Document:

exv10w42

 

Exhibit 10.42

 Exchange Advisor and Placement Agent Agreement

March 3, 2008

William Blair & Company, L.L.C.

222 West Adams Street

Chicago, Illinois 60606

Piper Jaffray & Co.

800 Nicollet Mall

Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     Section 1. Appointment of Exchange Advisors. This Exchange Advisor and Placement Agent
Agreement (this “Agreement”) confirms our understanding that Heritage-Crystal Clean, Inc., a
Delaware corporation (the “Company”), hereby appoints William Blair & Company, L.L.C. and Piper
Jaffray & Co. pursuant to the terms of this Agreement as its advisors and placement agents (the
“Exchange Advisors”) in connection with the proposed exchange (the “Exchange”) of all of the
outstanding common and preferred membership interests (the “Membership Interests”) in
Heritage-Crystal Clean, LLC, an Indiana limited liability company (“Heritage LLC”), held by the
individuals and entities as shown in Exhibit A hereto for cash and shares (the “Shares”) of
the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”) as described in the
Prospectus (as defined below). Each of the holders of the Membership Interests shall receive an
amount of cash and Shares shown opposite such holder’s name on Exhibit A; it being
understood for the sake of clarity that (i) such amounts are
calculated by reference to the initial public offering price for the
Common Stock and an accrued dividend, and the amounts shown in
Exhibit A assume an initial public offering price of $11.50 per
share and a closing date for the Exchange of March 12, 2008, (ii) the exchange of the Interests held by BRS-HCC
Investment Co., Inc. (“BRS-HCC”) shall be completed through a merger of BRS-HCC with and into the
Company, with the stockholders of BRS-HCC receiving the cash and Shares to be exchanged in respect
thereof,  and (iii) the preferred Interests held by D. Brinckman Trust shall be exchanged for cash only.
On the basis of the representations and warranties contained herein, but subject to the terms and
conditions set forth herein, the Exchange Advisors severally agree to use their respective
commercially reasonable efforts to assist the Company in conducting the Exchange. Such efforts
under this Agreement shall include providing administrative services as reasonably requested by the
Company in connection with distributing Shares in respect of, the Exchange and assisting the
Company with (i) evaluating the structure of the Exchange, (ii) preparing any offering materials
related to the Exchange, (iii) soliciting acceptances of offers to Exchange, (iv) evaluating the
terms of the merger with BRS-HCC. The parties acknowledge that the services provided hereunder are
separate and apart from the services and transactions contemplated by the underwriting agreement to
be executed in connection with the Company’s initial public offering (the “Underwriting Agreement”)
or the Placement Agent Agreement relating to the sale of the 1,200,000 shares of common stock of
the Company in a direct placement to occur in connection with the Company’s initial public offering
(the “Direct Placement”).

 

 

     Section 2. Compensation. In connection with the Exchange by the Company, the Exchange
Advisors will charge the Company a fee (the “Exchange Fee”) of Nine Hundred Eighty Thousand Dollars
($980,000) payable in immediately available funds on the date of the consummation of the Company’s
initial public offering (the “Closing Date”). The Exchange Fee shall be paid sixty percent (60%) to
William Blair & Company, L.L.C. and forty percent (40%) to Piper Jaffray & Co. The parties
acknowledge and agree that no fee shall be payable hereunder unless the Company’s initial public
offering is consummated. The Company shall not be responsible for any expenses of the Exchange
Advisors.

     Section 3. Information Regarding the Company. The Company has prepared and filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission a prospectus describing the Exchange (such prospectus, as it may
be amended or supplemented from time to time, the “Prospectus”).

     Section 4. Representations and Warranties. The Company represents and warrants to the
Exchange Advisors that:

     (a) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company;

     (b) The making and performance by the Company of this Agreement (i) will not violate any
provision of the Company’s charter or bylaws and (ii) will not result in the breach, or be in
contravention, of any provision of any agreement, franchise, license, indenture, mortgage, deed of
trust, or other instrument to which the Company or any subsidiary is a party or by which the
Company, any subsidiary or the property of any of them may be bound or affected, or any order, rule
or regulation applicable to the Company or any subsidiary of any court or regulatory body,
administrative agency or other governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company or any
subsidiary or any of their respective properties, or any order of any court or governmental agency
or authority entered in any proceeding to which the Company or any subsidiary was or is now a party
or by which it is bound, except in the case of clause (ii) to the extent such breach or
contravention would not have a material adverse effect on the Company or Heritage LLC.

     (c) No consent, approval, authorization or other order of any court, regulatory body,
administrative agency or other governmental body is required for the execution and delivery of this
Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein.

     Section 5. Agreements.

     (a) The Company agrees with the Exchange Advisors that, during the term of this Agreement, if
any event occurs or condition exists as a result of which the materials circulated to the holders
of Interests, if any, in respect of the Exchange would include an untrue statement of a material
fact, or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the
Exchange Advisors of any such event or condition and shall prepare an amendment or supplement to
such materials that will correct such statement or omission and will supply such amended or
supplemented materials to the Exchange Advisors.

     (b) The consummation of the Exchange (the “Exchange Date”) shall occur as promptly as
practicable following the execution of the Underwriting Agreement, but in any event prior to the

 

 

consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement.

     (c) Each of the parties hereto hereby agrees that it will comply with all laws, rules and
regulations applicable to it in conducting the Exchange and carrying out its obligations under this
Agreement.

     (d) On the Exchange Date, the Company shall deliver to the Exchange Advisors copies of any
other documents delivered to the holders of Interests in connection with the Exchange.

     Section 6. Indemnity and Contribution.

     (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Exchange Advisor and each person,
if any, who controls either Exchange Advisor within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the “1933 Act”), or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, against any losses,
claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Exchange Advisor or such
controlling person may become subject under federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common
law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation if such settlement is effected with the
written consent of the Company), insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions
in respect thereof) (i) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of any material fact contained in any offering materials distributed in connection with
the Exchange, 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 or (ii) arise in any manner out of the
Exchange (other than losses, claims, damages or liabilities that result from such Exchange
Advisor’s breach of this Agreement or bad faith, wilful misconduct or gross negligence; and it
being understood for the avoidance of doubt that losses, claims, damages or liabilities that result
from claims made by holders of Interests that do not relate to the Exchange shall not be subject to
indemnification pursuant to this clause (ii)); and will reimburse each Exchange Advisor and each
such controlling person for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Exchange
Advisor or such controlling person in connection with investigating or defending any such loss,
claim, damage, liability or action. In addition to its other obligations under this Section 6(a),
the Company agrees that, as an interim measure during the pendency of any claim, action,
investigation, inquiry or other proceeding subject to indemnification pursuant to this Section
6(a), upon receipt of notices setting forth in reasonable detail the matter for which
indemnification is sought, it will reimburse the Exchange Advisors on a monthly basis for all
reasonable legal and other expenses incurred in connection with investigating or defending any such
claim, action, investigation, inquiry or other proceeding, notwithstanding the absence of a
judicial determination as to the propriety and enforceability of the Company’s obligation to
reimburse the Exchange Advisors for such expenses and the possibility that such payments might
later be held to have been improper by a court of competent jurisdiction. This indemnity agreement
will be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have.

     (b) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 6 of notice of the
commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be
made against the Company under this Section 6 notify the Company of the commencement thereof; but
the omission so to notify the Company will not relieve it from any liability which it may have to
any indemnified party except to the extent that the Company was prejudiced by such failure to
notify. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party, and it notifies the
Company of the

 

 

commencement thereof, the Company will be entitled to participate in, and, to the
extent that it may wish, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such
indemnified party; provided, however, if the defendants in any such action include both the
indemnified party and the Company and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded, based
on advice of counsel, that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified
parties which are different from or additional to those available to the Company, or the
indemnified parties and the Company may have conflicting interests which would make it
inappropriate for the same counsel to represent both of them, the indemnified party or parties
shall have the right to select separate counsel to assume such legal defense and otherwise to
participate in the defense of such action on behalf of such indemnified party or parties. Upon
receipt of notice from the Company to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the
defense of such action and approval by the indemnified party of counsel, the Company will not be
liable to such indemnified party under this Section 6 or any legal or other expenses subsequently
incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof unless (i) the
indemnified party shall have employed such counsel in connection with the assumption of legal
defense in accordance with the proviso to the immediately preceding sentence (it being understood,
however, that the Company shall not be liable for the expenses of more than one separate counsel
representing all indemnified parties not having different or additional defenses or potential
conflicting interest among themselves who are parties to such action), (ii) the Company shall not
have employed counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party
within a reasonable time after notice of commencement of the action or (iii) the Company has
authorized in writing the employment of counsel for the indemnified party at the expense of the
Company. The Company shall not, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect
any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is
or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified
party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all
liability arising out of such proceeding.

     (c) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 6 is unavailable to an indemnified
party under paragraph (a) in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to
therein, then the Company, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, shall contribute to the
amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by
the Company and the Exchange Advisors from the Exchange or (ii) if the allocation provided by
clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to
reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault
of the Company and the Exchange Advisors, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.
The respective relative benefits received by the Company and the Exchange Advisors shall be deemed
to be in the same proportion, in the case of the Company, as the aggregate value of the Interests
exchanged by the Company in the Exchange (after deducting the Exchange Fee but before deducting
expenses) bears to, and in the case of the Exchange Advisors, as the Exchange Fee received by them
bears to, the aggregate value of the Interests exchanged by the Company in the Exchange. The
relative fault of the Company and the Exchange Advisors shall be determined by reference to, among
other things, (i) in the case of any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or
omission or alleged omission to state a material fact, whether the untrue or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact or the omission to state a material fact relates to information
supplied by the Company and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and
opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission,

 

 

and (ii) in the case of any other
action or omission, whether such action or omission was taken or omitted to be taken by the Company
or by the Exchange Advisors and the parties’ relative intent,
knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such action or
omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and
liabilities referred to above shall be deemed to include any legal or other fees or expenses
reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating or defending any action or
claim.

     The Company and the Exchange Advisors agree that it would not be just and equitable if
contribution pursuant to this Section 6(c) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other
method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in the
immediately preceding paragraph. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 6(c), neither
Exchange Advisor shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the
Exchange Fee actually received by it exceeds the amount of any damages that such Exchange Advisors
has otherwise been required to pay. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the
meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was
not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Exchange Advisors’ obligations to contribute
pursuant to this Section 6(c) are several in proportion to the respective Exchange Fees to be paid
to them hereunder.

     Section 7. Guarantee. Heritage LLC hereby guarantees to the Exchange Advisors the performance
by the Company of all covenants, agreements, terms, conditions, undertakings, indemnities and other
obligations to be performed and observed by the Company under this Agreement.

     Section 8. Miscellaneous

     (a) Representations, Indemnity and Agreements to Survive. The respective representations,
warranties and indemnities set forth herein will remain in full force and effect regardless of any
investigation made by or on behalf of the Exchange Advisors or the Company or any of their
respective officers, directors or controlling persons, and will survive the consummation of the
Exchange. The provisions of this Section and Sections 2, 4, 6 and 7 hereof shall survive the
termination or cancellation of this Agreement.

     (b) Termination. The Exchange Advisors’ services hereunder shall terminate automatically in
the event of a termination of the Underwriting Agreement without liability or continuing obligation
to the Exchange Advisors or the Company, except for any compensation earned or expenses incurred by
the Exchange Advisors prior to the date of termination. This Agreement shall terminate in the
event the Underwriting Agreement is not executed on or before February 14, 2008.

     (c) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the
internal laws of the State of Illinois.

     (d) Counterparts; Headings. This Agreement may be signed in counterparts with the same effect
as if the signatures thereto were on the same instrument. The headings of the Sections of this
Agreement have been inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed a part of
this Agreement.

 

 

     (e) No Third Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement has been and is made solely for the benefit
of the parties hereto, the indemnified persons and their respective successors and assigns,
and nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, is intended to confer or does confer on
any other person or entity any rights or remedies under or by reason of this Agreement or the
covenants of the parties contained herein.

     (f) No Fiduciary Relationship. It is understood and agreed that the Exchange Advisors will
act under this Agreement as independent contractors and nothing in this Agreement or the nature of
the Exchange Advisors’ services shall be deemed to create a fiduciary or agency relationship
between the Exchange Advisors and the Company or its affiliates or stockholders.

* * * * * * *

 

 

     If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and
return to us the enclosed duplicate hereof, whereupon this Agreement shall represent a binding
agreement between the Exchange Advisors, the Company and Heritage LLC.

	 	 	 	 	 
	 	Very truly yours,

Heritage-Crystal Clean, Inc.

 	 
	 	By:  	/s/
Joe Chalhoub	 
	 	 	Name:  	Joe Chalhoub	 
	 	 	Title:  	President and Chief Executive Officer	 
	 

	 	 	 	 	 
	 	Heritage-Crystal Clean, LLC

 	 
	 	By:  	/s/
Joe Chalhoub	 
	 	 	Name:  	Joe Chalhoub	 
	 	 	Title:  	President and Chief Executive Officer	 
	 

Accepted as of March 3, 2008

William Blair & Company, L.L.C.

	 	 	 	 	 
	By:

	 	/s/
Scott Patterson

	 	 
	 

	 	Name:  Scott Patterson	
	 

	 	Title:    Principal	 	 
	 
	 	 	 	 
	Piper

	 	Jaffray & Co.	 	 
	 
	 	 	 	 
	By:

	 	/s/
John A. Lonquist

	 	 
	 

	 	Name:  John A. Lonquist	 	 
	 

	 	Title:    Managing
Directorexv10w43

 

Exhibit 10.43

Placement Agent Agreement

March 3, 2008

William Blair & Company, L.L.C.

222 West Adams Street

Chicago, Illinois 60606

Piper Jaffray & Co.

800 Nicollet Mall

Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     Section 1. Appointment of Placement Agents. This Placement Agent Agreement (this “Agreement”)
confirms our understanding that Heritage-Crystal Clean, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
“Company”), hereby appoints William Blair & Company, L.L.C. and Piper Jaffray & Co. pursuant to the
terms of this Agreement as its exclusive placement agents (the “Placement Agents”) in connection
with the proposed direct placement (the “Placement”) to certain of the existing members of
Heritage-Crystal Clean, LLC, an Indiana limited liability company (“Heritage LLC”), and other
individuals or entities identified by them as shown in Exhibit A hereto of one million two
hundred thousand (1,200,000) shares (the “Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01
per share (the “Common Stock”). The offering price for the Shares shall equal the initial public
offering price of the shares of Common Stock to be sold pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement to
be entered into between the Company and William Blair & Company, LLC, as representative of the
underwriters named therein (the “Underwriting Agreement”). On the basis of the representations and
warranties contained herein, but subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the
Placement Agents severally agree to use their respective commercially reasonable efforts to assist
the Company in its solicitation, confirmation and receipt of offers to purchase the Shares. Such
efforts under this Agreement shall include distributing the Prospectus to the potential purchasers,
providing administrative services as reasonably requested by the Company in connection with
confirming orders of purchases of shares, collecting payment for the shares and distributing the
shares in the Placement, and assisting the Company with (i) evaluating the structure of the
offering, (ii) preparing the Prospectus (as defined below), (iii) negotiating the terms of the
Placement, (iv) soliciting indications of interest from potential purchasers and (v) allocating the
shares in the Placement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement,
neither Placement Agent shall have any obligation to purchase any of the Shares or, other than as a
result of such Placement Agent’s breach of this Agreement or bad faith, wilful misconduct or gross
negligence, any other liability to the Company if any prospective purchaser (each a “Purchaser”)
fails to consummate a purchase of any of the Shares. In the event that any Purchaser fails to
consummate a purchase of any of the Shares, the Placement Agents may use their respective
commercially reasonable efforts to solicit orders from and confirm sales, first, to other
Purchasers

 

 

identified in Exhibit A and, second, to other individuals or entities identified
by the Company or the Placement Agents.

     Section 2. Compensation. In connection with the Placement and sale of the Shares by the
Company, the Placement Agents will charge the Company a placement fee (the “Placement Fee”) payable
in immediately available funds on the date of the consummation of the Placement and sale of Shares
(the “Closing Date”). The Placement Fee shall be equal to seven percent (7%) of the aggregate price
at which the Shares are sold by the Company in the Placement and shall be paid sixty percent (60%)
to William Blair & Company, L.L.C. and forty percent (40%) to Piper Jaffray & Co. For avoidance of
doubt, no Placement Fee will be charged on shares of Common Stock sold pursuant to the Underwriting
Agreement. Nothing contained herein, however, shall limit any right of the underwriters to receive
underwriting fees, discounts or commissions for shares of Common Stock sold pursuant to the
Underwriting Agreement. The parties acknowledge and agree that no fee shall be payable hereunder
unless the sale of Shares is consummated.

     Section 3. Information Regarding the Company. The Company has prepared and filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission a prospectus relating to the Placement (such prospectus, as it
may be amended or supplemented from time to time, the “Prospectus”).

     Section 4. Representations and Warranties. The Company represents and warrants to the
Placement Agents that:

     (a) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company;

     (b) The making and performance by the Company of this Agreement (i) will not violate any
provision of the Company’s charter or bylaws and (ii) will not result in the breach, or be in
contravention, of any provision of any agreement, franchise, license, indenture, mortgage, deed of
trust, or other instrument to which the Company or any subsidiary is a party or by which the
Company, any subsidiary or the property of any of them may be bound or affected, or any order, rule
or regulation applicable to the Company or any subsidiary of any court or regulatory body,
administrative agency or other governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company or any
subsidiary or any of their respective properties, or any order of any court or governmental agency
or authority entered in any proceeding to which the Company or any subsidiary was or is now a party
or by which it is bound, except in the case of clause (ii) to the extent such breach or
contravention would not have a material adverse effect on the Company or Heritage LLC.

     (c) No consent, approval, authorization or other order of any court, regulatory body,
administrative agency or other governmental body is required for the execution and delivery of this
Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein, except for compliance with
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), and blue sky laws applicable to the sale
of the Shares, and, to the extent applicable, clearance of the sale of the Shares with the
Financial Industry Regulation Authority.

     (d) The representations and warranties of the Company contained in the Underwriting Agreement
will be true and correct as of the date on which the Underwriting Agreement is executed and as of the Closing Date.

 

 

     Section 5. Agreements.

     (a) The Company agrees with the Placement Agents that, during the term of this Agreement, if
any event occurs or condition exists as a result of which the Prospectus would include an untrue
statement of a material fact, or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or if it is
necessary at any time to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, the
Company will promptly notify the Placement Agents of any such event, condition or opinion of
counsel to the Company and shall prepare an amendment or supplement to the Prospectus that will
correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance and will supply such amended or
supplemented Prospectus to the Placement Agents.

     (b) The Company agrees to comply with all of its obligations under the Underwriting Agreement,
including those contained in Section 5 thereof.

     (c) The consummation of the Placement and the sale of the Shares shall occur simultaneously
with the consummation of the sale of shares of Common Stock pursuant to the Underwriting.

     (d) Each of the parties hereto hereby agrees that it will comply with all laws, rules and
regulations applicable to it in conducting the Placement and carrying out its obligations under
this Agreement.

     (e) The Placement Agents shall deliver to each Purchaser a copy of the Prospectus, together
with all supplements and amendments thereto provided to the Placement Agents by the Company.

     Section 6. Closing Documents. On the Closing Date, the Company shall deliver to the Placement
Agents:

     (a) an opinion of McDermott Will & Emery LLP, counsel for the Company, dated as of the Closing
Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Placement
Agents;

     (b) an
opinion of Ice Miller LLP, Indiana counsel for the Company, dated as
of the Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to
the Placement Agents;

     (c) a certificate of the chief executive officer and the principal financial officer of the
Company, dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that the representations and warranties of the
Company set forth in this Agreement are true and correct as of the date of this Agreement and as of
the Closing Date, and the Company has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the
conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Date;

     (d) copies of any other documents delivered to the Purchasers in connection with the sale of
the Shares; and

     (e) such further certificates and documents as the Placement Agents may reasonably request.

     Section 7. Exclusive Appointment. The Company shall not, directly or indirectly (except pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, the reorganization described in the Prospectus or

 

 

employee stock benefit plans as described in the Prospectus), sell or offer to sell any of the
Shares or any substantially similar equity security from the date hereof through the Closing Date.
Any sale or disposition of such Shares or any substantially similar equity security (other than
pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, the reorganization described in the Prospectus or employee
stock benefit plans as described in the Prospectus) by the Company during that period will be
deemed to be as if such sale or disposition were undertaken by the Placement Agents directly for
purposes of calculating the compensation due hereunder.

     Section 8. Indemnity and Contribution.

     (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Placement Agent and each person, if
any, who controls either Placement Agent within the meaning of the 1933 Act or the Exchange Act
against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Placement Agent
or such controlling person may become subject under federal or state statutory law or regulation,
at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation if such settlement is
effected with the written consent of the Company), insofar as such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) (i) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement
or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the Prospectus, 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 or (ii) arise in any manner out of or are based upon any claims made by Purchasers
relating to the Placement (except to the extent related to shares of Common Stock purchased by a
Purchaser from the underwriters in the public offering contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement
and other than losses, claims, damages or liabilities that result from such Placement Agent’s
breach of this Agreement or bad faith, wilful misconduct or gross negligence); and will reimburse
each Placement Agent and each such controlling person for any legal or other expenses reasonably
incurred by such Placement Agent or such controlling person in connection with investigating or
defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action. In addition to its other obligations
under this Section 8(a), the Company agrees that, as an interim measure during the pendency of any
claim, action, investigation, inquiry or other proceeding subject to indemnification pursuant to
this Section 8(a), upon receipt of notices setting forth in reasonable detail the matter for which
indemnification is sought, it will reimburse the Placement Agents on a monthly basis for all
reasonable legal and other expenses incurred in connection with investigating or defending any such
claim, action, investigation, inquiry or other proceeding, notwithstanding the absence of a
judicial determination as to the propriety and enforceability of the Company’s obligation to
reimburse the Placement Agents for such expenses and the possibility that such payments might later
be held to have been improper by a court of competent jurisdiction. This indemnity agreement will
be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have.

     (b) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of notice of the
commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be
made against the Company under this Section 8, notify the Company of the commencement thereof; but
the omission so to notify the Company will not relieve it from any liability which it may have to
any indemnified party except to the extent that the Company was prejudiced by such failure to
notify. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party, and it notifies the
Company of the commencement thereof, the Company will be entitled to participate in, and, to
the extent that it may

 

 

wish, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such
indemnified party; provided, however, if the defendants in any such action include both the
indemnified party and the Company and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded, based
on advice of counsel, that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified
parties which are different from or additional to those available to the Company, or the
indemnified parties and the Company may have conflicting interests which would make it
inappropriate for the same counsel to represent both of them, the indemnified party or parties
shall have the right to select separate counsel to assume such legal defense and otherwise to
participate in the defense of such action on behalf of such indemnified party or parties. Upon
receipt of notice from the Company to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the
defense of such action and approval by the indemnified party of counsel, the Company will not be
liable to such indemnified party under this Section 8 for any legal or other expenses subsequently
incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof unless (i) the
indemnified party shall have employed such counsel in connection with the assumption of legal
defense in accordance with the proviso to the immediately preceding sentence (it being understood,
however, that the Company shall not be liable for the expenses of more than one separate counsel
representing all indemnified parties not having different or additional defenses or potential
conflicting interest among themselves who are parties to such action), (ii) the Company shall not
have employed counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party
within a reasonable time after notice of commencement of the action or (iii) the Company has
authorized in writing the employment of counsel for the indemnified party at the expense of the
Company. The Company shall not, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect
any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is
or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified
party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all
liability arising out of such proceeding.

     (c) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is unavailable to an indemnified
party under paragraph (a) in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to
therein, then the Company, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, shall contribute to the
amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by
the Company and the Placement Agents from the Placement or (ii) if the allocation provided by
clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to
reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault
of the Company and the Placement Agents, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.
The respective relative benefits received by the Company and the Placement Agents shall be deemed
to be in the same proportion, in the case of the Company, as the net proceeds to be received by the
Company in the Placement (after deducting the Placement Fee but before deducting expenses) bears
to, and in the case of the Placement Agents, as the Placement Fee received by them bears to, the
total of such amounts paid by Purchasers in the Placement. The relative fault of the Company and
the Placement Agents shall be determined by reference to, among other things, (i) in the case of
any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state
a material fact, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission
to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company and the parties’ relative
intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or
omission, and (ii) in the case of any other action or omission, whether such action or omission was taken or omitted to be taken
by

 

 

the Company or by the Placement Agents and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to
information and opportunity to correct or prevent such action or omission. The amount paid or
payable by a party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to above
shall be deemed to include any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in
connection with investigating or defending any action or claim.

     The Company and the Placement Agents agree that it would not be just and equitable if
contribution pursuant to this Section 8(c) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other
method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in the
immediately preceding paragraph. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8(c), neither
Placement Agent shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the
Placement Fee actually received by it exceeds the amount of any damages that such Placement Agent
has otherwise been required to pay. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the
meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was
not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Placement Agents’ obligations to contribute
pursuant to this Section 8(c) are several in proportion to the respective Placement Fees to be paid
to them hereunder.

     Section 9. Guarantee. Heritage LLC hereby guarantees to the Placement Agents the performance
by the Company of all covenants, agreements, terms, conditions, undertakings, indemnities and other
obligations to be performed and observed by the Company under this Agreement.

     Section 10. Miscellaneous

     (a) Representations, Indemnity and Agreements to Survive. The respective representations,
warranties and indemnities set forth herein will remain in full force and effect regardless of any
investigation made by or on behalf of the Placement Agents or the Company or any of their
respective officers, directors or controlling persons, and will survive delivery of any payment for
the Shares. The provisions of this Section and Sections 2, 4, 8 and 9 hereof shall survive the
termination or cancellation of this Agreement.

     (b) Termination. The Placement Agents’ services hereunder shall terminate automatically in
the event of a termination of the Underwriting Agreement without liability or continuing obligation
to the Placement Agents or the Company, except for any compensation earned or expenses incurred by
the Placement Agents prior to the date of termination. This Agreement and the Placement Agents’
exclusive appointment hereunder shall terminate in the event the Underwriting Agreement is not
executed on or before February 14, 2008.

     (c) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the
internal laws of the State of Illinois.

     (d) Counterparts; Headings. This Agreement may be signed in counterparts with the same effect
as if the signatures thereto were on the same instrument. The headings of the Sections of this
Agreement have been inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed a part of
this Agreement.

 

 

     (e) No Third Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement has been and is made solely for the benefit
of the parties hereto, the indemnified persons and their respective successors and assigns, and
nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, is intended to confer or does confer on any other
person or entity any rights or remedies under or by reason of this Agreement or the covenants of
the parties contained herein.

     (f) No Fiduciary Relationship. It is understood and agreed that the Placement Agents will act
under this Agreement as independent contractors and nothing in this Agreement or the nature of the
Placement Agents’ services shall be deemed to create a fiduciary or agency relationship between the
Placement Agents and the Company or its affiliates or stockholders.

* * * * * * *

 

 

     If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and
return to us the enclosed duplicate hereof, whereupon this Agreement shall represent a binding
agreement between the Placement Agents, the Company and Heritage LLC.

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	Very truly yours,
	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	Heritage-Crystal Clean, Inc.
	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	 

	 	 	 	 	 	By:	 	/s/ Joe Chalhoub
	 

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	 

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	Name: Joe Chalhoub
	 

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer
	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	Heritage-Crystal Clean, LLC
	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	 

	 	 	 	 	 	By:	 	/s/ Joe Chalhoub
	 

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	 

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	Name: Joe Chalhoub
	 

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer
	Accepted as of March 3, 2008	 	 
	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	William Blair & Company, L.L.C.	 	 
	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	By:
	 	/s/ Scott Patterson	 	 	 	 	 	 
	 

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	 

	 	Name: Scott Patterson	 	 	 	 	 	 
	 

	 	Title:   Principal	 	 	 	 	 	 
	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	Piper Jaffray & Co.	 	 	 	 
	 
	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	By:
	 	/s/ John A. Lonquist	 	 	 	 	 	 
	 

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
	 

	 	Name: John A. Lonquist	 	 	 	 	 	 
	 

	 	Title:   Managing Director

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