In Re Timber Products, Inc.

125 B.R. 433
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, W.D. Pennsylvania
DecidedApril 19, 1991
Docket19-20582
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 125 B.R. 433 (In Re Timber Products, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, W.D. Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In Re Timber Products, Inc., 125 B.R. 433 (Pa. 1991).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

JUDITH K. FITZGERALD, Bankruptcy Judge.

Before the court is the Motion of the Debtors-in-Possession for Authority to Obtain Credit Secured by Liens pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 364(d), a core proceeding. Objections were filed on behalf of Pittsburgh National Bank and the Small Business Administration, secured creditors. An eviden-tiary hearing was conducted following which the parties submitted proposed Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law. Based on the evidence presented, the court finds that the Debtors have failed to sustain their burden of proof that PNB/SBA will be adequately protected if, in order to obtain the borrowing requested, the lien is granted. For that reason, the court is constrained to issue an order which denies the motion. This Opinion constitutes findings of fact and conclusions of law.

Factors to determine whether adequate protection is offered predicated upon the existence of any equity cushion include:

(i) Does the accrual of interest erode the equity cushion;
*434 (ii) Is the property depreciating or increasing in value;
(iii) Has the Debtor shown an inability to obtain refinancing since the filing;
(iv) Has the debtor offered any other method of adequate protection;
(v) Do current economic conditions suggest no realistic prospect for successful rehabilitation or reorganization under Chapter 11; and
(vi) Has the Debtor’s conduct of the litigation been more than a deliberate delaying tactic.

In Re Southertori Corp., 46 B.R. 391, 398-400 (M.D.Pa.1982). The court has considered such of these factors as are applicable in this case. Factors five and six do not apply here; Debtors may be able to reorganize given additional funds and Debtors have not deliberately delayed the case.

Pittsburgh National Bank, SBA and the other participant lenders 1 (hereafter “PNB”) are secured creditors of the Debtors-in-Possession and hold first liens on all the assets of Timber Products and McClin-tock (hereafter referred to as “Debtors”). The liens were granted to PNB in 1986 following issuance of a loan in the principal amount of $600,000.00 to Timber Products and its affiliate, Lumber Associates. 2 McClintock, sole shareholder of Timber Products, and his wife signed personal guarantees for the loan. The debt was incurred to finance construction of Debtors’ operating facility for the purpose of manufacturing and processing hardwood lumber. Building costs exceeded the amount of the loan, and PNB authorized an additional $100,000.00 borrowing. 3 Despite the additional money, the Debtors could not begin full operations because they had insufficient cash to purchase inventory and to provide working capital. Debtors did operate from August 1988 to March 1989 on a limited basis primarily processing wood for one customer, Babcock Lumber. However, the limited operation was not sufficient to enable Debtors to attain profitability. Debtors still are in need of cash to purchase, process, and sell sufficient lumber so that after they collect the accounts receivable they can service their monthly debt. It is that cash which Debtors hope to generate pursuant to the instant motion. Debtors have never purchased any significant amount of raw material or engaged in the sale of their own finished products.

The Debtors and Lumber Associates defaulted on their obligations to PNB, following which judgment by confession for $891,592.93 was entered against them pursuant to the various notes and guarantees. PNB commenced execution proceedings and a sheriff’s sale of the facility was scheduled for March 16, 1989, but was postponed because on March 13, 1989, Debtors filed a lender liability action which is pending in the District Court. The bankruptcies were filed under Chapter 11 on June 21, 1989. Debtors have not operated post-petition. In December 1989, the Debtors filed a Disclosure Statement and Plan of Reorganization, which have been amended and which are pending hearing. The funding for the Plan is dependent upon Debtors obtaining sufficient new capital.

Bruceton Bank has agreed to lend Debtors an amount up to $275,000.00 but only if it receives primary lien status for the entire extension of credit under 11 U.S.C. § 364(d). Bruceton Bank’s commitment to the Debtors is as follows: the loan will be a combination term and line of credit. The term portion will be $150,000.00 of which only interest will be payable for 12 months. The principal then will be amortized over 24 months, requiring monthly payments of $6,250.00 each in principal plus interest beginning in month thirteen of operations. The remaining $125,000.00 of the extension *435 of credit will be a revolving line which will be reviewed and renewed annually.

The Debtors made many efforts post-petition to obtain conventional financing from other sources, secured and unsecured, but were unable to do so. Debtors have satisfied the first element of § 364(d) which is that they are unable to obtain credit other than by offering a senior or equal lien on property of the estate which is already subject to a lien. 4

All participant lenders have agreed to subordinate their first position security interests in inventory and accounts receivable. Currently, there are no accounts receivable or inventory. PNB does not agree to subordinate its primary security interests in the equipment and real estate currently owned by Debtors. 5 The lenders assert that these interests would not be adequately protected if they were subordinated to Bruceton Bank. 6

Testimony initially centered on the fair market values of the facility and of McClin-tock’s residence. Concerning the home, the court accepts the testimony of Debtors’ appraiser that the fair market value is $311,000.00.

Concerning the facility, PNB produced Stanford Davis, an expert, who placed a fair market value on the land, buildings and equipment, absent forced liquidation, of $1,257,426.00. In liquidation his opinion was that the proceeds of sale would be about $565,750.00. Debtors produced no expert witness concerning a fair market value assessment of the facility. However, McClintock testified that in his opinion the total current market value of plant and equipment in its present condition (that is, while the plant is not in operation) is $1,708,647.00. 7 His opinion as to market value was based upon his experience in the lumber business and his own purchases of new and used equipment for this plant and other plants.

Based on all of the evidence presented, the court finds the fair market value of the facility, including land, buildings and equipment, to be $1,400,000.00.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
125 B.R. 433, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-timber-products-inc-pawb-1991.