CROWN CORK & SEAL CO INC
S-3MEF, 1999-08-25
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<PAGE>

                                                           Registration No. 333-
    As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 25, 1999
________________________________________________________________________________
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549

                                    FORM S-3
            REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                        CROWN CORK & SEAL COMPANY, INC.
             (Exact Name Of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S>                                                <C>                                     <C>
               Crown Cork & Seal                            Crown Cork & Seal                     Crown Cork & Seal
                 Company, Inc.                                 Finance PLC                             Finance
          (Exact name of Registrant as                 (Exact name of Registrant as           (Exact name of Registrant as
            specified in its charter)                    specified in its charter)              specified in its charter)

                   Pennsylvania                                United Kingdom                             France
           (State or other jurisdiction                 (State or other jurisdiction           (State or other jurisdiction
        of incorporation or organization)            of incorporation or organization)      of incorporation or organization)

                    23-1526444                                 Not Applicable                         Not Applicable
       (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)         (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)   (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

                                                               Downsview Road                          Le Colisee I
                  One Crown Way                               Wantage, Oxon UK                        rue Fructidor
             Philadelphia, PA  19154                              OX12 9BL                     75830 Paris Cedex 17, France
                  (215) 698-5100                             44-123-577-2929                         33-1-49-18-40-00
          (Address, including zip code,                (Address, including zip code,          (Address, including zip code,
         and telephone number, including              and telephone number, including        and telephone number, including
       area code, of Registrant's principal         area code, of Registrant's principal   area code, of Registrant's principal
                executive offices)                           executive offices)                     executive offices)
</TABLE>
                            -----------------------
                                   Copies To:
<TABLE>
<S>                                                    <C>
       WILLIAM G. LAWLOR, ESQUIRE                       JOHN W. WHITE, ESQUIRE
        DECHERT PRICE & RHOADS                         CRAVATH, SWAINE & MOORE
       4000 BELL ATLANTIC TOWER                           825 EIGHTH AVENUE
          1717 ARCH STREET                              NEW YORK, NY  10019
       PHILADELPHIA, PA  19103                             (212) 474-1000
          (215) 994-4000
</TABLE>

                            -----------------------

     APPROXIMATE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROPOSED SALE TO THE PUBLIC: AS SOON AS
PRACTICABLE AFTER THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT BECOMES EFFECTIVE.

     If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered
pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following
box: [_]

     If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on
a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of
1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest
reinvestment plans, please check the following box: [_]

     If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering
pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, please check the
following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the
earlier effective registration statement for the same offer: [X] 333-16869.

     If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c)
under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box and list the
Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective
registration statement for the same offer: [_]

     If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434,
please check the following box: [_]

                            -----------------------

                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

     Title of each Class           Amount to be   Proposed Maximum Offering      Proposed Maximum Aggregate        Amount of
of Securities to be Registered      Registered        Price Per Share(1)              Offering Price(1)         Registration Fee

<S>                                 <C>             <C>                           <C>                           <C>
Debt Securities(2)                  $50,000,000              100%                        $50,000,000                $13,900
===================================================================================================================================
</TABLE>
(1)  Estimated solely for the purpose of computing the amount of the
     registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(c).
<PAGE>

(Continued from Previous Page)

(2)  The Debt Securities will be issued solely by Crown Cork & Seal Company,
     Inc.  As Crown Cork & Seal Finance PLC and Crown Cork & Seal Finance S.A.
     are additional registrants under Registration Statement No. 333-16869, each
     has been included as a registrant hereunder although neither will issue any
     Debt Securities hereunder.

                       STATEMENT PURSUANT TO RULE 429 (B)

     The prospectus contained in this registration statement is a combined
prospectus which covers Debt Securities and Guarantees of the Registrants,
heretofore covered by Registration Statement No. 333-16869 (in the amount of
$1,300,000,000 with a filing fee of $393,939.39).
<PAGE>

               INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

     This Registration Statement is being filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.  The contents of the Registration
Statement on Form S-3 (Reg. No. 333-16869) filed by Crown Cork & Seal Company,
Inc. (the "Company"), Crown Cork & Seal Finance PLC and Crown Cork & Seal
Finance S.A. with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the exhibits
thereto, is incorporated herein by reference.
<PAGE>

                                    PART II

                     INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

ITEM 16.  EXHIBITS

     All exhibits filed with or incorporated by reference in Registration
Statement No. 333-16869 are incorporated by reference into, and shall be deemed
part of, this registration statement, except the following which are filed
herewith:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBIT
NUMBER                            DESCRIPTION
<C>               <S>
 5.1                Opinion of Dechert Price & Rhoads.
 23.1               Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
</TABLE>
<PAGE>

                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on August 25, 1999.

                                           CROWN CORK & SEAL COMPANY, INC.

                                           BY:     /s/ Craig R.L. Calle
                                              ----------------------------------
                                              Name:  Craig R.L. Calle
                                              Title:  Senior Vice President -
                                                      Finance and Treasurer

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SIGNATURE                                                      TITLE
<S>                                                            <C>
                               *
- - -----------------------------------------------------------
William J. Avery                                               Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer

                               *
- - -----------------------------------------------------------
Alan W. Rutherford                                             Director, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

                               *
- - -----------------------------------------------------------
Timothy J. Donahue                                             Vice President and Controller (Principal Accounting Officer)

                               *
- - -----------------------------------------------------------
Henry E. Butwel                                                Director

                               *
- - -----------------------------------------------------------
Charles F. Casey                                               Director

                               *
- - -----------------------------------------------------------
John W. Conway                                                 Director

                               *
- - -----------------------------------------------------------
Francis X. Dalton                                              Director

- - -----------------------------------------------------------
Arnold W. Donald                                               Director

- - -----------------------------------------------------------
Tommy H. Karlsson                                              Director

                               *
- - -----------------------------------------------------------
Josephine C. Mandeville                                        Director

                               *
- - -----------------------------------------------------------
Michael J. McKenna                                             Director

- - -----------------------------------------------------------
John B. Neff                                                   Director

- - -----------------------------------------------------------
Thomas A. Ralph                                                Director

                               *
- - -----------------------------------------------------------
Jean-Pierre Rosso                                              Director

                               *
- - -----------------------------------------------------------
Harold A. Sorgenti                                             Director

                               *
- - -----------------------------------------------------------
Guy de Wouters                                                 Director
</TABLE>

                *By /s/ Craig R.L. Calle
                    ________________________            August 25, 1999
                    Craig R.L. Calle
                    Attorney-In-Fact
<PAGE>

                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant
indicated below certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it
meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized, in the City of Philadelphia, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, on
August 25, 1999.

                                           CROWN CORK & SEAL FINANCE PLC

                                           BY:      /s/ Alan W. Rutherford
                                              --------------------------------
                                               Name:  Alan W. Rutherford
                                               Title:  Managing Director

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities indicated on August __, 1999.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SIGNATURE                                                      TITLE
<S>                                                            <C>
  /s/ Alan W. Rutherford
- - -----------------------------------------------------------
Alan W. Rutherford                                             Managing Director (Principal Executive, Financial and
                                                               Accounting Officer)
  /s/ Craig R.L. Calle
- - -----------------------------------------------------------
Craig R.L. Calle                                               Director
</TABLE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S>                                                            <C>
                                                               Authorized Representative
CROWN CORK & SEAL COMPANY, INC.                                 in the United States


By:  /s/ Alan W. Rutherford
   ____________________________________
      Name: Alan W. Rutherford
      Title:  Executive Vice President
              and Chief Financial Officer

</TABLE>
<PAGE>

                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant
indicated below certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it
meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized, in the City of Paris, Republic of France, on August 25, 1999.

                                           CROWN CORK & SEAL FINANCE S.A.

                                           BY:   /s/ Carole D'Armaille
                                              ----------------------------------
                                               Name:  Carole D'Armaille
                                               Title:  General Manager

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities indicated on August 25, 1999.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SIGNATURE                                                      TITLE
<S>                                                            <C>
  /s/ Carole D'Armaille
- - -----------------------------------------------------------
Carole D'Armaille                                              General Manager (Principal Executive Officer)

  /s/ Alan W. Rutherford
- - -----------------------------------------------------------
Alan W. Rutherford                                             Chief Financial Officer and Director (Principal Financial and
                                                               Accounting Officer)

  /s/ Peter Collier
- - -----------------------------------------------------------
Peter Collier                                                  Director

  /s/ Timothy J. Donahue
- - -----------------------------------------------------------
Timothy J. Donahue                                             Director


CROWN CORK & SEAL COMPANY, INC.                                Authorized Representative
                                                                in the United States
</TABLE>

By:   /s/ Alan W. Rutherford
   ------------------------------------
      Name:  Alan W. Rutherford
      Title:  Executive Vice President
              and Chief Financial Officer


<PAGE>

                    [LETTERHEAD OF DECHERT PRICE & RHOADS]

                                August 25, 1999

Crown Cork & Seal Company, Inc.
One Crown Way
Philadelphia, PA 19154-4599

          Re:  Form S-3 Registration Statement
               -------------------------------

Gentlemen:

          We have acted as counsel to Crown Cork & Seal Company, Inc. (the
"Company") in connection with the preparation of a Registration Statement on
Form S-3 (the "Registration Statement") under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "Securities Act") to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule
462(b) of the Rules and Regulations promulgated under the Securities Act
relating to the issuance of $50,000,000 of debt securities (the "Debt
Securities") of the Company, pursuant to an indenture dated as of December 17,
1996 (the "Indenture") among The Bank of New York, as trustee, the Company,
Crown Cork & Seal Finance PLC, a public limited company organized under the laws
of England and Wales, and Crown Cork & Seal Finance S.A., a societe anonyme
organized under the laws of the Republic of France.

          We have examined such corporate records and documents and other
matters as we have deemed necessary in order to render this opinion.

          In our examination, we have assumed the genuiness of all signatures,
the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals and the
conformity to authentic original documents of all documents submitted to us as
copies.

          Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the limitations set forth
below, it is our opinion that under current law, when the Debt Securities have
been duly executed, authenticated and delivered in accordance with the terms of
the Indenture and delivered to the purchasers thereof against payment therefor
in accordance with the provisions of an underwriting agreement
<PAGE>

Crown Cork & Seal Company, Inc.
August 25, 1999
Page 2

dated as of the date hereof among the Company and the several underwriters named
therein, such Debt Securities will constitute the legal and binding obligations
of the Company.

          Our opinions herein are limited solely to the laws of the United
States of America, the State of New York and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,
in each case to the extent applicable, and we express no opinion herein
concerning the laws of any other jurisdiction.

          Our opinions herein are subject to the effect of any applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, moratorium, reorganization or
similar law affecting creditors' rights or debtors' obligations generally and to
general equity principles, including (without limitation) concepts of
materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, and other similar
doctrines affecting the legality and binding nature of obligations or agreements
generally.

          Our opinions herein are rendered solely for your benefit in connection
with the transaction contemplated herein.  Our opinions herein may not be used
or relied on by any other person, nor may this letter or any copies thereof be
furnished to a third party, filed with a government agency, quoted, cited or
otherwise referred to without our prior written consent, except as noted below.

          We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as Exhibit 5.1
to the Registration Statement and to the reference to this opinion letter under
the caption "Legal Matters" in the related prospectus.  In giving such consent,
we do not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is
required under Section 7 of the Securities Act.

                              Sincerely,

                              DECHERT PRICE & RHOADS

<PAGE>

                      CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
                      ----------------------------------


We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration
Statement on Form S-3 of our report dated March 17, 1999 relating to the
financial statements and financial statement schedules, which appears in Crown
Cork & Seal Company, Inc.'s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 1998.


PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
August 23, 1999


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