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REORGANIZATION PROCEEDINGS OF CERTAIN SUBSIDIARIES
9 Months Ended
Feb. 29, 2012
REORGANIZATION PROCEEDINGS OF CERTAIN SUBSIDIARIES

NOTE 6 — REORGANIZATION PROCEEDINGS OF CERTAIN SUBSIDIARIES

General — Bondex and SPHC are defendants in various asbestos-related bodily injury lawsuits filed in various state courts. These cases generally seek unspecified damages for asbestos-related diseases based on alleged exposures to asbestos-containing products.

On May 31, 2010, Bondex and its parent, SPHC, filed voluntary petitions for relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. SPHC is the parent company of Bondex and is also the parent company for various operating companies that are not part of the reorganization filing, including Chemical Specialties Manufacturing Corp.; Day-Glo Color Corp.; Dryvit Holdings, Inc.; Guardian Protection Products Inc.; Kop-Coat Inc.; TCI, Inc. and RPM Wood Finishes Group, Inc. SPHC and Bondex (the “filing entities”) took this action to permanently and comprehensively resolve all pending and future asbestos-related liability claims associated with Bondex and SPHC-related products. As a result of the filing, all Bondex and SPHC asbestos personal injury lawsuits have been stayed due to the imposition of an automatic stay applicable in bankruptcy cases. In addition, at the request of SPHC and Bondex, the Bankruptcy Court has entered orders staying all claims against RPM International Inc. and its affiliates that are derivative of the asbestos claims against SPHC and Bondex, with the exception of the cases referenced in Note 2 with respect to which the stay was lifted. Through the Chapter 11 proceedings, the filing entities intend ultimately to establish a trust in accordance with section 524(g) of the Bankruptcy Code and seek the imposition of a channeling injunction that will direct all future SPHC-related and Bondex-related claims to the trust. It is anticipated that the trust will compensate claims at appropriate values established by the trust documents and approved by the bankruptcy court. At this time, it is not possible to predict how long the proceedings will last, the form of any ultimate resolution or when an ultimate resolution might occur.

Prior to the bankruptcy filing, the filing entities had engaged in a strategy of litigating asbestos-related products liability claims brought against them. Claims paid during the year ended May 31, 2010, prior to the bankruptcy filing, were $92.6 million, which included defense-related payments during the year of $42.6 million. With the exception of the appeal bond satisfied during the quarter and the potential payment described in Note 2, no claims have been paid since the bankruptcy filing and it is not contemplated that any claims will be paid until a plan of reorganization is confirmed and an asbestos trust is established and operating.

Insurance Coverage Litigation — During calendar year 2003, the filing entities’ third-party insurers claimed exhaustion of coverage. On July 3, 2003, certain of our subsidiaries, including the filing entities, filed the case of Bondex International, Inc. et al. v. Hartford Accident and Indemnity Company et al., Case No. 1:03-cv-1322, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, for declaratory judgment, breach of contract and bad faith against the named third-party insurers, challenging their assertion that their policies covering asbestos-related claims had been exhausted. On December 1, 2008, the trial court denied the plaintiffs’ motions for partial summary judgment and granted the defendants’ motions for summary judgment against plaintiffs, including the filing entities, and entered judgment on all remaining claims and counterclaims, and dismissed the action. Plaintiffs, including the filing entities, appealed the trial court’s decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. The Sixth Circuit affirmed the trial court decision on alternative grounds. Following that ruling, Bondex filed a motion with the Sixth Circuit for reconsideration. Its motion was denied. Bondex has exhausted its rights of appeal. Bondex did not include any potential benefits from the insurance coverage litigation in calculating its asbestos liability. RPM International Inc. was not a party to this insurance litigation.

Debtor-in-Possession (“DIP”) Financing — In connection with the bankruptcy filing, SPHC, Bondex and certain of SPHC’s subsidiaries entered into a three-year, $40.0 million DIP Credit facility (the “DIP Credit Facility”) with Wachovia Capital Finance Corporation (New England). The Bankruptcy Court approved this facility, and granted Wachovia a super priority administrative expense claim for all amounts owed under the facility. The facility is secured by security interests and liens in virtually all of the real and personal property and assets of Bondex, SPHC and certain of SPHC’s subsidiaries. The DIP Credit Facility generally permits borrowings for working capital, capital expenditures and other general corporate purposes. The DIP Credit Facility also imposes certain financial and non-financial covenants on SPHC and its subsidiaries. RPM International Inc. is not a party to the DIP Credit Facility and it has not guaranteed obligations under such facility.

Reorganization Items — SPHC and its subsidiaries routinely engage in intercompany transactions with other entities within RPM in the ordinary course of business, including services provided by RPM International Inc. to SPHC and its subsidiaries under an administrative services agreement. These services include risk management and insurance services, benefits administration, IT services, legal services, environmental, health and safety compliance management, tax planning and compliance services, treasury and cash management, various accounting services, including preparation of accounting books and financial statement preparation, internal audit services, benefits associated with group purchasing of various supplies and equipment, and consulting services associated with various business development activities. The Bankruptcy Court has approved this administrative services agreement.

As a result of their bankruptcy filing, SPHC and Bondex are precluded from paying dividends to shareholders and from making payments on any pre-bankruptcy filing accounts or notes payable that are due and owing to any other entity within the RPM group of companies (the “Pre-Petition Intercompany Payables”) or other pre-petition creditors during the pendency of the bankruptcy case, without the Bankruptcy Court’s approval. Moreover, no assurances can be given that any of the Pre-Petition Intercompany Payables will ever be paid or otherwise satisfied.

When SPHC emerges from the jurisdiction of the Bankruptcy Court, the subsequent accounting will be determined based upon the applicable circumstances and facts at such time, including the terms of any plan of reorganization.

SPHC has assessed its liquidity position as a result of the bankruptcy filing and believes that it can continue to fund its and its subsidiaries’ operating activities and meet its debt and capital requirements for the foreseeable future.