mean the Indenture, dated as of May 2, 2005 among the Company,
each Guarantor and the Trustee, as the same shall be amended and supplemented
from time to time.

“NASD” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 3(d)(xix) hereof.

“Notice and Questionnaire” means a Notice of Registration Statement and Selling
Securityholder Questionnaire substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto.

 

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The term “person” shall mean a corporation, association, limited liability
company, partnership, organization, business, individual, government or
political subdivision thereof or governmental agency.

“Purchase Agreement” shall mean the Purchase Agreement, dated as of December 7,
2007, among the Purchasers, the Guarantors and the Company relating to the
Securities.

“Purchasers” shall mean the Purchasers named in Schedule I to the Purchase
Agreement.

“Registrable Securities” shall mean the Securities; provided, however, that a
Security shall cease to be a Registrable Security upon the earliest to occur of
the following: (i) in the circumstances contemplated by Section 2(a) hereof, the
Security has been exchanged for an Exchange Security in an Exchange Offer as
contemplated in Section 2(a) hereof (provided that any Exchange Security that,
pursuant to the last two sentences of Section 2(a) hereof, is included in a
prospectus for use in connection with resales by broker-dealers shall be deemed
to be a Registrable Security with respect to Sections 5, 6 and 9 until resale of
such Registrable Security has been effected within the 120-day period referred
to in Section 2(a) hereof); (ii) in the circumstances contemplated by
Section 2(b) hereof, a Shelf Registration Statement registering such Security
under the Securities Act has been declared or becomes effective and such
Security has been sold or otherwise transferred by the holder thereof pursuant
to and in a manner contemplated by such effective Shelf Registration Statement;
(iii) such Security is sold pursuant to Rule 144 under circumstances in which
any legend borne by such Security relating to restrictions on transferability
thereof, under the Securities Act or otherwise, is removed by the Company or
pursuant to the Indenture; (iv) such Security is eligible to be sold pursuant to
paragraph (k) of Rule 144; or (v) such Security shall cease to be outstanding.

“Registration Default” shall have the meaning assigned thereto in Section 2(c)
hereof.

“Registration Default Period” shall have the meaning assigned thereto in
Section 2(c) hereof.

“Registration Expenses” shall have the meaning assigned thereto in Section 4
hereof.

“Resale Period” shall have the meaning assigned thereto in Section 2(a) hereof.

“Restricted Holder” shall mean (i) a holder that is an affiliate of the Company
within the meaning of Rule 405, (ii) a holder who acquires Exchange Securities
outside the ordinary course of such holder’s business, (iii) a holder who has
arrangements or understandings with any person to participate in the Exchange
Offer for the purpose of distributing Exchange Securities and (iv) a holder that
is a broker-dealer, but only with respect to Exchange Securities received by
such broker-dealer pursuant to an Exchange Offer in exchange for Registrable
Securities acquired by the broker-dealer directly from the Company.

“Rule 144,” “Rule 405”, “Rule 415”, “Rule 424”, “Rule 430B” and “Rule 433” shall
mean, in each case, such rule promulgated by the Commission under the Securities
Act (or any successor provision), as the same may be amended or succeeded from
time to time.

“Securities” shall mean, collectively, the 10.0% Senior Secured Notes due 2012
to be issued and sold to the Purchasers pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, and
securities issued in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof pursuant to the
Indenture. Each Security is entitled to the benefit of the guarantees provided
by the Guarantors in the Indenture (the

 

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“Guarantees”) and, unless the context otherwise requires, any reference herein
to a “Security,” an “Exchange Security” or a “Registrable Security” shall
include a reference to the related Guarantees.

“Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the
rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder, as the same may
be amended or succeeded from time to time.

“Shelf Registration” shall have the meaning assigned thereto in Section 2(b)
hereof.

“Shelf Registration Statement” shall have the meaning assigned thereto in
Section 2(b) hereof.

“Special Interest” shall have the meaning assigned thereto in Section 2(c)
hereof.

“Trust Indenture Act” shall mean the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended,
and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder, as the
same may be amended or succeeded from time to time.

“Trustee” shall mean HSBC Bank USA, National Association, as trustee under the
Indenture, together with any successors thereto in such capacity.

Unless the context otherwise requires, any reference herein to a “Section” or
“clause” refers to a Section or clause, as the case may be, of this Agreement,
and the words “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder” and other words of similar
import refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular Section or
other subdivision.

2. Registration Under the Securities Act.

(a) Except as set forth in Section 2(b) below, the Company agrees to file under
the Securities Act, as soon as practicable, but no later than 120 days after the
Closing Date, or if the 120th day is not a Business Day, the first Business Day
thereafter, a registration statement relating to an offer to exchange (such
registration statement, the “Exchange Registration Statement,” and such offer,
the “Exchange Offer”) any and all of the Securities for a like aggregate
principal amount of debt securities issued by the Company and guaranteed by the
Guarantors, which debt securities and guarantee are substantially identical to
the Securities and the related Guarantee, respectively (and are entitled to the
benefits of a trust indenture which is substantially identical to the Indenture
or is the Indenture and which has been qualified under the Trust Indenture Act),
except that they have been registered pursuant to an effective registration
statement under the Securities Act and do not contain provisions for the
additional interest contemplated in Section 2(c) below (such new debt securities
hereinafter called “Exchange Securities”). The Company agrees to use all
commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Exchange Registration Statement to
become effective under the Securities Act as soon as reasonably practicable, but
no later than 210 days after the Closing Date, or if the 210th day is not a
Business Day, the first Business Day thereafter. The Exchange Offer will be
registered under the Securities Act on the appropriate form and will comply with
all applicable tender offer rules and regulations under the Exchange Act. Unless
the Exchange Offer would not be permitted by applicable law or Commission
policy, the Company further agrees to use all commercially reasonable efforts to
commence and complete the Exchange Offer promptly but no later than 45 business
days after such registration statement has become effective, hold the Exchange
Offer open for at least 30 days and exchange Exchange Securities for all
Registrable Securities that have been properly tendered and not withdrawn on or
prior to the expiration

 

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of the Exchange Offer. The Exchange Offer will be deemed to have been
“completed” only if the debt securities and related guarantees received by
holders other than Restricted Holders in the Exchange Offer for Registrable
Securities are, upon receipt, transferable by each such holder without
restriction under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act (except for the
requirement to deliver a prospectus included in the Exchange Registration
Statement applicable to resales by any broker-dealer pursuant to an Exchange
Offer in exchange for Registrable Securities other than those acquired by the
broker-dealer directly from the Company) and without material restrictions under
the blue sky or securities laws of a substantial majority of the States of the
United States of America. The Exchange Offer shall be deemed to have been
completed upon the earlier to occur of (i) the Company having exchanged the
Exchange Securities for all outstanding Registrable Securities pursuant to the
Exchange Offer and (ii) the Company having exchanged, pursuant to the Exchange
Offer, Exchange Securities for all Registrable Securities that have been
properly tendered and not withdrawn before the expiration of the Exchange Offer,
which shall be on a date that is at least 30 days following the commencement of
the Exchange Offer. The Company agrees (x) to include in the Exchange
Registration Statement a prospectus for use in any resales by any holder of
Exchange Securities that is a broker-dealer and (y) to keep such Exchange
Registration Statement effective for a period (the “Resale Period”) beginning
when Exchange Securities are first issued in the Exchange Offer and ending upon
the earlier of the expiration of the 180th day after the Exchange Offer has been
completed or such time as such broker-dealers no longer own any Registrable
Securities. With respect to such Exchange Registration Statement, such holders
shall have the benefit of the rights of indemnification and contribution set
forth in Sections 6(a), (c), (d) and (e) hereof.

(b) If (i) the Company and the Guarantors are not permitted to consummate the
Exchange Offer because the Exchange Offer is not permitted by applicable law or
Commission policy; (ii) the Exchange Offer has not been completed within 255
days following the Closing Date or (iii) any Restricted Holder notifies the
Company prior to the 15th business day following consummation of the Exchange
Offer that (a) it is prohibited by law or Commission policy from participating
in the Exchange Offer, (b) it may not resell the Exchange Securities acquired by
it in the Exchange Offer to the public without delivering a prospectus and the
prospectus supplement contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is
not appropriate or available for such resales or (c) it is a broker-dealer and
owns Securities acquired directly from the Company or an affiliate of the
Company, the Company shall, in lieu of (or, in the case of clause (iii), in
addition to) conducting the Exchange Offer contemplated by Section 2(a), file
under the Securities Act as soon as reasonably practicable, but no later than 45
Business Days after the time such obligation to file arises, a “shelf”
registration statement providing for the registration of, and the sale on a
continuous or delayed basis by the holders of, all of the Registrable
Securities, pursuant to Rule 415 or any similar rule that may be adopted by the
Commission (such filing, the “Shelf Registration” and such registration
statement, the “Shelf Registration Statement”). The Company agrees to use all
commercially reasonable efforts to (x) cause the Shelf Registration Statement to
become or be declared effective no later than 150 days after such Shelf
Registration Statement is filed (provided, that if at any time the Company is or
becomes a “well-known seasoned issuer” (as defined in Rule 405) and is eligible
to file an “automatic shelf registration statement” (as defined in Rule 405),
then the Company and the Guarantors shall file the Exchange Registration
Statement in the form of an automatic shelf registration statement as provided
in Rule 405) and to keep such Shelf Registration Statement continuously
effective (other than during any Blackout Period (as defined in Section 2(f)
below)) for a period ending on the earlier of the second anniversary of the
Effective Time or such time as there are no longer any Registrable Securities
outstanding, provided, however, that no holder shall be entitled to be named as
a selling securityholder in

 

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the Shelf Registration Statement or to use the prospectus forming a part thereof
for resales of Registrable Securities unless such holder is an Electing Holder,
and (y) after the Effective Time of the Shelf Registration Statement, promptly
upon the request of any holder of Registrable Securities that is not then an
Electing Holder, to take any action reasonably necessary to enable such holder
to use the prospectus forming a part thereof for resales of Registrable
Securities, including, without limitation, any action necessary to identify such
holder as a selling securityholder in the Shelf Registration Statement (whether
by post-effective amendment thereto or by filing a prospectus pursuant to Rules
430B and 424(b) under the Securities Act identifying such holder), provided,
however, that nothing in this Clause (y) shall relieve any such holder of the
obligation to return a completed and signed Notice and Questionnaire to the
Company in accordance with Section 3(d)(iii) hereof. The Company further agrees
to supplement or make amendments to the Shelf Registration Statement, as and
when required by the rules, regulations or instructions applicable to the
registration form used by the Company for such Shelf Registration Statement or
by the Securities Act or rules and regulations thereunder for shelf
registration, and the Company agrees to furnish to each Electing Holder copies
of any such supplement or amendment prior to its being used or promptly
following its filing with the Commission.

(c) In the event that (i) the Company and the Guarantors have not filed the
Exchange Registration Statement or Shelf Registration Statement on or before the
date on which such registration statement is required to be filed pursuant to
Section 2(a) or 2(b) hereof, respectively, (ii) such Exchange Registration
Statement or Shelf Registration Statement has not become effective or been
declared effective by the Commission on or before the date on which such
registration statement is required to become or be declared effective pursuant
to Section 2(a) or 2(b), respectively, (iii) the Exchange Offer, if any, has not
been completed within 45 Business Days after the Effective Time of the Exchange
Registration Statement relating to the Exchange Offer (if the Exchange Offer is
then required to be made) or (iv) any Exchange Registration Statement or Shelf
Registration Statement required by Section 2(a) or 2(b) hereof is filed and
declared effective but shall thereafter either be withdrawn by the Company or
shall become subject to an effective stop order issued pursuant to Section 8(d)
of the Securities Act suspending the effectiveness of such registration
statement (except as specifically permitted herein, including any Blackout
Period permitted herein) without being succeeded immediately by an additional
registration statement filed and declared effective (each such event referred to
in clauses (i) through (iv), a “Registration Default” and each period during
which a Registration Default(s) has occurred and is continuing, a “Registration
Default Period”), then, as liquidated damages for such Registration Default(s),
the Securities affected thereby will be subject to the provisions of
Section 9(b), special interest (“Special Interest”), in addition to the Base
Interest, shall accrue on the outstanding principal amount of such Securities at
a per annum rate of 0.25% for the first 90 days of the Registration Default
Period, at a per annum rate of 0.50% for the second 90 days of the Registration
Default Period, at a per annum rate of 0.75% for the third 90 days of the
Registration Default Period and at a per annum rate of 1.0% thereafter for the
remaining portion of the Registration Default Period.

(d) The Company shall take, and shall cause the Guarantors to take, all actions
necessary or advisable to be taken by them to ensure that the transactions
contemplated herein are effected as so contemplated, including all actions
necessary or desirable to register the Guarantee under the registration
statement contemplated in Section 2(a) or 2(b) hereof, as applicable.

(e) Any reference herein to a registration statement as of any time shall be
deemed to include any document incorporated, or deemed to be incorporated,
therein by reference as

 

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of such time and any reference herein to any post-effective amendment to a
registration statement as of any time shall be deemed to include any document
incorporated, or deemed to be incorporated, therein by reference as of such
time.

(f) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Company, upon advising
the Purchasers in writing, may, pursuant to the advice of outside counsel to the
Company, delay the filing or effectiveness of any Exchange Registration
Statement or Shelf Registration Statement (if not filed or effective, as
applicable) or suspend, or otherwise fail to maintain, the effectiveness thereof
or cease to permit the use of the prospectus included therein for a period (the
“Blackout Period”) not to exceed an aggregate of 60 days in any twelve
consecutive month period in the event that (i) the Boards of Directors or Board
of Managers, as the case may be, of the Company reasonably and in good faith
determines that the premature disclosure of a material event at such time could
reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company’s
business, operations or prospects or (ii) the disclosure otherwise relates to a
material business transaction which has not been publicly disclosed and the
Boards of Directors or Board of Managers, as the case may be, of the Company
reasonably and in good faith determines that any such disclosure could
reasonably be expected to jeopardize the success of such transaction; provided,
that, upon the termination of such Blackout Period, the Company promptly shall
advise the Purchasers that such Blackout Period has been terminated.

3. Registration Procedures.

If the Company and the Guarantors file a registration statement pursuant to
Section 2(a) or Section 2(b) hereof, the following provisions shall apply:

(a) At or before the Effective Time of the Exchange Registration or the Shelf
Registration, as the case may be, the Company shall qualify the Indenture under
the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.

(b) 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.

(c) In connection with the Company’s and the Guarantor’s obligations with
respect to the registration of Exchange Securities as contemplated by
Section 2(a) hereof (the “Exchange Registration”), if applicable, the Company
and the Guarantors shall, as soon as reasonably practicable (or as otherwise
specified):

(i) prepare and file with the Commission, as soon as reasonably practicable but
no later than 120 days after the Closing Date, or if the 120th day is not a
Business Day, the first Business Day thereafter, an Exchange Registration
Statement on any form which may be utilized by the Company and the Guarantors
and which shall permit the Exchange Offer and resales of Exchange Securities by
broker-dealers during the Resale Period to be effected as contemplated by
Section 2(a) hereof, and use all commercially practicable efforts to cause such
Exchange Registration Statement to become effective as soon as reasonably
practicable thereafter, but no later than 210 days after the Closing Date, or if
the 210th day is not a Business Day, the first Business Day thereafter;

(ii) as soon as reasonably practicable prepare and file with the Commission such
amendments and supplements to such Exchange Registration Statement and the
prospectus included therein as may be necessary to effect and maintain the

 

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effectiveness of such Exchange Registration Statement for the periods and
purposes contemplated in Section 2(a) hereof and as may be required by the
applicable rules and regulations of the Commission and the instructions
applicable to the form of such Exchange Registration Statement, and promptly
provide each broker-dealer holding Exchange Securities with such number of
copies of the prospectus included therein (as then amended or supplemented), in
conformity in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act
and the Trust Indenture Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder, as such broker-dealer reasonably may request prior to the expiration
of the Resale Period, for use in connection with resales of Exchange Securities;

(iii) promptly notify each broker-dealer that has requested or received copies
of the prospectus included in such Exchange Registration Statement, and confirm
such advice in writing, (A) when such Exchange Registration Statement or the
prospectus included therein or any prospectus amendment or supplement or
post-effective amendment has been filed, and, with respect to such Exchange
Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment, when the same has become
effective, (B) of any comments by the Commission and by the blue sky or
securities commissioner or regulator of any state with respect thereto or any
request by the Commission for amendments or supplements to such Exchange
Registration Statement or prospectus or for additional information, (C) of the
issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of
such Exchange Registration Statement or the initiation or threatening of any
proceedings for that purpose, (D) if at any time the representations and
warranties of the Company contemplated by Section 5 hereof cease to be true and
correct in all material respects, (E) of the receipt by the Company of any
notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Exchange
Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any
proceeding for such purpose, (F) the occurrence of any event that causes the
Company to become an “ineligible issuer” as defined in Rule 405 or (G) if at any
time during the Resale Period when a prospectus is required to be delivered
under the Securities Act, that such Exchange Registration Statement, prospectus,
prospectus amendment or supplement or post-effective amendment does not conform
in all material respects to the applicable requirements of the Securities Act
and the Trust Indenture Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder or contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state
any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading in light of the circumstances then existing;

(iv) in the event that the Company and the Guarantors would be required,
pursuant to Section 3(c)(iii)(G) above, to notify any broker-dealers holding
Exchange Securities, promptly prepare and furnish to each such holder a
reasonable number of copies of a prospectus supplemented or amended so that, as
thereafter delivered to purchasers of such Exchange Securities during the Resale
Period, such prospectus shall conform in all material respects to the applicable
requirements of the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder and shall not contain an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in
light of the circumstances then existing;

(v) use all commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the withdrawal of any
order suspending the effectiveness of such Exchange Registration Statement or
any post-effective amendment thereto at the earliest practicable date;

 

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(vi) use all commercially reasonable efforts to (A) register or qualify the
Exchange Securities under the securities laws or blue sky laws of such
jurisdictions as are contemplated by Section 2(a) hereof no later than the
commencement of the Exchange Offer, to the extent required by such laws,
(B) keep such registrations or qualifications in effect and comply with such
laws so as to permit the continuance of offers, sales and dealings therein in
such jurisdictions until the expiration of the Resale Period and (C) take any
and all other actions as may be reasonably necessary or advisable to enable each
broker-dealer holding Exchange Securities to consummate the disposition thereof
in such jurisdictions, provided, however, that neither the Company nor the
Guarantors shall be required for any such purpose to (1) qualify as a foreign
corporation in any jurisdiction wherein it would not otherwise be required to
qualify but for the requirements of this Section 3(c)(vi), (2) consent to
general service of process in any such jurisdiction or become subject to
taxation in such jurisdiction or (3) make any changes to its certificate of
formation, certificate of incorporation, limited liability company agreement,
by-laws or other governing documents, as applicable, or any agreement between it
and its stockholders;

(vii) use all commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the consent or approval
of each governmental agency or authority, whether federal, state or local, which
may be required to effect the Exchange Registration, the Exchange Offer and the
offering and sale of Exchange Securities by broker-dealers during the Resale
Period;

(viii) provide a CUSIP number for all Exchange Securities, not later than the
applicable Effective Time; and

(ix) comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the Commission and any
national securities exchange or any quotation service on which the Exchange
Securities may be listed or quoted, as applicable, and make generally available
to its securityholders as soon as reasonably practicable but no later than
eighteen months after the Effective Time of such Exchange Registration
Statement, an earning statement of the Company and its subsidiaries complying
with Section 11(a) of the Securities Act (including, at the option of the
Company, Rule 158 thereunder).

(d) In connection with the Company’s obligations with respect to the Shelf
Registration, if applicable, the Company shall, as soon as practicable (or as
otherwise specified):

(i) prepare and file with the Commission, as soon as reasonably practicable but
in any case within the time periods specified in Section 2(b), a Shelf
Registration Statement on any form which may be utilized by the Company and
which shall register all of the Registrable Securities for resale by the holders
thereof in accordance with such method or methods of disposition as may be
specified by such of the holders as, from time to time, may be Electing Holders
and use all commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Shelf Registration
Statement to become effective (other than during any Blackout Period, as defined
in Section 2(f) hereof) as soon as reasonably practicable but in any case within
the time periods specified in Section 2(b) hereof;

(ii) (A) mail the Notice and Questionnaire to the holders of Registrable
Securities not less than 30 calendar days prior to the anticipated Effective
Time of the Shelf Registration Statement or (B) in the case of an “automatic
shelf registration statement” (as defined in Rule 405), mail the Notice and
Questionnaire to the holders of Registrable Securities not later than the
Effective Time of such Shelf Registration Statement, and in any such case no
holder shall be entitled to be named as a selling

 

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securityholder in the Shelf Registration Statement, and no holder shall be
entitled to use the prospectus forming a part thereof for resales of Registrable
Securities at any time, unless and until such holder has returned a completed
and signed Notice and Questionnaire to the Company by the deadline for response
set forth therein; provided, however, holders of Registrable Securities shall
have at least 28 calendar days from the date on which the Notice and
Questionnaire is first mailed to such holders to return a completed and signed
Notice and Questionnaire to the Company;

(iii) after the Effective Time of the Shelf Registration Statement, upon the
request of any holder of Registrable Securities that is not then an Electing
Holder, promptly send a Notice and Questionnaire to such holder; provided that
the Company shall not be required to take any action to name such holder as a
selling securityholder in the Shelf Registration Statement or to enable such
holder to use the prospectus forming a part thereof for resales of Registrable
Securities until such holder has returned a completed and signed Notice and
Questionnaire to the Company;

(iv) as soon as reasonably practicable, prepare and file with the Commission
such amendments and supplements to such Shelf Registration Statement and the
prospectus included therein as may be necessary to effect and maintain the
effectiveness of such Shelf Registration Statement for the period specified in
Section 2(b) hereof and as may be required by the applicable rules and
regulations of the Commission and the instructions applicable to the form of
such Shelf Registration Statement, and furnish to the Electing Holders copies of
any such supplement or amendment simultaneously with or prior to its being used
or filed with the Commission to the extent such documents are not publicly
available on the Commission’s EDGAR System;

(v) comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the
disposition of all of the Registrable Securities covered by such Shelf
Registration Statement in accordance with the intended methods of disposition by
the Electing Holders provided for in such Shelf Registration Statement;

(vi) provide (A) the Electing Holders, (B) the underwriters (which term, for
purposes of this Agreement, shall include a person deemed to be an underwriter
within the meaning of Section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act), if any, thereof,
(C) any sales or placement agent therefor, (D) counsel for any such underwriter
or agent and (E) not more than one counsel for all the Electing Holders the
opportunity to participate in the preparation of such Shelf Registration
Statement, each prospectus included therein or filed with the Commission and
each amendment or supplement thereto;

(vii) for a reasonable period prior to the filing of such Shelf Registration
Statement, and throughout the period specified in Section 2(b) hereof, make
available at reasonable times at the Company’s principal place of business or
such other reasonable place for inspection by the persons referred to in
Section 3(d)(vi) hereof who shall certify to the Company that they have a
current intention to sell the Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf
Registration such financial and other information and books and records of the
Company, and cause the officers, employees, counsel and independent certified
public accountants of the Company to respond to such inquiries, as shall be
reasonably necessary, in the judgment of the respective counsel referred to in
Section 3(d)(vi) hereof, to conduct a reasonable investigation within the
meaning of Section 11 of the Securities Act; provided,

 

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however, that each such party shall be required to maintain in confidence and
not to disclose to any other person any information or records reasonably
designated by the Company as being confidential, until such time as (A) such
information becomes a matter of public record (whether by virtue of its
inclusion in such Shelf Registration Statement or otherwise, but not because of
disclosure by such person or its representatives that was otherwise in breach of
this provision), or (B) such person shall be required so to disclose such
information pursuant to a subpoena or order of any court or other governmental
agency or body having jurisdiction over the matter (subject to the requirements
of such order, and only after such person shall have given the Company prompt
prior written notice of such requirement), or (C) such information is required
to be set forth in such Shelf Registration Statement or the prospectus included
therein or in an amendment to such Shelf Registration Statement or an amendment
or supplement to such prospectus in order that such Shelf Registration
Statement, prospectus, amendment or supplement, as the case may be, complies
with applicable requirements of the federal securities laws and the rules and
regulations of the Commission and does not contain an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state therein a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in light of
the circumstances then existing;

(viii) promptly notify each of the Electing Holders, any sales or placement
agent therefor and any underwriter thereof (which notification may be made
through any managing underwriter that is a representative of such underwriter
for such purpose) and confirm such advice in writing, (A) when such Shelf
Registration Statement or the prospectus included therein or any prospectus
amendment or supplement or post-effective amendment has been filed, and, with
respect to such Shelf Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment,
when the same has become effective, (B) of any comments by the Commission and by
the blue sky or securities commissioner or regulator of any state with respect
thereto or any request by the Commission for amendments or supplements to such
Shelf Registration Statement or prospectus or for additional information, (C) of
the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of
such Shelf Registration Statement or the initiation or threatening of any
proceedings for that purpose, (D) if at any time the representations and
warranties of the Company contemplated by Section 3(d)(xvii) or Section 5 hereof
cease to be true and correct in all material respects, (E) of the receipt by the
Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification
of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or
threatening of any proceeding for such purpose, (F) the occurrence of any event
that causes the Company to become an “ineligible issuer” as defined in Rule 405,
or (G) if at any time when a prospectus is required to be delivered under the
Securities Act, that such Shelf Registration Statement, prospectus, prospectus
amendment or supplement or post-effective amendment does not conform in all
material respects to the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the
Trust Indenture Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder
or contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading in light of the circumstances then existing;

(ix) use all commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the withdrawal of any
order suspending the effectiveness of such Shelf Registration Statement or any
post-effective amendment thereto at the earliest practicable date;

 

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(x) if requested by any managing underwriter or underwriters, any placement or
sales agent or any Electing Holder, promptly incorporate in a prospectus
supplement or post-effective amendment such information as is required by the
applicable rules and regulations of the Commission and as such managing
underwriter or underwriters, such agent or such Electing Holder reasonably
specifies should be included therein relating to the terms of the sale of such
Registrable Securities, including information with respect to the principal
amount of Registrable Securities being sold by such Electing Holder or agent or
to any underwriters, the name and description of such Electing Holder, agent or
underwriter, the offering price of such Registrable Securities and any discount,
commission or other compensation payable in respect thereof, the purchase price
being paid therefor by such underwriters and with respect to any other material
terms of the offering of the Registrable Securities to be sold by such Electing
Holder or agent or to such underwriters; and make all required filings of such
prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment promptly after notification of
the matters to be incorporated in such prospectus supplement or post-effective
amendment;

(xi) furnish to each Electing Holder, each placement or sales agent, if any,
therefor, each underwriter, if any, thereof and the respective counsel referred
to in Section 3(d)(vi) hereof an executed copy (or, in the case of an Electing
Holder, a conformed copy) of such Shelf Registration Statement, each such
amendment and supplement thereto (in each case including all exhibits thereto
(in the case of an Electing Holder of Registrable Securities, upon request) and
documents incorporated by reference therein) and such number of copies of such
Shelf Registration Statement (excluding exhibits thereto and documents
incorporated by reference therein unless specifically so requested by such
Electing Holder, agent or underwriter, as the case may be) and of the prospectus
included in such Shelf Registration Statement (including each preliminary
prospectus and any summary prospectus), in conformity in all material respects
with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture
Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder to the extent
such documents are not available through the Commission’s EDGAR System, and such
other documents, as such Electing Holder, agent, if any, and underwriter, if
any, may reasonably request in order to facilitate the offering and disposition
of the Registrable Securities owned by such Electing Holder, offered or sold by
such agent or underwritten by such underwriter and to permit such Electing
Holder, agent and underwriter to satisfy the prospectus delivery requirements of
the Securities Act; and the Company hereby consents to the use of such
prospectus (including such preliminary and summary prospectus) and any amendment
or supplement thereto by each such Electing Holder and by any such agent and
underwriter, in each case in the form most recently provided to such person by
the Company, in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable
Securities covered by the prospectus (including such preliminary and summary
prospectus) or any supplement or amendment thereto;

(xii) use all commercially reasonable efforts to (A) register or qualify the
Registrable Securities to be included in such Shelf Registration Statement under
such securities laws or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as any Electing
Holder and each placement or sales agent, if any, therefor and underwriter, if
any, thereof shall reasonably request, (B) keep such registrations or
qualifications in effect (other than during any Blackout Period) and comply with
such laws so as to permit the continuance of offers, sales and dealings therein
in such jurisdictions during the period the Shelf Registration Statement is
required to remain effective under Section

 

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2(b) above and for so long as may be necessary to enable any such Electing
Holder, agent or underwriter to complete its distribution (as long as such
distribution is commenced during the period the Shelf Registration Statement is
required to remain effective under Section 2(b) above) of Securities pursuant to
such Shelf Registration Statement and (C) take any and all other actions as may
be reasonably necessary or advisable to enable each such Electing Holder, agent,
if any, and underwriter, if any, to consummate the disposition in such
jurisdictions of such Registrable Securities; provided, however, that neither
the Company nor the Guarantors shall be required for any such purpose to
(1) qualify as a foreign corporation in any jurisdiction wherein it would not
otherwise be required to qualify but for the requirements of this
Section 3(d)(xii), (2) consent to general service of process in any such
jurisdiction or become subject to taxation in any such jurisdiction or (3) make
any changes to its certificate of formation, certificate of incorporation,
limited liability company agreement, by-laws or other governing documents, as
applicable, or any agreement between it and its stockholders;

(xiii) use all commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the consent or approval
of each governmental agency or authority, whether federal, state or local, which
may be required to effect the Shelf Registration or the offering or sale in
connection therewith or to enable the selling holder or holders to offer, or to
consummate the disposition of, their Registrable Securities;

(xiv) unless any Registrable Securities shall be in book-entry only form,
cooperate with the Electing Holders and the managing underwriters, if any, to
facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing
Registrable Securities to be sold, which certificates, if so required by any
securities exchange upon which any Registrable Securities are listed, shall be
printed, penned, lithographed or engraved, or produced by any combination of
such methods, on steel engraved borders, and which certificates shall not bear
any restrictive legends; and, in the case of an underwritten offering, enable
such Registrable Securities to be in such denominations and registered in such
names as the managing underwriters may request at least two Business Days prior
to any sale of the Registrable Securities;

(xv) provide a CUSIP number for all Registrable Securities, not later than the
applicable Effective Time;

(xvi) enter into one or more underwriting agreements, engagement letters, agency
agreements, “commercially reasonable efforts” underwriting agreements or similar
agreements, as appropriate, including customary provisions relating to
indemnification and contribution, and take such other actions in connection
therewith as any Electing Holders aggregating at least 25% in aggregate
principal amount of the Registrable Securities at the time outstanding shall
request in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Registrable
Securities;

(xvii) whether or not an agreement of the type referred to in Section 3(d)(xvi)
hereof is entered into and whether or not any portion of the offering
contemplated by the Shelf Registration is an underwritten offering or is made
through a placement or sales agent or any other entity, (A) make such
representations and warranties to the Electing Holders and the placement or
sales agent, if any, therefor and the underwriters, if any, thereof in form,
substance and scope as are customarily made in connection with an offering of
debt securities pursuant to any appropriate agreement or to a registration
statement filed on the form applicable to the Shelf Registration;

 

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(B) obtain an opinion of counsel (which may be in-house counsel) to the Company
in customary form and covering such matters, of the type customarily covered by
such an opinion, as the managing underwriters, if any, or as any Electing
Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Registrable
Securities at the time outstanding may reasonably request, addressed to such
Electing Holder or Electing Holders and the placement or sales agent, if any,
therefor and the underwriters, if any, thereof and dated the effective date of
such Shelf Registration Statement (and if such Shelf Registration Statement
contemplates an underwritten offering of a part or all of the Registrable
Securities, dated the date of the closing under the underwriting agreement
relating thereto) (it being agreed that the matters to be covered by such
opinion shall include the good standing of the Company and its subsidiaries; the
qualification of the Company and its subsidiaries to transact business as
foreign entities in states where they transact business; the due authorization,
execution and delivery of the relevant agreement of the type referred to in
Section 3(d)(xvi) hereof; the due authorization, execution, authentication and
issuance, and the validity and enforceability, of the Registrable Securities,
Securities or Exchange Securities as applicable; the absence of material legal
or governmental proceedings involving the Company; the absence of a breach by
the Company or any of its subsidiaries of, or a default under, material
agreements binding upon the Company or any subsidiary of the Company; the
absence of governmental approvals required to be obtained in connection with the
Shelf Registration, the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities, this
Agreement or any agreement of the type referred to in Section 3(d)(xvi) hereof,
except such approvals as may be required under state securities or blue sky
laws; the material 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 and the rules
and regulations of the Commission thereunder, respectively; and, as of the date
of the opinion and 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 the documents incorporated by reference
therein (in each case other than the financial statements and other financial
information contained therein) of an untrue statement of a material fact or the
omission to state therein a material fact necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading (in the case of such documents, in the light of the
circumstances existing at the time that such documents were filed with the
Commission under the Exchange Act)); (C) obtain a “cold comfort” letter or
letters from the independent certified public accountants of the Company
addressed to the selling Electing Holders, the placement or sales agent, if any,
therefor or the underwriters, if any, thereof, dated (i) the effective date of
such Shelf Registration Statement and (ii) the effective date of any prospectus
supplement to the prospectus included in such Shelf Registration Statement or
post-effective amendment to such Shelf Registration Statement which includes
unaudited or audited financial statements as of a date or for a period
subsequent to that of the latest such statements included in such prospectus
(and, if such Shelf Registration Statement contemplates an underwritten offering
pursuant to any prospectus supplement to the prospectus included in such Shelf
Registration Statement or post-effective amendment to such Shelf Registration
Statement which includes unaudited or audited financial statements as of a date
or for a period subsequent to that of the latest such statements included in
such prospectus, dated the date of the closing under the underwriting agreement
relating thereto), such letter or letters to be in customary form and covering
such matters of the type customarily covered by letters of such type;
(D) deliver such documents and certificates,

 

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including officers’ certificates, as may be reasonably requested by any Electing
Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Registrable
Securities at the time outstanding or the placement or sales agent, if any,
therefor and the managing underwriters, if any, thereof to evidence the accuracy
of the representations and warranties made pursuant to clause (A) above or those
contained in Section 5(a) hereof and the compliance with or satisfaction of any
agreements or conditions contained in the underwriting agreement or other
agreement entered into by the Company or the Guarantors; and (E) undertake such
obligations relating to expense reimbursement, indemnification and contribution
as are provided in Section 6 hereof;

(xviii) notify in writing each holder of Registrable Securities of any proposal
by the Company to amend or waive any provision of this Agreement pursuant to
Section 9(h) hereof and of any amendment or waiver effected pursuant thereto,
each of which notices shall contain the text of the amendment or waiver proposed
or effected, as the case may be;

(xix) in the event that any broker-dealer registered under the Exchange Act
shall underwrite any Registrable 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 “Conduct Rules”) of the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (“NASD”) or any successor thereto, as
amended from time to time) thereof, whether as a holder of such Registrable
Securities or as an underwriter, a placement or sales agent or a broker or
dealer in respect thereof, or otherwise, assist such broker-dealer in complying
with the requirements of such Conduct Rules, including by (A) if such Conduct
Rules shall so require, engaging a “qualified independent underwriter” (as
defined in such Conduct Rules) to participate in the preparation of the Shelf
Registration Statement relating to such Registrable Securities, to exercise
usual standards of due diligence in respect thereto and, if any portion of the
offering contemplated by such Shelf Registration Statement is an underwritten
offering or is made through a placement or sales agent, to recommend the yield
of such Registrable Securities, (B) indemnifying any such qualified independent
underwriter to the extent of the indemnification of underwriters provided in
Section 6 hereof (or to such other customary extent as may be requested by such
underwriter) and (C) providing such information to such broker-dealer as may be
required in order for such broker-dealer to comply with the requirements of the
Conduct Rules; and

(xx) comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the Commission and any
national securities exchange or any quotation service on which the Securities
may be listed or quoted, as applicable, and make generally available to its
securityholders as soon as reasonably practicable but in any event not later
than eighteen months after the Effective Time of such Shelf Registration
Statement, an earning statement of the Company and its subsidiaries complying
with Section 11(a) of the Securities Act (including, at the option of the
Company, Rule 158 thereunder).

(e) In the event that the Company would be required, pursuant to
Section 3(d)(viii)(G) above, to notify the Electing Holders, the placement or
sales agent, if any, therefor and the managing underwriters, if any, thereof,
the Company shall promptly prepare and furnish to each of the Electing Holders,
to each placement or sales agent, if any, and to each such underwriter, if any,
a reasonable number of copies of a prospectus supplemented or amended so that,
as thereafter delivered to purchasers of Registrable Securities, such

 

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prospectus shall conform in all material respects to the applicable requirements
of the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act and the rules and regulations
of the Commission thereunder and shall not contain an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in light of the
circumstances then existing. Each Electing Holder agrees that upon receipt of
any notice from the Company pursuant to Section 3(d)(viii)(G) hereof, such
Electing Holder shall forthwith discontinue the disposition of Registrable
Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement applicable to such
Registrable Securities until such Electing Holder shall have received copies of
such amended or supplemented prospectus, and if so directed by the Company, such
Electing Holder shall deliver to the Company (at the Company’s expense) all
copies, other than permanent file copies, then in such Electing Holder’s
possession of the prospectus covering such Registrable Securities at the time of
receipt of such notice.

(f) In the event of a Shelf Registration, in addition to the information
required to be provided by each Electing Holder in its Notice and Questionnaire,
the Company may require such Electing Holder to furnish to the Company such
additional information regarding such Electing Holder and such Electing Holder’s
intended method of distribution of Registrable Securities as may be required or
necessary in order to comply with the Securities Act. Each such Electing Holder
agrees to notify the Company as promptly as practicable of any inaccuracy or
change in information previously furnished by such Electing Holder to the
Company or of the occurrence of any event in either case as a result of which
any prospectus relating to such Shelf Registration contains or would contain an
untrue statement of a material fact regarding such Electing Holder or such
Electing Holder’s intended method of disposition of such Registrable Securities
or omits to state any material fact regarding such Electing Holder or such
Electing Holder’s intended method of disposition of such Registrable Securities
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading in light of the circumstances then existing, and promptly to furnish
to the Company any additional information required to correct and update any
previously furnished information or required so that such prospectus shall not
contain, with respect to such Electing Holder or the disposition of such
Registrable Securities, 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 in light of the circumstances then existing.

(g) Until the expiration of two years after the Closing Date, the Company will
not, and will not permit any of its “affiliates” (as defined in Rule 144) to,
resell any of the Securities that have been reacquired by any of them except
pursuant to an effective registration statement under or an exemption from the
registration requirements of the Securities Act.

(h) As a condition to its participation in the Exchange Offer, each holder of
Registrable Securities shall furnish, upon the request of the Company, a written
representation to the Company (which may be contained in the letter of
transmittal or “agent’s message” transmitted via The Depository Trust Company’s
Automated Tender Offer Procedures, in either case contemplated by the Exchange
Registration Statement) to the effect that (A) it is not an “affiliate” of the
Company, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act, or if it is such an
“affiliate”, it will comply with the registration and prospectus delivery
requirements of the Securities Act to the extent applicable, (B) it is not
engaged in and does not intend to engage in, and has no arrangement or
understanding with any person to participate in, a distribution of the Exchange
Securities to be issued in the Exchange Offer, (C) it is acquiring the Exchange
Securities in its ordinary course of business, (D) if it is a broker-dealer that
holds Securities that were acquired for its own account as a result of
market-making activities or other trading activities (other than Securities
acquired directly from the Company

 

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or any of its affiliates), it will deliver a prospectus meeting the requirements
of the Securities Act in connection with any resales of the Exchange Securities
received by it in the Exchange Offer, (E) if it is a broker-dealer, that it did
not purchase the Securities to be exchanged in the Exchange Offer from the
Company or any of its affiliates, and (F) it is not acting on behalf of any
person who could not truthfully and completely make the representations
contained in the foregoing subclauses (A) through (E).

4. Registration Expenses.

The Company agrees to bear and to pay or cause to be paid promptly all expenses
incident to the Company’s performance of or compliance with this Agreement,
including (a) all Commission and any NASD registration, filing and review fees
and expenses including with respect to a Shelf Registration Statement fees and
disbursements of counsel for the placement or sales agent or underwriters in
connection with any such registration, filing and review, (b) all fees and
expenses in connection with the qualification of the Securities for offering and
sale under the State securities and blue sky laws referred to in
Section 3(d)(xii) hereof and determination of their eligibility for investment
under the laws of such jurisdictions as any managing underwriters or the
Electing Holders may designate, including with respect to a Shelf Registration
Statement any fees and disbursements of counsel for the Electing Holders or
underwriters in connection with such qualification and determination, (c) all
expenses relating to the preparation, printing, production, distribution and
reproduction of each registration statement required to be filed hereunder, each
prospectus included therein or prepared for distribution pursuant hereto, each
amendment or supplement to the foregoing, the expenses of preparing the
Securities for delivery and the expenses of printing or producing any
underwriting agreements, agreements among underwriters, selling agreements and
blue sky or legal investment memoranda and all other documents in connection
with the offering, sale or delivery of Securities to be disposed of (including
certificates representing the Securities), (d) messenger, telephone and delivery
expenses relating to the offering, sale or delivery of Securities and the
preparation of documents referred in clause (c) above, (e) fees and expenses of
the Trustee under the Indenture, any agent of the Trustee and any counsel for
the Trustee and of any collateral agent or custodian, (f) internal expenses of
the Company (including all salaries and expenses of the Company’s officers and
employees performing legal or accounting duties), (g) fees, disbursements and
expenses of counsel and independent certified public accountants of the Company
(including the expenses of any opinions or “cold comfort” letters required by or
incident to such performance and compliance), (h) fees, disbursements and
expenses of any “qualified independent underwriter” engaged pursuant to
Section 3(d)(xix) hereof, (i) fees, disbursements and expenses of one counsel
for the Electing Holders retained in connection with a Shelf Registration, as
selected by the Electing Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal
amount of the Registrable Securities held by Electing Holders (which counsel
shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Company), (j) any fees charged by
securities rating services for rating the Securities, and (k) fees, expenses and
disbursements of any other persons, including special experts, retained by the
Company in connection with such registration (collectively, the “Registration
Expenses”). To the extent that any Registration Expenses are incurred, assumed
or paid by any holder of Registrable Securities or any placement or sales agent
therefor or underwriter thereof, the Company shall reimburse such person for the
full amount of the Registration Expenses so incurred, assumed or paid promptly
after receipt of a request therefor. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the holders
of the Registrable Securities being registered shall pay all agency fees and
commissions and underwriting discounts and commissions and transfer taxes, if
any, attributable to the sale of such Registrable Securities and the fees and
disbursements of any counsel or other advisors or experts retained by such
holders (severally or jointly), other than the counsel and experts specifically
referred to above.

 

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5. Representations and Warranties.

The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each Purchaser and each
of the holders from time to time of Registrable Securities that:

(a) Each registration statement covering Registrable Securities and each
prospectus (including any preliminary or summary prospectus) contained therein
or furnished pursuant to Section 3(c) or Section 3(d) hereof and any further
amendments or supplements to any such registration statement or prospectus, when
it becomes effective or is filed with the Commission, as the case may be, and,
in the case of an underwritten offering of Registrable Securities, at the time
of the closing under the underwriting agreement relating thereto, will conform
in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Trust
Indenture Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and
will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading; and at all times subsequent to the Effective Time when a
prospectus would be required to be delivered under the Securities Act, other
than (A) from (i) such time as a notice has been given to holders of Registrable
Securities pursuant to Section 3(d)(viii)(G) or Section 3(c)(iii)(G) hereof
until (ii) such time as the Company furnishes an amended or supplemented
prospectus pursuant to Section 3(e) or Section 3(c)(iv) hereof or (B) during any
Blackout Period, each such registration statement, and each prospectus
(including any summary prospectus) contained therein or furnished pursuant to
Section 3(c) or Section 3(d) hereof, as then amended or supplemented, will
conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and
the Trust Indenture Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit
to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances then
existing; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not
apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity
with information furnished in writing to the Company by a holder of Registrable
Securities expressly for use therein.

(b) Any documents incorporated by reference in any prospectus referred to in
Section 5(a) hereof, when they become or became effective or are or were filed
with the Commission, as the case may be, will conform or conformed in all
material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act,
as applicable, and none of such documents will contain or contained an untrue
statement of a material fact or will omit or omitted to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not
apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity
with information furnished in writing to the Company by a holder of Registrable
Securities expressly for use therein.

(c) The compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of this Agreement
and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated will not conflict
with or result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a
default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other
agreement or instrument to which the Company or any subsidiary of the Company is
a party or by which the Company or any subsidiary of the Company is bound or to
which any of the property or assets of the Company or any subsidiary of the
Company is subject, nor will such action result in any violation of the
provisions of the certificate of incorporation, as amended, certificate of
formation or limited liability company agreement or other governing documents,
as applicable, or the by-laws of the Company or the Guarantors or any statute or
any order, rule

 

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or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction
over the Company or any subsidiary of the Company or any of their respective
properties; and no consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or
qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body is
required for the consummation by the Company and the Guarantors of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except the registration under the
Securities Act of the Securities, qualification of the Indenture under the Trust
Indenture Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or
qualifications as may be required under State securities or blue sky laws in
connection with the offering and distribution of the Securities.

(d) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the
Company.

6. Indemnification.

(a) Indemnification by the Company and the Guarantors. The Company and the
Guarantors, jointly and severally, will indemnify and hold harmless each of the
holders of Registrable Securities included in an Exchange Registration
Statement, each of the Electing Holders of Registrable Securities included in a
Shelf Registration Statement and each person who participates as a placement or
sales agent or as an underwriter in any offering or sale of such Registrable
Securities against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several,
to which such holder, agent or underwriter may become subject under the
Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any
Exchange Registration Statement or Shelf Registration Statement, as the case may
be, under which such Registrable Securities were registered under the Securities
Act, or any preliminary, final or summary prospectus (including, without
limitation, any “issuer free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 433)
contained therein or furnished by the Company to any such holder, Electing
Holder, agent or underwriter, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise
out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, and will reimburse such holder, such Electing Holder,
such agent and such underwriter for any legal or other expenses reasonably
incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such action
or claim as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that neither the
Company nor the Guarantors shall be liable to any such person in any such case
to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is
based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or
alleged omission made in such registration statement, or preliminary, final or
summary prospectus (including, without limitation, any “issuer free writing
prospectus” as defined in Rule 433), or amendment or supplement thereto, in
reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Company by such person expressly for use therein; provided, further, however,
that neither the Company nor the Guarantors will be liable to any such person
with respect to any preliminary prospectus to the extent that it shall be proven
in a court of competent jurisdiction in a judgment that has become final in that
it is no longer subject to appeal or other review that any such loss, liability,
claim, damage or expense arose out of or was based upon the fact that such
person sold securities to a person to whom such selling person failed to send or
give, at or prior to the time of sale, a copy of the final prospectus as then
amended or supplemented if (i) the Company has previously furnished copies
thereof (sufficiently in advance of the time of sale to allow for distribution
by the time of sale) to such selling person and the loss, liability, claim,
damage or expense of such selling person arose out of or was based upon an
untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission of a
material fact contained in or omitted from the preliminary prospectus which was
corrected in the final prospectus

 

19

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prior to the time of sale and (ii) the delivery of such final prospectus by the
time of sale by such selling person would have cured such loss, liability,
claim, damage or expense asserted by such party or parties.

(b) Indemnification by the Holders and any Agents and Underwriters. The Company
may require, as a condition to including any Registrable Securities in any
registration statement filed pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof and to entering
into any underwriting agreement with respect thereto, that the Company shall
have received an undertaking reasonably satisfactory to it from each Electing
Holder of Registrable Securities and from each underwriter named in any such
underwriting agreement, severally and not jointly, to (i) indemnify and hold
harmless the Company, the Guarantors and all other holders of Registrable
Securities, against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the
Company, the Guarantors or such other holders of Registrable Securities may
become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or
are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact contained in such registration statement, or any preliminary, final or
summary prospectus (including, without limitation, any “issuer free writing
prospectus” as defined in Rule 433) contained therein or furnished by the
Company to any such Electing Holder, agent or underwriter, or any amendment or
supplement thereto, 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, in light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to
the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission
or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by such Electing Holder or underwriter
expressly for use therein and (ii) reimburse the Company and the Guarantors for
any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company and the
Guarantors in connection with investigating or defending any such action or
claim as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that no such Electing
Holder shall be required to undertake liability to any person under this
Section 6(b) for any amounts in excess of the dollar amount of the proceeds to
be received by such Electing Holder from the sale of such Electing Holder’s
Registrable Securities pursuant to such registration.

(c) Notices of Claims, Etc. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under
subsection (a) or (b) above of written notice of the commencement of any action,
such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made
against an indemnifying party pursuant to the indemnification provisions of or
contemplated by this Section 6, notify such indemnifying party in writing of the
commencement of such action; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying
party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any
indemnified party otherwise than under the indemnification provisions of or
contemplated by Section 6(a) or 6(b) hereof. In case any such action shall be
brought against any indemnified party and it shall notify an indemnifying party
of the commencement thereof, such indemnifying party shall be entitled to
participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any
other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with
counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except
with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying
party), and, after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party
of its election so to assume the defense thereof, such indemnifying party shall
not be liable to such indemnified party for any legal expenses of other counsel
or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by such indemnified
party, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of
investigation. No indemnifying party shall, without the written consent of the
indemnified party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to the
entry of any

 

20

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judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or claim in respect
of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not
the indemnified party is an actual or potential party to such action or claim)
unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes an unconditional
release of the indemnified party from all liability arising out of such action
or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault,
culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party. The
indemnifying party shall not be required to indemnify the indemnified party for
any amount paid or payable by the indemnified party in the settlement or
compromise of, or entry into any judgment with respect to, any pending or
threatened action or claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution
may be sought hereunder without the written consent of the indemnifying party,
which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.

(d) Contribution. If for any reason the indemnification provisions contemplated
by Section 6(a) or Section 6(b) hereof are unavailable to or insufficient to
hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each
indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such
indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or
actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the
relative fault of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party in connection
with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages
or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations. The relative fault of such indemnifying party and
indemnified party shall be determined by reference to, among other things,
whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or
alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by
such indemnifying party or by such indemnified party, and the parties’ relative
intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent
such statement or omission. The parties hereto agree that it would not be just
and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 6(d) were determined by
pro rata allocation (even if the holders or any agents or underwriters or all of
them were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of
allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred
to in this Section 6(d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a
result of the losses, claims, damages, or liabilities (or actions in respect
thereof) referred to above shall be deemed to include any legal or other fees or
expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with
investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the
provisions of this Section 6(d), no holder shall be required to contribute any
amount in excess of the amount by which the dollar amount of the proceeds
received by such holder from the sale of any Registrable Securities (after
deducting any fees, discounts and commissions applicable thereto) exceeds the
amount of any damages which such holder has otherwise been required to pay by
reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission, and no underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in
excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Registrable
Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the
public exceeds the amount of any damages which such underwriter has 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. The holders’ and any underwriters’ obligations in this
Section 6(d) to contribute shall be several in proportion to the principal
amount of Registrable Securities registered or underwritten, as the case may be,
by them and not joint.

 

21

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(e) The obligations of the Company and the Guarantors under this Section 6 shall
be in addition to any liability which the Company or the Guarantors may
otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each
officer, director and partner of each holder, agent and underwriter and each
person, if any, who controls any holder, agent or underwriter within the meaning
of the Securities Act; and the obligations of the holders and any agents or
underwriters contemplated by this Section 6 shall be in addition to any
liability which the respective holder, agent or underwriter may otherwise have
and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each officer and
director of the Company or the Guarantors (including any person who, with his
consent, is named in any registration statement as about to become a director of
the Company or the Guarantors) and to each person, if any, who controls the
Company within the meaning of the Securities Act.

7. Underwritten Offerings.

(a) Selection of Underwriters. If any of the Registrable Securities covered by
the Shelf Registration are to be sold pursuant to an underwritten offering, the
managing underwriter or underwriters thereof shall be designated by Electing
Holders holding at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the
Registrable Securities to be included in such offering, provided that such
designated managing underwriter or underwriters is or are reasonably acceptable
to the Company.

(b) Participation by Holders. Each holder of Registrable Securities hereby
agrees with each other such holder that no such holder may participate in any
underwritten offering hereunder unless such holder (i) agrees to sell such
holder’s Registrable Securities on the basis 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.

8. Rule 144.

The Company covenants to the holders of Registrable Securities that to the
extent it shall be required to do so under the Exchange Act, the Company shall
timely file the reports required to be filed by it under the Exchange Act or the
Securities Act (including the reports under Section 13 and 15(d) of the Exchange
Act referred to in subparagraph (c)(1) of Rule 144 adopted by the Commission
under the Securities Act) and the rules and regulations adopted by the
Commission thereunder, and shall take such further action as any holder of
Registrable Securities may reasonably request, all to the extent required from
time to time to enable such holder to sell Registrable Securities without
registration under the Securities Act within the limitations of the exemption
provided by Rule 144 under the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from
time to time, or any similar or successor rule or regulation hereafter adopted
by the Commission. Upon the request of any holder of Registrable Securities in
connection with that holder’s sale pursuant to Rule 144, the Company shall
deliver to such holder a written statement as to whether it has complied with
such requirements.

9. Miscellaneous.

(a) No Inconsistent Agreements. The Company represents, warrants, covenants and
agrees that it has not granted, and shall not grant, registration rights with
respect to Registrable Securities or any other securities which would be
inconsistent with the terms contained in this Agreement.

 

22

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(b) Specific Performance. The parties hereto acknowledge that there would be no
adequate remedy at law if the Company fails to perform any of its obligations
hereunder and that the Purchasers and the holders from time to time of the
Registrable Securities may be irreparably harmed by any such failure, and
accordingly agree that the Purchasers and such holders, in addition to any other
remedy to which they may be entitled at law or in equity, shall be entitled to
compel specific performance of the obligations of the Company under this
Agreement in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, in any
court of the United States or any State thereof having jurisdiction.

(c) Notices. All notices, requests, claims, demands, waivers and other
communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been
duly given when delivered by hand, if delivered personally, by facsimile or by
courier, or five Business Days after being deposited in the mail (registered or
certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested) as follows: If to the
Company, to it at NewPage Corporation, 8540 Gander Creek Drive, Miamisburg, Ohio
45342, Attention: Corporate Secretary, with copies to Michael R. Littenberg,
Esq., Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP, 919 Third Avenue, New York, New York 10022, and
if to a holder, to the address of such holder set forth in the security register
or other records of the Company, or to such other address as the Company or any
such holder may have furnished to the other in writing in accordance herewith,
except that notices of change of address shall be effective only upon receipt.

(d) Parties in Interest. All the terms and provisions of this Agreement shall be
binding upon, shall inure to the benefit of and shall be enforceable by the
parties hereto and the holders from time to time of the Registrable Securities
and the respective successors and assigns of the parties hereto and such
holders. In the event that any transferee of any holder of Registrable
Securities shall acquire Registrable Securities, in any manner, whether by gift,
bequest, purchase, operation of law or otherwise, such transferee shall, without
any further writing or action of any kind, be deemed a beneficiary hereof for
all purposes and such Registrable Securities shall be held subject to all of the
terms of this Agreement, and by taking and holding such Registrable Securities
such transferee shall be entitled to receive the benefits of, and be
conclusively deemed to have agreed to be bound by all of the applicable terms
and provisions of this Agreement. If the Company shall so request, any such
successor, assign or transferee shall agree in writing to acquire and hold the
Registrable Securities subject to all of the applicable terms hereof.

(e) Survival. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations,
warranties and each other provision set forth in this Agreement or made pursuant
hereto shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation (or
statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf of any holder of
Registrable Securities, any director, officer or partner of such holder, any
agent or underwriter or any director, officer or partner thereof, or any
controlling person of any of the foregoing, and shall survive delivery of and
payment for the Registrable Securities pursuant to the Purchase Agreement and
the transfer and registration of Registrable Securities by such holder and the
consummation of an Exchange Offer.

(f) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

(g) Headings. The descriptive headings of the several Sections and paragraphs of
this Agreement are inserted for convenience only, do not constitute a part of
this Agreement and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of
this Agreement.

(h) Entire Agreement; Amendments. This Agreement and the other writings referred
to herein (including the Indenture and the form of Securities) or delivered
pursuant hereto

 

23

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which form a part hereof contain the entire understanding of the parties with
respect to its subject matter. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements
and understandings between the parties with respect to its subject matter. This
Agreement may be amended and the observance of any term of this Agreement may be
waived (either generally or in a particular instance and either retroactively or
prospectively) only by a written instrument duly executed by the Company and the
holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Registrable
Securities at the time outstanding. Each holder of any Registrable Securities at
the time or thereafter outstanding shall be bound by any amendment or waiver
effected pursuant to this Section 9(h), whether or not any notice, writing or
marking indicating such amendment or waiver appears on such Registrable
Securities or is delivered to such holder.

(i) Inspection. For so long as this Agreement shall be in effect, this Agreement
and a complete list of the names and addresses of all the holders of Registrable
Securities shall be made available as soon as reasonably practicable, but no
later than after five days’ notice, for inspection and copying on any Business
Day by any holder of Registrable Securities for proper purposes only (which
shall include any purpose related to the rights of the holders of Registrable
Securities under the Securities, the Indenture and this Agreement) at the
offices of the Company at the address thereof set forth in Section 9(c) above
and at the office of the Trustee under the Indenture.

(j) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed by the parties in counterparts,
each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such respective
counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.

(k) Severability. If any provision of this Agreement, or the application thereof
in any circumstance, is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any
respect for any reason, the validity, legality and enforceability of such
provision in every other respect and of the remaining provisions contained in
this Agreement shall not be affected or impaired thereby.

 

24

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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and
return to us one for the Company, each of the Guarantors and each of the
Representatives plus one for each counsel counterparts hereof, and upon the
acceptance hereof by you, on behalf of each of the Purchasers, this letter and
such acceptance hereof shall constitute a binding agreement between each of the
Purchasers, the Guarantors and the Company. It is understood that your
acceptance of this letter on behalf of each of the Purchasers is pursuant to the
authority set forth in a form of Agreement among Purchasers, the form of which
shall be submitted to the Company for examination upon request, but without
warranty on your part as to the authority of the signers thereof.

 

Very truly yours,

NewPage Corporation By:  

/s/ Timothy D. Nusbaum

Name:   Timothy D. Nusbaum Title:   Assistant Treasurer Chillicothe Paper Inc.
By:  

/s/ Timothy D. Nusbaum

Name:   Timothy D. Nusbaum Title:   Treasurer Escanaba Paper Company By:  

/s/ Timothy D. Nusbaum

Name:   Timothy D. Nusbaum Title:   Treasurer

Luke Paper Company

(formerly MeadWestvaco Maryland, Inc.)

By:  

/s/ Timothy D. Nusbaum

Name:   Timothy D. Nusbaum Title:   Treasurer

 

25

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Rumford Paper Company (formerly MeadWestvaco Oxford Corporation) By:  

/s/ Timothy D. Nusbaum

Name:   Timothy Nusbaum Title:   Treasurer Wickliffe Paper Company By:  

/s/ Timothy D. Nusbaum

Name:   Timothy D. Nusbaum Title:   Treasurer NewPage Energy Services LLC By:  

/s/ Timothy D. Nusbaum

Name:   Timothy D. Nusbaum Title:   Treasurer Upland Resources Inc. By:  

/s/ Timothy D. Nusbaum

Name:   Timothy D. Nusbaum Title:   Treasurer Rumford Cogeneration Inc. By:  

/s/ Timothy D. Nusbaum

Name:   Timothy D. Nusbaum Title:   Treasurer Rumford Falls Power Company By:  

/s/ Timothy D. Nusbaum

Name:   Timothy D. Nusbaum Title:   Treasurer

 

26

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Stora Enso North America Inc. (to be renamed NewPage Consolidated Papers Inc.)
By:  

/s/ Timothy D. Nusbaum

Name:   Timothy D. Nusbaum Title:   Treasurer Stora Enso North America Corp. (to
be renamed NewPage Wisconsin System Inc.) By:  

/s/ Timothy D. Nusbaum

Name:   Timothy D. Nusbaum Title:   Treasurer Stora Enso North America Canadian
Sales, LLC (to be renamed NewPage Canadian Sales LLC By:  

/s/ Timothy D. Nusbaum

Name:   Timothy D. Nusbaum Title:   Treasurer Stora Enso Port Hawkesbury Limited
(to be renamed NewPage Port Hawkesbury Limited) By:  

/s/ Timothy D. Nusbaum

Name:   Timothy D. Nusbaum Title:   Treasurer

 

27

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Accepted as of the date hereof: Goldman, Sachs & Co. By:  

/s/ Goldman, Sachs & Co.

  (Goldman, Sachs & Co.)

 

28

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SCHEDULE 1

Guarantors

Existing Guarantors:

Chillicothe Paper Inc.

Escanaba Paper Company

Luke Paper Company (formerly MeadWestvaco Maryland Inc.)

Rumford Paper Company (formerly MeadWestvaco Oxford Corporation)

Wickliffe Paper Company

NewPage Energy Services LLC (formerly MeadWestvaco Energy Services LLC)

Upland Resources Inc.

Rumford Cogeneration Inc.

Rumford Falls Power Company

SENA Guarantors:

Stora Enso North America Inc. (to be renamed NewPage Consolidated Papers Inc.

Stora Enso North America Corp. (to be renamed NewPage Wisconsin System Inc.)

Stora Enso North America Canadian Sales, LLC (to be renamed NewPage Canadian
Sales LLC)

Stora Enso Port Hawkesbury Limited (to be renamed NewPage Port Hawkesbury
Limited)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Exhibit A

NewPage Corporation

INSTRUCTION TO DTC PARTICIPANTS

(Date of Mailing)

URGENT - IMMEDIATE ATTENTION REQUESTED

DEADLINE FOR RESPONSE: [DATE] *

The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) has identified you as a DTC Participant
through which beneficial interests in the NewPage Corporation (the “Company”)
10.0% Senior Secured Notes due 2012 (the “Securities”) are held.

The Company is in the process of registering the Securities under the Securities
Act of 1933 for resale by the beneficial owners thereof. In order to have their
Securities included in the registration statement, beneficial owners must
complete and return the enclosed Notice of Registration Statement and Selling
Securityholder Questionnaire.

It is important that beneficial owners of the Securities receive a copy of the
enclosed materials as soon as possible as their rights to have the Securities
included in the registration statement depend upon their returning the Notice
and Questionnaire by [Deadline For Response]. Please forward a copy of the
enclosed documents to each beneficial owner that holds interests in the
Securities through you. If you require more copies of the enclosed materials or
have any questions pertaining to this matter, please contact NewPage
Corporation, 8540 Gander Creek Drive, Miamisburg, Ohio 45342, Attention:
Corporate Secretary, (877) 855-7243.

 

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* Not less than 28 calendar days from date of mailing.

 

A-1

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NewPage Corporation

Notice of Registration Statement

and

Selling Securityholder Questionnaire

(Date)

Reference is hereby made to the Exchange and Registration Rights Agreement (the
“Exchange and Registration Rights Agreement”) between NewPage Corporation (the
“Company”) and the Purchasers named therein. Pursuant to the Exchange and
Registration Rights Agreement, the Company has filed with the United States
Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement
on Form [    ] (the “Shelf Registration Statement”) for the registration and
resale under Rule 415 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities
Act”), of the Company’s 10% Senior Secured Notes due 2012 (the “Securities”). A
copy of the Exchange and Registration Rights Agreement is attached hereto. All
capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed
thereto in the Exchange and Registration Rights Agreement.

Each beneficial owner of Registrable Securities (as defined below) is entitled
to have the Registrable Securities beneficially owned by it included in the
Shelf Registration Statement. In order to have Registrable Securities included
in the Shelf Registration Statement, this Notice of Registration Statement and
Selling Securityholder Questionnaire (“Notice and Questionnaire”) must be
completed, executed and delivered to the Company’s counsel at the address set
forth herein for receipt ON OR BEFORE [Deadline for Response]. Beneficial owners
of Registrable Securities who do not properly complete, execute and return this
Notice and Questionnaire by such date (i) will not be named as selling
securityholders in the Shelf Registration Statement and (ii) may not use the
Prospectus forming a part thereof for resales of Registrable Securities.

Certain legal consequences arise from being named as a selling securityholder in
the Shelf Registration Statement and related Prospectus. Accordingly, holders
and beneficial owners of Registrable Securities are advised to consult their own
securities law counsel regarding the consequences of being named or not being
named as a selling securityholder in the Shelf Registration Statement and
related Prospectus.

The term “Registrable Securities” is defined in the Exchange and Registration
Rights Agreement.

 

A-2

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ELECTION

The undersigned holder (the “Selling Securityholder”) of Registrable Securities
hereby elects to include in the Shelf Registration Statement the Registrable
Securities beneficially owned by it and listed below in Item (3). The
undersigned, by signing and returning this Notice and Questionnaire, agrees to
be bound with respect to such Registrable Securities by the terms and conditions
of this Notice and Questionnaire and the Exchange and Registration Rights
Agreement, including, without limitation, Section 6 of the Exchange and
Registration Rights Agreement, as if the undersigned Selling Securityholder were
an original party thereto.

Pursuant to the Exchange and Registration Rights Agreement, the undersigned has
agreed to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its officers who sign any
Shelf Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company
within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of
the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), against certain loses
arising out of an untrue statement, or the alleged untrue statement, of a
material fact in the Shelf Registration Statement or the related prospectus
(including, without limitation, any “issuer free writing prospectus” as defined
in Rule 433) or the omission, or alleged omission, to state a material fact
required to be stated in such Shelf Registration Statement or the related
prospectus, but only to the extent such untrue statement or omission, or alleged
untrue statement or omission, was made in reliance on and in conformity with the
information provided in this Notice and Questionnaire.

Upon any sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration
Statement, the Selling Securityholder will be required to deliver to the Company
and Trustee the Notice of Transfer set forth in Appendix A to the Prospectus and
as Exhibit B to the Exchange and Registration Rights Agreement.

The Selling Securityholder hereby provides the following information to the
Company and represents and warrants that such information is accurate and
complete:

 

A-3

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QUESTIONNAIRE

 

(1)    (a)    Full Legal Name of Selling Securityholder:

 

  (b) Full Legal Name of Registered Holder (if not the same as in (a) above) of
Registrable Securities Listed in Item (3) below:

 

  (c) Full Legal Name of DTC Participant (if applicable and if not the same as
(b) above) Through Which Registrable Securities Listed in Item (3) below are
Held:

 

(2) Address for Notices to Selling Securityholder:

 

     

   

     

   

                            

   

Telephone:  

 

  Fax:  

 

  Contact Person:  

 

 

 

(3) Beneficial Ownership of Securities:

Except as set forth below in this Item (3), the undersigned does not
beneficially own any Securities.

 

  (a) Principal amount of Registrable Securities beneficially owned:
                                        
                                                       

CUSIP No(s). of such Registrable Securities:
                                        
                                                         

 

  (b) Principal amount of Securities other than Registrable Securities
beneficially owned:                                                          

CUSIP No(s). of such other Securities:                                         
                                                         

 

  (c) Principal amount of Registrable Securities which the undersigned wishes to
be included in the Shelf Registration Statement:
                                        
                                        
                                                         

CUSIP No(s). of such Registrable Securities to be included in the Shelf
Registration Statement:                                     

 

(4) Beneficial Ownership of Other Securities of the Company:

Except as set forth below in this Item (4), the undersigned Selling
Securityholder is not the beneficial or registered owner of any other securities
of the Company, other than the Securities listed above in Item (3).

State any exceptions here:

 

(5) Individuals who exercise dispositive powers with respect to the Securities:

If the Selling Securityholder is not an entity that is required to file reports
with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (a
“Reporting

 

A-4

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Company”), then the Selling Securityholder must disclose the name of the natural
person(s) who exercise sole or shared dispositive powers with respect to the
Securities. Selling Securityholders should disclose the beneficial holders, not
nominee holders or other such others of record. In addition, the Commission has
provided guidance that Rule 13d-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 should
be used by analogy when determining the person or persons sharing voting and/or
dispositive powers with respect to the Securities.

 

  (a) Is the holder a Reporting Company?

 

Yes              

    No                 

If “No”, please answer Item (5)(b).

 

  (b) List below the individual or individuals who exercise dispositive powers
with respect to the Securities:

 

 

 

 

Please note that the names of the persons listed in (b) above will be included
in the Shelf Registration Statement and related Prospectus.

 

(6) Relationships with the Company:

Except as set forth below, neither the Selling Securityholder nor any of its
affiliates, officers, directors or principal equity holders (5% or more) has
held any position or office or has had any other material relationship with the
Company (or its predecessors or affiliates) during the past three years.

State any exceptions here:

 

 

 

 

 

(7) Plan of Distribution:

Except as set forth below, the undersigned Selling Securityholder intends to
distribute the Registrable Securities listed above in Item (3) only as follows
(if at all): Such Registrable Securities may be sold from time to time directly
by the undersigned Selling Securityholder. Such Registrable Securities may be
sold in one or more transactions at fixed prices, at prevailing market prices at
the time of sale, at varying prices determined at the time of sale, or at
negotiated prices. Such sales may be effected in transactions (which may involve
crosses or block transactions) (i) on any national securities exchange or
quotation service on which the Registered Securities may be listed or quoted at
the time of sale, (ii) in the over-the-counter market, (iii) in transactions
otherwise than on such exchanges or services or in the over-the-counter market,
or (iv) through the writing of options. In connection with sales of the
Registrable Securities or otherwise, the Selling Securityholder may enter into
hedging transactions with broker-dealers, which may in turn engage in short
sales of the Registrable Securities in the course of hedging the positions they
assume. The Selling Securityholder may also sell Registrable Securities short
and deliver Registrable Securities to close out such short positions, or loan or
pledge Registrable Securities to broker-dealers that in turn may sell such
securities.

 

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State any exceptions here:

 

 

 

 

Note: In no event may such method(s) of distribution take the form of an
underwritten offering of Registrable Securities without the prior written
agreement of the Company.

 

(8) Broker-Dealers:

The Commission requires that all Selling Securityholders that are registered
broker-dealers or affiliates of registered broker-dealers be so identified in
the Shelf Registration Statement. In addition, the Commission requires that all
Selling Securityholders that are registered broker-dealers be named as
underwriters in the Shelf Registration Statement and related Prospectus, even if
they did not receive the Registrable Securities as compensation for underwriting
activities.

 

  (a) State whether the undersigned Selling Securityholder is a registered
broker-dealer:

 

Yes              

    No                 

 

  (b) If the answer to (a) is “Yes”, you must answer (i) and (ii) below, and
(iii) below if applicable. Your answers to (i) and (ii) below, and (iii) below
if applicable, will be included in the Shelf Registration Statement and related
Prospectus.

 

  (i) Were the Securities acquired as compensation for underwriting activities?

 

Yes              

    No                 

If you answered “Yes”, please provide a brief description of the transaction(s)
in which the Securities were acquired as compensation:

 

 

 

 

 

  (ii) Were the Securities acquired for investment purposes?

 

Yes              

    No                 

 

  (iii) If you answered “No” to both (i) and (ii), please explain the Selling
Securityholder’s reason for acquiring the Securities:

 

 

 

 

 

  (c) State whether the undersigned Selling Securityholder is an affiliate of a
registered broker-dealer and, if so, list the name(s) of the broker-dealer
affiliate(s):

 

Yes              

    No                 

 

 

 

 

 

A-6

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  (d) If you answered “Yes” to question (c) above:

 

  (i) Did the undersigned Selling Securityholder purchase Registrable Securities
in the ordinary course of business?

 

Yes              

    No                 

If the answer is “No” to question (d)(i), provide a brief explanation of the
circumstances in which the Selling Securityholder acquired the Registrable
Securities:

 

 

 

 

 

  (ii) At the time of the purchase of the Registrable Securities, did the
undersigned Selling Securityholder have any agreements, understandings or
arrangements, directly or indirectly, with any person to dispose of or
distribute the Registrable Securities?

 

Yes              

    No                 

If the answer is “Yes” to question (d)(ii), provide a brief explanation of such
agreements, understandings or arrangements:

 

 

 

 

If the answer is “No” to Item (8)(d)(i) or “Yes” to Item (8)(d)(ii), you will be
named as an underwriter in the Shelf Registration Statement and the related
Prospectus.

 

(9) Hedging and short sales:

 

  (a) State whether the undersigned Selling Securityholder has or will enter
into “hedging transactions” with respect to the Registrable Securities:

 

Yes              

    No                 

If “Yes”, provide below a complete description of the hedging transactions into
which the undersigned Selling Securityholder has entered or will enter and the
purpose of such hedging transactions, including the extent to which such hedging
transactions remain in place:

 

 

 

 

 

  (b) Set forth below is Interpretation A.65 of the Commission’s July 1997
Manual of Publicly Available Interpretations regarding short selling:

“An issuer filed a Form S-3 registration statement for a secondary offering of
common stock which is not yet effective. One of the selling shareholders wanted
to do a short sale of common stock “against the box” and cover the short sale
with registered shares after the effective date. The issuer was advised that the
short sale could not be made

 

A-7

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before the registration statement becomes effective, because the shares
underlying the short sale are deemed to be sold at the time such sale is made.
There would, therefore, be a violation of Section 5 if the shares were
effectively sold prior to the effective date.”

By returning this Notice and Questionnaire, the undersigned Selling
Securityholder will be deemed to be aware of the foregoing interpretation.

*    *    *    *    *

By signing below, the Selling Securityholder acknowledges that it understands
its obligation to comply, and agrees that it will comply, with the provisions of
the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, particularly
Regulation M (or any successor rule or regulation).

The Selling Securityholder hereby acknowledges its obligations under the
Exchange and Registration Rights Agreement to indemnify and hold harmless the
Company and certain other persons as set forth in the Exchange and Registration
Rights Agreement.

In the event that the Selling Securityholder transfers all or any portion of the
Registrable Securities listed in Item (3) above after the date on which such
information is provided to the Company, the Selling Securityholder agrees to
notify the transferee(s) at the time of the transfer of its rights and
obligations under this Notice and Questionnaire and the Exchange and
Registration Rights Agreement.

By signing below, the Selling Securityholder consents to the disclosure of the
information contained herein in its answers to Items (1) through (9) above and
the inclusion of such information in the Shelf Registration Statement and
related Prospectus. The Selling Securityholder understands that such information
will be relied upon by the Company in connection with the preparation of the
Shelf Registration Statement and related Prospectus.

In accordance with the Selling Securityholder’s obligation under Section 3(d) of
the Exchange and Registration Rights Agreement to provide such information as
may be required by law for inclusion in the Shelf Registration Statement, the
Selling Securityholder agrees to promptly notify the Company of any inaccuracies
or changes in the information provided herein which may occur subsequent to the
date hereof at any time while the Shelf Registration Statement remains in effect
and to provide such additional information that the Company may reasonably
request regarding such Selling Securityholder and the intended method of
distribution of Registrable Securities in order to comply with the Securities
Act. Except as otherwise provided in the Exchange and Registration Rights
Agreement, all notices hereunder and pursuant to the Exchange and Registration
Rights Agreement shall be made in writing, by hand-delivery, first-class mail,
or air courier guaranteeing overnight delivery as follows:

 

(i) To the Company:       NewPage Corporation    8540 Gander Creek Drive   
Miamisburg, Ohio 45342    Attention: Corporate Secretary (ii) With a copy to:   
Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP    919 Third Avenue    New York, New York 10022   
Attention: Michael R. Littenberg, Esq.

 

A-8

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Once this Notice and Questionnaire is executed by the Selling Securityholder and
received by the Company’s counsel, the terms of this Notice and Questionnaire,
and the representations and warranties contained herein, shall be binding on,
shall inure to the benefit of and shall be enforceable by the respective
successors, heirs, personal representatives, and assigns of the Company and the
Selling Securityholder (with respect to the Registrable Securities beneficially
owned by such Selling Securityholder and listed in Item (3) above). This Notice
and Questionnaire shall be governed in all respects by the laws of the State of
New York.

 

A-9

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, by authority duly given, has caused this
Notice and Questionnaire to be executed and delivered either in person or by its
duly authorized agent.

Dated:                     

 

 

Selling Securityholder

(Print/type full legal name of beneficial owner of Registrable Securities)

By:

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

PLEASE RETURN THE COMPLETED AND EXECUTED NOTICE AND QUESTIONNAIRE FOR RECEIPT ON
OR BEFORE [DEADLINE FOR RESPONSE] TO THE COMPANY’S COUNSEL AT:

 

   Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP       919 Third Avenue       New York, New York
10022       Attention: Michael R. Littenberg, Esq.   

 

A-10

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Exhibit B

NOTICE OF TRANSFER PURSUANT TO REGISTRATION STATEMENT

HSBC Bank USA, National Association

NewPage Corporation

c/o HSBC Bank USA, National Association

452 Fifth Avenue

New York, New York 10018

Attention: Trust Officer

 

  Re: NewPage Corporation (the “Company”) 10% Senior Secured Notes due 2012

Dear Sirs:

Please be advised that                                          has transferred
$                             aggregate principal amount 10% Senior Secured
Notes due 2012 pursuant to an effective Registration Statement on Form [    ]
(File No. 333-        ) filed by the Company.

We hereby certify that the prospectus delivery requirements, if any, of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, have been satisfied and that the above-named
beneficial owner of the Notes is named as a “Selling Holder” in the Prospectus
dated [                    , 2008] or in supplements thereto, and that the
aggregate principal amount of the Notes transferred are the Notes listed in such
Prospectus opposite such owner’s name.

Dated:

 

Very truly yours,

 

(Name) By:  

 

  (Authorized Signature)

 

B-1