BIOFUEL Amends Credit Agreement and Converts Construction Loans
01 October 2009 - 7:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
DENVER, Sept. 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- BIOFUEL ENERGY CORP.
(NASDAQ: BIOF), an ethanol production company, today announced that
its operating subsidiaries have amended their secured Credit
Agreement with BNP Paribas and a group of lenders, settling all
outstanding issues among the parties and lifting all defaults
previously asserted by the lenders. The subsidiaries, which own and
operate the Company's ethanol plants in Wood River, Nebraska, and
Fairmont, Minnesota, have also converted their outstanding
construction loans, which had provided financing for the
construction of the plants, into term loans that mature in 2014.
Following the conversion, the subsidiaries made their first
principal payment of $3.2 million to the lenders, which left $195.4
million in aggregate principal amount of term loans outstanding as
of September 30, 2009. Under the terms of the amended Credit
Agreement, the lenders advanced $3.7 million to fund certain
capital improvements at the plants and to pay for professional
advisor fees, and have agreed to provide up to $9.7 million in
additional loans to make future principal and interest payments
under the Credit Agreement. Prior loan commitments in an aggregate
amount of $1.7 million were terminated under the amendment. The
Company's working capital loans, with an aggregate principal amount
of $20.0 million outstanding, were unaffected by the amendment.
Scott H. Pearce, President and CEO, stated: "We are extremely
pleased that our lenders have agreed to support the Company as it
continues to pursue its goal to become a low-cost producer in the
ethanol industry. With our bank financing issues behind us, we look
forward to refocusing on our plant optimization initiatives that
are currently underway." This release contains certain
forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Federal
securities laws. Such statements are based on management's current
expectations, estimates and projections, which are subject to a
wide range of uncertainties and business risks. Forward-looking
statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance
or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of
whether, or the times by which, our performance or results may be
achieved. Factors that could cause actual results to differ from
those anticipated are discussed in our Exchange Act filings and our
Annual Report on Form 10-K, which have been filed with the SEC.
BioFuel Energy owns and operates two 115 million gallons per year
ethanol plants in the Midwestern corn belt. Contact: Kelly G.
Maguire For more information: Vice President - Finance &
http://www.bfenergy.com/ Chief Financial Officer (303) 640-6500
DATASOURCE: BIOFUEL ENERGY CORP. CONTACT: Kelly G. Maguire, Vice
President of Finance & Chief Financial Officer of BIOFUEL
ENERGY CORP., +1-303-640-6500, Web Site: http://www.bfenergy.com/
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