Overview

The goal of our extensive Automotive Practice Group is to enable clients to do more than survive the frequent cycles and disruptive change in the automotive industry. It is to capitalize on them. For a variety of reasons, sometimes this is not possible. Since the early 2000s, we have counseled over 50 different automotive industry clients as they restructured to address financial issues caused by changes in the industry, the broader economy, or other factors. Many of our attorneys cut their teeth on automotive cases and unique issues resulting from the interplay of customers’ just in time delivery requirements and broad contractual rights, the rights of lenders, and suppliers’ ability to meet constituents’ needs by continuing production.

We have one of the largest and most sophisticated restructuring teams serving automotive clients in the Midwest and have earned a reputation as the advisors of choice for automotive-related businesses contemplating a restructuring, refinancing, distressed sale, out-of-court liquidation, or bankruptcy, and for creditors’ committees and dealerships seeking advice in these situations.

In difficult financial or operational restructuring situations, we provide creative and practical business and legal solutions, drawing on the strong relationships and industry experience of all the attorneys at our firm. Our restructuring attorneys are seasoned and have represented Tier I and II automotive suppliers, automotive dealers, creditors’ committees in automotive cases, steel manufactures, raw material suppliers, plastic mold and tooling providers, engine manufacturers, distributors, logistics providers, and many other automotive industry participants.

We have extensive automotive bankruptcy experience (in both reorganization and liquidation cases) and in out-of-court restructurings, including Article 9 sales and other forms of distressed sales and acquisitions. But our restructuring services focus on much more than just bankruptcy. We are active, aggressive dealmakers, and many of our automotive clients accomplish their turnarounds through non-judicial means. Our expertise in your industry and legal knowledge means we can offer you various legal options to accomplish your business goals.

Experience

Representative matters related to automotive restructuring:

  • Amcan Consolidated Technologies Corporation
  • Autocam Corporation
  • Buffalo Molded Plastics, Inc.
  • Burlington Technologies, LTD
  • Bush Leasing, Inc.
  • Cadillac Casting, Inc.
  • Caparo Vehicle Components, Inc.
  • Chelsea Industries, Inc.
  • Contech Castings, LLC
  • Dura Automotive
  • Engineered Plastic Products, Inc.
  • Foamade Industries, Inc.
  • Fortis Plastics, LLC
  • General Car & Truck Leasing System, Inc.
  • GETRAG Transmission Manufacturing, LLC
  • Global Automotive Systems, LLC
  • Loranger Manufacturing Corporation
  • Mayco Plastics, Inc.
  • Midland Steel Products Holding Company
  • Metavation, LLC
  • Ohio Industries, Inc.
  • Ravenna Aluminum
  • Revstone Transportation, LLC
  • Solar Stamping and Manufacturing, LLC
  • Union Stamping & Assembly, Inc.
  • Uni-Boring, Inc.

Representative engagements of creditors’ committees in automotive cases: 

  • Eagle Trim, Inc. (counsel to unsecured creditors’ committee)
  • Excello Engineered Systems, LLC; counsel to unsecured creditors’ committee
  • Procare Automotive Service Solutions, LLC (counsel to unsecured creditors’ committee)
  • Visteon Corporation (counsel to ad hoc committee of non-union defined benefit plan participants)

Representative engagements related to automotive mergers and acquisitions:

  • Aarkel Tool &Die, Inc. (counsel to seller in sale to Zynik Capital)
  • Contech Castings, LLC (counsel to seller in sale to Shiloh Industries, Inc.)
  • Continental Plastics Company (counsel to seller during sale to Magna Exteriors & Interiors USA, Inc.)
  • Lee Steel Corporation (counsel to seller in sales of facilities and business)
  • Metaldyne Corporation (counsel to buyer)
  • Raybestos PowerTrain LLC (counsel to buyer)
  • SMW Technologies, LLC (counsel to buyer in purchase of AZ Automotive)

 McDonald Hopkins has also represented customers, tooling vendors, administrative expense claimants, preference defendants, and other key creditors in various negotiations involving chapter 7 and chapter 11 bankruptcies, out-of-court matters, customer accommodation arrangements, and sales.

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