Saco Local Development Corp. v. Armstrong Business Credit Corp. (In re Saco Local Development Corp.)

10 B.R. 649, 1981 Bankr. LEXIS 3924
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, D. Maine
DecidedApril 14, 1981
DocketBankruptcy Nos. 281-00151 to 281-00154
StatusPublished

This text of 10 B.R. 649 (Saco Local Development Corp. v. Armstrong Business Credit Corp. (In re Saco Local Development Corp.)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, D. Maine primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Saco Local Development Corp. v. Armstrong Business Credit Corp. (In re Saco Local Development Corp.), 10 B.R. 649, 1981 Bankr. LEXIS 3924 (Me. 1981).

Opinion

[650]*650MEMORANDUM DECISION

FREDERICK A. JOHNSON, Bankruptcy Judge.

These Chapter 11 Debtors filed their voluntary petitions on March 26, 1981 and orders for relief under Chapter 11 were entered on that date. Joint administration of the estates for procedural purposes has been ordered. On the same date the Debtors filed a Complaint to Sell most of their assets free and clear of certain liens and encumbrances and subject to certain liens and encumbrances. With the Complaint was a motion to shorten time for notice and hearing on their Complaint on the ground that failure to promptly obtain the relief requested would seriously jeopardize their chances of a successful reorganization.1 Attached to the Debtors’ Complaint was an offer to purchase the Debtors’ assets which by its terms was to expire at 5:00 P.M. on Monday, April 13th. After hearing the Debtors’ motion the Court ordered a hearing on their Complaint on April 6, 1981 at 10:00 A.M. Notice of the intended sale was mailed to all creditors and interested parties on March 26, 1981.

Objections to the proposed sale were filed by the U.S. Trustee, the Creditors’ Committee and several creditors prior to the hearing, which was commenced on April 6, 1981 as scheduled.

Meanwhile, on April 2, 1981, Saco Leather Products Co., Inc. presented an offer to purchase the same assets. Immediately pri- or to the scheduled hearing on April 6,1981, NKL, the original bidder, filed an amended offer and during the course of the hearing, which extended well into the evening hours, Saco Leather Products, in letter form, amended its original offer.

Because neither offer appeared to be satisfactory to the Court and the various factions present at the extended hearing, the Court adjourned the hearing to Friday, April 10th at 1:00 P.M. and ordered that any and all interested parties enter final sealed bids with the Clerk of the Bankruptcy Court on or before 4:00 P.M. on Wednesday, April 8, 1981. On Wednesday, April 8, 1981, shortly after 4:00 P.M. the Clerk of the Bankruptcy Court opened the sealed bids. Again, there were only two bidders, NKL and Saco Leather.

Fifteen minutes later, at 4:15 P.M., NKL filed a Complaint against Saco Leather Products, Co. and others affiliated with Saco Leather alleging violations of the Sherman Anti-trust Act, the Clayton Antitrust Act, and the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Act. On the next day NKL filed a Verified Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order against Saco Leather and affiliates, based upon alleged violations of the Federal Anti-trust Acts and alleging immediate and irreparable injury, loss or damage to NKL in the event Saco Leather Products Co., or its affiliates were permitted to purchase the assets of the Debtors.

The Court assigned NKL’s Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order for hearing on Friday, April 10th at 1:00 P.M., the same time scheduled for the adjourned hearing on the sale of the Debtors’ assets.

The Court took out evidence on NKL’s Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order and took the matter under advisement, indicating that a decision would be rendered on the motion the following day, Saturday, April 11th. The Court then proceeded with the adjourned hearing on the sale of the Debtors’ assets. Most of that hearing dealt with an analysis by various parties of the merits of the competing bids and discussion of questions raised by counsel for the Creditors’ Committee and counsel for the Debtors. Both counsel for the Debtors and counsel for the Creditors’ Committee stated that they had carefully reviewed both bids. Both acknowledged that they were “good offers.” However, counsel for the Debtors favored the NKL bid and counsel for the Creditors’ Committee favored Saco Leather’s bid, subject to resolution of various questions.

[651]*651One serious question regarding Saco Leather’s bid dealt with the availability of a parking lot which is vital to the successful, or at least convenient, operation of the tannery. During the course of the proceedings it developed that the parking lot was not owned by the Debtors, but rather, was owned by the Turkanis family, principals of the Debtors. NKL’s bid did not deal with the parking lot problem because, apparently, some arrangement had been made with regard to the parking lot. However, Saco Leather had been unable to resolve the parking lot problem and counsel for Saco Leather said it would not be prepared to close until the parking lot problem had been resolved.

During the course of the hearing, at 6:32 P.M., the Creditors’ Committee filed with the Court, a Complaint against various members of the Turkanis family, title holders to the parking lot, seeking, among other things, to impose a constructive trust for the benefit of the Debtors. Counsel for the Creditors’ Committee requested an immediate hearing on its Complaint, which the Court denied. However, the Court announced that a pretrial conference would be held on the Creditors’ Committee’s Complaint at 9:30 A.M. on Monday, April 13th.

Various other questions were raised with regard to Saco Leather’s offer which will be discussed later.

At approximately 8:30 P.M. on Friday, April 10th the evidence was closed on the hearing relating to the sale of the Debtors’ assets and the Court announced that in the event NKL’s Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order was denied the Court would proceed with its decision on which bid should be accepted.

On the next day, Saturday, April 11th, the Court entered its order denying NKL’s Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order and took under consideration both NKL’s and Saco Leather’s bids. Both bids, understandably, were quite complex. NKL’s bid, however, did not contain the ambiguities present in Saco Leather’s bid.

NKL’s bid provided for assumption or satisfaction of the Debtors’ major secured debt, totalling approximately $4,652,600. In addition, NKL’s bid provided for a minimum payment to the estate of $1,007,000, $770,000 of which was to be paid in cash payable at the closing and $230,000 payable in five equal annual installments.

Saco Leather’s bid provided for a cash payment of $1,250,000 at the closing. It was because of the immediate cash payment that the Creditors’ Committee favored this bid. A careful review of Saco Leather’s bid, however, left several unresolved ambiguities which could seriously erode this cash payment to the estate and seriously reduce any dividend to unsecured creditors. Several other unresolved problems could delay the sale, necessitating further borrowing by the Debtors or result in closure of the plant for lack of operating funds. These will be discussed in the order in which they appear in Saco Leather’s bid.

First, there is the problem of the parking lot. At the time of the consideration of the competing bids, Saco Leather had not resolved the parking lot problem with the Turkanis family and had stated at the hearing that it would not close without a resolution of this problem. This could result in an interminable delay which would mean further borrowing by the Debtors in order to finance its operation or, eventual closing of its plant.

The next item of concern to the Court was that Saco Leather, at the time of the hearing, had not come to a firm agreement with the Economic Development Administration of the United States Department of Commerce (EDA). EDA holds a security interest in certain of the Debtors’ assets and failure to come to an agreement with EDA could again delay the sale.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

In re Gil-bern Industries, Inc.
526 F.2d 627 (Fifth Circuit, 1975)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
10 B.R. 649, 1981 Bankr. LEXIS 3924, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/saco-local-development-corp-v-armstrong-business-credit-corp-in-re-saco-meb-1981.