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Exhibit 3.1

RESTATED ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION

OF

GENTHERM INCORPORATED

a Michigan corporation

Pursuant to the provisions of Act 284, Public Acts of 1972, the undersigned executes the following Articles:

 

1. The present name of the corporation is: Gentherm Incorporated

 

2. The identification number assigned by the Bureau is: 545-27C

 

3. The former name(s) of the corporation are:

Amerigon Incorporated

Amerigon Michigan, Inc.

 

4. The date of filing the original Articles of Incorporation was: March 23, 2005

The following Restated Articles of Incorporation supersede the Articles of Incorporation as amended and shall be the Articles of Incorporation for the corporation:

ARTICLE I

The name of the Corporation is: GENTHERM INCORPORATED.

ARTICLE II

The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the Michigan Business Corporation Act.

ARTICLE III

A. The total number of shares which the corporation is authorized to issue is 59,991,000, of which 55,000,000 shall be Common Stock, without par value, and 4,991,000 shall be Preferred Stock, without par value.

B. The Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series. The Board of Directors is authorized to fix the number of shares of any series of Preferred Stock and to determine the designation of any such series. The Board of Directors is also authorized to determine or alter the voting and other rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions granted to or imposed upon any wholly unissued series of Preferred Stock and, within the limits and restrictions stated in any resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors originally fixing the number of shares constituting any series, to increase or decrease (but not below the number of shares of such series then outstanding) the number of shares of any such series subsequent to the issue of shares of that series.

C. Intentionally Omitted.

D. The Board hereby designates 25,000 shares of the Corporation’s Preferred Stock as “Series B Preferred Stock”, with the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions set forth below.

1. DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS.

(a) Subject to the prior and superior rights of the holders of any shares of any class or series of stock of this Corporation ranking prior and superior to the Series B Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares of Series B Preferred Stock, in preference to the holders of common stock (the “Common Stock”)


of the Corporation, and of any other stock ranking junior to the Series B Preferred Stock, shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available for the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on the first day of March, June, September and December in each year (each such date being referred to herein as a “Quarterly Dividend Payment Date”), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a share of Series B Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a) $1.00 or (b) subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 1,000 times the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 1,000 times the aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other distributions, other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock or a subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise), declared on the Common Stock since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Series B Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount to which holders of shares of Series B Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

(b) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the Series B Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (a) of this Section 1 immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); provided that, in the event no dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the Common Stock during the period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the next subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $1.00 per share on the Series B Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable on such subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.

(c) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares, unless the date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series B Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series B Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series B Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.

2. VOTING RIGHTS. The holders of shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:

(a) Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, each share of Series B Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to 1,000 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the Corporation. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of shares of Series B Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

 

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(b) Except as otherwise provided herein, in the Articles of Incorporation, in any other Certificate of Designations creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock, or by law, the holders of shares of Series B Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock and any other capital stock of the Corporation having general voting rights shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation.

(c) Except as set forth herein, or as otherwise provided by law, holders of Series B Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and their consent shall not be required (except to the extent they are entitled to vote with holders of Common Stock as set forth herein) for taking any corporate action.

3. CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS.

(a) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions payable on the Series B Preferred Stock as provided in Section 1 are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series B Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the Corporation shall not:

(i) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series B Preferred Stock;

(ii) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series B Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series B Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are then entitled;

(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration shares of any stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series B Preferred Stock, provided that the Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such junior stock in exchange for shares of any stock of the Corporation ranking junior (both as to dividends and upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Series B Preferred Stock; or

(iv) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of Series B Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock ranking on a parity with the Series B Preferred Stock, except in accordance with a purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as determined by the Board of Directors) to all holders of such shares upon such terms as the Board of Directors, after consideration of the respective annual dividend rates and other relative rights and preferences of the respective Series and classes, shall determine will result in fair and equitable treatment among the respective series or classes.

(b) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under paragraph (a) of this Section 3, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.

4. REACQUIRED SHARES. Any shares of Series B Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever shall be retired and canceled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such shares shall upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein, in the Articles of Incorporation, or in any other Certificate of Designations creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock or as otherwise required by law.

5. LIQUIDATION, DISSOLUTION OR WINDING UP.

(a) Upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, voluntary or otherwise, no distribution shall be made (1) to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series B Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall have received an amount per share (the “Series B Liquidation Preference”) equal to $1,000 per share, plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of such payment, provided that the holders of shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive an aggregate amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 1,000 times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of shares of Common Stock, or (2) to the holders of shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up)

 

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with the Series B Preferred Stock, except distributions made ratably on the Series B Preferred Stock and all such parity stock in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are entitled upon such liquidation, dissolution or winding up. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the aggregate amount to which holders of shares of Series B Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under the proviso in clause (1) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that are outstanding immediately prior to such event.

(b) In the event, however, that there are not sufficient assets available to permit payment in full of the Series B Liquidation Preference and the liquidation preferences of all other classes and series of stock of the Corporation, if any, that rank on a parity with the Series B Preferred Stock in respect thereof, then the assets available for such distribution shall be distributed ratably to the holders of the Series B Preferred Stock and the holders of such parity shares in proportion to their respective liquidation preferences.

(c) Neither the merger or consolidation of the Corporation into or with another corporation nor the merger or consolidation of any other corporation into or with the Corporation shall be deemed to be a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation within the meaning of this Section 5.

6. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, ETC. In case the Corporation shall enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case each share of Series B Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or changed into an amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 1,000 times the aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or exchanged. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or change of shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

7. NO REDEMPTION. The shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable by the Company.

8. RANK. The Series B Preferred Stock shall rank, with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, junior to all series of any other class of the Corporation’s Preferred Stock, except to the extent that any such other series specifically provides that it shall rank on a parity with or junior to the Series B Preferred Stock.

9. AMENDMENT. At any time any shares of Series B Preferred Stock are outstanding, the Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation shall not be amended in any manner which would materially alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series B Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely without the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock, voting separately as a single class.

10. FRACTIONAL SHARES. Series B Preferred Stock may be issued in fractions of a share that shall entitle the holder, in proportion to such holder’s fractional shares, to exercise voting rights, receive dividends, participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all other rights of holders of Series B Preferred Stock.

 

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ARTICLE IV

The address of the registered office is 21680 Haggerty Road, Suite 101, Northville, Michigan 48167. The mailing address of the registered office is the same as above. The name of the resident agent is Barry Steele.

ARTICLE V

Intentionally omitted.

ARTICLE VI

Any action required or permitted by the Michigan Business Corporation Act to be taken at an annual or special meeting of shareholders may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice, and without a vote, if consents in writing setting forth the action so taken, are signed by the holders of outstanding shares having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take the action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote on the action were present and voted. The written consents shall bear the date of signature of each shareholder who signs the consent. No written consents shall be effective to take the corporate action referred to unless, within 60 days after the record date for determining shareholders entitled to express consent or to dissent from a proposal without a meeting, written consents dated not more than 10 days before the record date and signed by a sufficient number of shareholders to take the action are delivered to the Corporation. Delivery shall be to the Corporation’s registered office, its principal place of business, or an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the minutes of the proceedings of its shareholders. Delivery made to a Corporation’s registered office shall be by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested. Prompt notice of the taking of the corporate action without a meeting by less than unanimous written consent shall be given to shareholders who would have been entitled to notice of the shareholder meeting if the action had been taken at a meeting and who have not consented in writing. An electronic transmission consenting to an action is a written, signed and dated consent for purposes of this section to the extent permitted by the Business Corporation Act of Michigan.

ARTICLE VII

To the full extent permitted by the Michigan Business Corporation Act or any other applicable laws presently or hereafter in effect, no director of the Corporation shall be personally liable to the Corporation or its shareholders for or with respect to any acts or omissions in the performance of his or her duties as a director of the Corporation. Any repeal or modification of this Article VII shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director of the Corporation existing immediately prior to, or for or with respect to, any acts or omissions occurring before such repeal or modification. This Corporation is authorized to indemnify officers, employees or agents of this Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by the Michigan Business Corporation Act or any other applicable laws presently or hereafter in effect.

ARTICLE VIII

At a meeting of shareholders at which directors are to be elected, no shareholder shall be entitled to cumulate votes (i.e., cast for any one or more candidates a number of votes greater than the number of such shareholder’s shares) unless the candidates’ names have been placed in nomination prior to commencement of the voting and a shareholder has given notice prior to commencement of the voting of such shareholder’s intention to cumulate votes. If any shareholder has given such a notice, every shareholder entitled to vote may cumulate votes for candidates in the number of directors to be elected multiplied by the number of votes to which such shareholder’s shares are entitled or distribute such shareholder’s votes on the same principle among any or all of the candidates as the shareholder thinks fit. In the election of directors, the candidates receiving the highest number of votes, up to the number of directors to be elected, shall be elected.

These Restated Articles of Incorporation were duly adopted on the 7th day of May, 2014, in accordance with the provisions of Section 642 of the Act: (check one of the following)

x     by the Board of Directors without a vote of the shareholders. These Restated Articles of Incorporation only restate and integrate and do not further amend the provisions of the Articles of Incorporation as heretofore amended and there is no material discrepancy between those provisions and the provisions of these Restated Articles.

 

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¨     by the shareholders at a meeting in accordance with Section 611(3) of the Act

¨     were duly adopted by the written consent of the shareholders having not less than the minimum number of votes required by statute in accordance with Section 407(1) of the Act. Written notice to the shareholders who have not consented in writing has been given. (Note: Written consent by less than all of the shareholders is permitted only if such provision appears in the Articles of Incorporation.)

¨     were duly adopted by the written consent of the shareholders entitled to vote in accordance with Section 407(2) of the Act.

 

Signed this 7th day of May, 2014.

/s/ Kenneth J. Phillips

Name:   Kenneth J. Phillips
Its:   Vice-President, General Counsel and Secretary

 

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