FONDA GROUP INC
8-K, 1999-12-27
PAPERBOARD CONTAINERS & BOXES
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                       ----------------------------------


                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                       PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 (d) OF
                       THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


       Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): December 27, 1999

                                   ----------


                              THE FONDA GROUP, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


       Delaware                           333-24939             13-3220732
(State or other jurisdiction of   (Commission file number)   (I.R.S. employer
incorporation or organization)                               identification no.)

   2920 North Main Street
     Oshkosh, Wisconsin                                            54901
(Address of principal executive offices)                         (Zip code)

       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (920) 235-1036

<PAGE>

Item 2.  Acquisition or Disposition of Assets.

         The Fonda Group,  Inc. (the  "Company"),  pursuant to an Asset Purchase
Agreement (the "CEG Asset Purchase  Agreement") between the Company and Creative
Expressions  Group,  Inc.  ("CEG"),  an affiliate of the Company,  purchased the
intangible assets of CEG,  including domestic and foreign  trademarks,  patents,
copyrights and customer lists.  In addition,  pursuant to the CEG Asset Purchase
Agreement,  the Company has agreed to purchase  over a sixty day period  certain
inventory of CEG. The aggregate  purchase  price for the  intangible  assets and
inventory of CEG is $41 million ($16 million for the  intangible  assets and $25
million for the inventory)  payable in cash, the  cancellation  of certain notes
and warrants and the assumption of certain  liabilities.  The agreement  further
provides  that the  Company  may  acquire  other  CEG  assets  in  exchange  for
outstanding  trade payables owed to the Company by CEG. Upon the consummation of
the CEG Asset  Purchase  Agreement,  the Company  will market,  manufacture  and
distribute  disposable  party goods products  directly to the specialty  (party)
channel of the Company's  consumer market. The transaction will be accounted for
in a manner similar to pooling-of-interests.

Item 7.  Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.

(a)      Financial Statements

         In accordance  with Item 7(a)(4),  such financial  statements  shall be
         filed no later than 60 days after December 27, 1999.

(b)      Pro Forma Financial Information

         In accordance  with Item 7(a)(4),  such financial  statements  shall be
         filed no later than 60 days after December 27, 1999.

(c)      Exhibits

         10.1  Asset  Purchase  Agreement,  dated as of November  21, 1999,
               between the Company and CEG


                                      -2-
<PAGE>

                                    SIGNATURE

         Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
The Fonda Group,  Inc. has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by
the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

Date: December 23, 1999


THE FONDA GROUP, INC.


By:    /s/ Hans H. Heinsen
       -----------------------------
       Hans H. Heinsen
       Chief Financial Officer


                                      -3-

                            ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT

         Asset  Purchase   Agreement,   dated  as  of  November  21,  1999  (the
"Agreement"),  by and  between  Creative  Expressions  Group,  Inc.,  a Delaware
corporation  ("Seller"),  with its principal place of business at 7240 Shadeland
Station,  Suite 300,  Indianapolis,  Indiana 46256, and The Fonda Group, Inc., a
Delaware  corporation  ("Buyer"),  with its principal  place of business at 2920
North Main Street, Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901.

                                    RECITALS

         WHEREAS, Seller is engaged in the  business  of  marketing  and selling
paper and plastic products to the party goods industry (the "Business"); and

         WHEREAS, Seller desires to sell to Buyer, and Buyer desires to purchase
from Seller,  certain of the assets of the Business on the terms and  conditions
set forth in this Agreement.

         NOW, THEREFORE,  for good and valuable  consideration,  the receipt and
sufficiency  of which are hereby  acknowledged,  the parties do hereby  agree as
follows:

1.       Purchase and Sale of Assets

         1.1 Acquired Assets. On the terms and subject to the conditions of this
Agreement,  Seller shall sell, transfer,  assign and deliver to Buyer, and Buyer
shall purchase,  acquire and accept from Seller,  on an "as-is,  where-is" basis
and without any  representations  and  warranties,  all of the right,  title and
interest  of Seller in and to (a) the  intangible  assets of Seller set forth on
Schedule  1.1  (the  "Intangible  Assets")  (b) the  Inventory  (as  hereinafter
defined)   and  (c)  the   Encumbered   Inventory   (as   hereinafter   defined)
(collectively, the "Acquired Assets").

         1.2 Excluded  Assets.  Seller is not hereby  selling,  and Buyer is not
hereby  purchasing,  Seller's  interest in any assets of Seller not set forth on
Schedule 1.1.

         1.3 Transfer of Assets.  (a) The transfer of the Intangible  Assets and
the Inventory as contemplated by this Agreement shall be made by Seller free and
clear of all mortgages,  pledges,  security interests,  liens, claims,  charges,
liabilities, obligations and encumbrances (collectively, "Liens") of any kind or
nature  whatsoever,  and shall be effected by delivery to Buyer of an Assignment
and such other  instruments  of transfer and assignment as shall be necessary or
appropriate  to transfer and assign the  Intangible  Assets and the Inventory to
Buyer and as shall be reasonably requested by Buyer.

         (b) Except for those Liens set forth on Schedule  1.3(b),  the transfer
of the Encumbered  Inventory as  contemplated by this Agreement shall be made by
Seller free and clear of all Liens of any kind or nature  whatsoever,  and shall
be effected by delivery to Buyer of such  instruments of transfer and assignment
as shall be  necessary  or  appropriate  to transfer  and assign the  Encumbered
Inventory to Buyer and as shall be reasonably requested by Buyer.

         (c) Seller  shall,  at any time and from time to time after the Closing
Date (as  hereinafter  defined),  execute and deliver such other  instruments of
transfer  and  assignment  and do all such  further  acts and  things  as may be
reasonably requested by Buyer to transfer, assign
<PAGE>

and deliver to Buyer or to aid and assist  Buyer in  collecting  and reducing to
possession,  any and all of the  Acquired  Assets,  or to vest in Buyer good and
valid title to the Acquired Assets.

         1.4  No Assumption of Liabilities. Except for those obligations, debts,
claims or liabilities set forth on Schedule 1.4 (the "Assumed Liabilities"),  by
executing  this  Agreement  and  acquiring  the  Acquired  Assets in the  manner
contemplated  hereunder,  Buyer in no way  assumes  or  becomes  liable  for any
obligation, debt, claim or liability of Seller.

2.       Purchase Price and Payment; Allocation; Closing

         2.1 Purchase Price and Payment.  The aggregate  purchase  consideration
for the Acquired Assets (the "Purchase Price") shall be $41 million,  payable to
Seller or its designee(s) as follows:

         (a) Upon  execution  of this  Agreement,  Buyer  shall  make a contract
deposit having an agreed aggregate value of $3,612,602.38 as follows:

                  (i)  $3,081,042.65  by  canceling  that  certain  Restated and
                  Amended  Promissory Note, dated March 12, 1998, made by Seller
                  in favor of Buyer,  in the original  principal  amount of $2.6
                  million and having an  outstanding  principal  balance in such
                  amount as of the date hereof; and

                  (ii) $531,559.73 by canceling those certain warrants issued on
                  March 12,  1998 by Seller to Buyer for the  purchase  of 3.065
                  shares of common stock, par value $.01 per share, of Seller;

         (b) At the  Closing,  in exchange  for the  assignment  and transfer to
Buyer of the Intangible Assets,  Buyer shall pay and deliver to Seller aggregate
consideration having an agreed aggregate value of $16 million as follows:

                  (i)      cash in the amount of $12 million; and

                  (ii) $4 million by Buyer  assigning  to  Seller,  pursuant  to
                  documentation  reasonably  satisfactory  to Seller in form and
                  substance, that certain Promissory Note, dated March 24, 1998,
                  made by  Cellu  Tissue  Corporation  Natural  Dam in  favor of
                  Buyer, in the original principal amount of $3.75 million; and

         (c) From time to time,  but no later than sixty (60) days following the
Closing Date, Buyer shall pay the aggregate sum of $21,387,397.62 as follows:

                  (i)      as  Buyer  purchases  the  Inventory,   cash  in  the
                           aggregate amount of $16,387,397.62; and

                  (ii)     when Buyer  purchases the  Encumbered  Inventory,  $5
                           million  by the  assumption  by Buyer of the  Assumed
                           Liabilities.

<PAGE>

         For purposes  hereof,  "Inventory"  shall mean the first $20 million in
book value of inventory acquired by Buyer, and "Encumbered Inventory" shall mean
the  remaining  $5 million in book value of inventory  acquired by Buyer,  which
Encumbered  Inventory  shall be acquired on the date on which Buyer  assumes the
Assumed  Liabilities  and shall be  subject  to the Liens set forth on  Schedule
1.3(b).

         2.2  Allocation of Purchase  Price.  Seller and Buyer agree to allocate
the  Purchase  Price  among the  Acquired  Assets  for all  purposes  (including
financial  accounting  and tax  purposes)  in  accordance  with  the  allocation
schedule attached hereto as Schedule 2.2.

         2.3  Consummation of Transactions. The consummation of the transactions
provided for in Section  2.1(a) of this  Agreement  shall take place on the date
hereof.  The consummation of the transactions  provided for in Section 2.1(b) of
this  Agreement  (the  "Closing")  shall take place on December 3, 1999, or such
other  date or time as may be fixed by  mutual  agreement  of the  parties  (the
"Closing Date").  The  consummation of the transactions  provided for in Section
2.1(c) of this  Agreement  shall take place within sixty (60) days following the
Closing Date.

3.       Satisfaction of Seller Trade Payables

         3.1 Additional  Assets.  Following the indefeasible  payment in full of
all Obligations (as defined in Amendment No. 3, dated September 21, 1999, to the
Revolving Credit, Term Loan and Security Agreement,  dated as of March 12, 1998,
among Seller, the lenders named therein and PNC Bank, National  Association,  as
agent)  and the  indefeasible  payment in full of all  obligations  of Seller to
Albion Alliance  Mezzanine Fund,  L.P., The Equitable Life Assurance  Society of
the United States, and Cellu Tissue Holdings, Inc.,  respectively,  and provided
that Buyer is not in default of any of its obligations under this Agreement,  if
there shall be any outstanding trade payables (the "Seller Trade Payables") owed
to Buyer by Seller,  Buyer shall at any time  thereafter  have the right, in its
sole discretion,  to take possession of any current assets or non-current assets
of  Seller  (the  "Additional  Assets")  in  satisfaction  of the  Seller  Trade
Payables;  provided,  however, that the aggregate value of the Additional Assets
shall not exceed the total amount of Seller Trade Payables.

         3.2  Valuation.  For purposes of computing the value of the  Additional
Assets,  current assets of Seller shall be valued at book value and  non-current
assets of Seller shall be valued at appraised value.

4.       Miscellaneous

         4.1 Bulk Sales Laws. Buyer hereby waives compliance with the provisions
of any bulk transfer laws  applicable to the  transactions  contemplated by this
Agreement.  Seller agrees  promptly and diligently to pay and discharge when due
or to contest or litigate  all claims of  creditors  that are  asserted  against
Buyer by reason of any non-compliance with such laws.

<PAGE>

         4.2  Modifications.  There  can be no  waiver  of any of the  terms and
conditions  of this  Agreement or any  amendment  hereof except as expressly set
forth in a writing signed by an authorized  representative  of Buyer and Seller.
No course  of  dealing  and no trade  custom  shall be  deemed  to  modify  this
Agreement, and Seller's acknowledgment or confirmation of any writing from Buyer
which is in conflict with the terms and conditions hereof shall not constitute a
modification of this Agreement.

         4.3  Survival.  The  provisions  of this  Agreement  shall  survive the
Closing  and the  delivery  of the  Assignment  and  any  other  instruments  of
transfer, conveyance or assignment covering the Acquired Assets.

         4.4 Governing Law. The laws of the State of New York,  irrespective  of
its choice of law principles,  will govern the validity of this  Agreement,  the
construction of its terms and the  interpretation  and enforcement of the rights
and duties of the parties hereto.

         4.5  Counterparts.  This  Agreement  may be  executed  in any number of
counterparts,  each of which  will be an  original  as regards  any party  whose
signature  appears thereon and all of which together will constitute one and the
same instrument.

         4.6  Severability.   If  any  provision  of  this  Agreement,   or  the
application  thereof,  will for any  reason  and to any  extent  be  invalid  or
unenforceable, the remainder of this Agreement and application of such provision
to other persons or circumstances will be interpreted so as reasonably to effect
the intent of the parties hereto. The parties further agree to replace such void
or  unenforceable  provision  of this  Agreement  with a valid  and  enforceable
provision  that will achieve,  to the greatest  extent  possible,  the economic,
business and other purposes of the void or unenforceable provision.


                [REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

<PAGE>


               IN  WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the  parties  hereto  have  executed  this
Agreement as of the date first written above.


         THE FONDA GROUP, INC.


         By: /s/ Hans H. Heinsen
         -----------------------------
         Name:  Hans H. Heinsen
         Title: Chief Financial Officer


         CREATIVE EXPRESSIONS GROUP, INC.


         By: /s/ Hans H. Heinsen
         -----------------------------
         Name:  Hans H. Heinsen
         Title: Chief Financial Officer



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