As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 12, 2008

Registration No. 333-150007

 

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

AMENDMENT NO. 1

TO

FORM S-1

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Under

The Securities Act of 1933

 

 

Energy Recovery, Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

 

 

 

 

1908 Doolittle Drive

San Leandro, CA 94577

(510) 483-7370

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

 

G.G. Pique

President and Chief Executive Officer

1908 Doolittle Drive

San Leandro, CA 94577

(510) 483-7370

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

 

Copies to:

 

 

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:  As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.

 

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, as amended, check the following box.  o

 

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  o

 

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  o

 

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  o

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

    (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment that specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to such Section 8(a), may determine.

 

 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED MAY 12, 2008

 

           Shares

 

 

Energy Recovery, Inc.

 

Common Stock

 

 

 

 

This is the initial public offering of our common stock. We are selling           shares of common stock, and the selling stockholders named in this prospectus are selling           shares of common stock. We will not receive any proceeds from the shares of common stock sold by the selling stockholders. Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our common stock. The initial public offering price of our common stock is expected to be between $      and $      per share. We intend to apply to list our common stock on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol “ERII.”

 

The underwriters have an option to purchase a maximum of           additional shares to cover over-allotments of shares.

 

Investing in our common stock involves risks. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 7.

 

 

 

 

		Per Share				Total
Price to Public		$				$
Underwriting Discounts and Commissions		$				$
Proceeds to ERI		$				$
Proceeds to Selling Stockholders		$				$

 

The underwriters expect to deliver the shares to purchasers on or about          , 2008.

 

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  The date of this prospectus is          , 2008

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

		Page
Prospectus Summary			1
The Offering			4
Summary Consolidated Financial Data			5
Risk Factors			7
Forward-Looking Statements			17
Use Of Proceeds			19
Dividend Policy			19
Capitalization			20
Dilution			22
Selected Consolidated Financial Data			23
Management’s Discussion And Analysis Of Financial Condition And Results Of Operations			25
Industry			40
Business			45
Management			54
Compensation Discussion And Analysis			59
Compensation Of Executive Officers			64

		Page
Certain Relationships And Related Party Transactions			76
Principal And Selling Stockholders Security Ownership Of Certain Beneficial Owners And Management			78
Description Of Capital Stock			80
Shares Eligible For Future Sale			83
Material United States Tax Considerations For Non-U.S. Holders			85
Underwriting			88
Notice To Canadian Residents			92
Legal Matters			93
Experts			93
Where You Can Find Additional Information			93
Index To Consolidated Financial Statements			F-1
EXHIBIT 3.1.1
EXHIBIT 3.2.2
EXHIBIT 10.1
EXHIBIT 10.6
EXHIBIT 10.16
EXHIBIT 10.16.1
EXHIBIT 23.1
EXHIBIT 99.2

 

 

 

 

You should rely only on the information contained in this document or to which we have referred you. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with information that is different. This document may only be used where it is legal to sell these securities. The information in this document may only be accurate on the date of this document.

 

Corporate Information

 

We incorporated in Virginia in April 1992 and reincorporated in Delaware in March 2001. Our principal executive offices are located at 1908 Doolittle Drive, San Leandro, California 94577. Our telephone number is (510) 483-7370. Our website address is www.energyrecovery.com. Information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus, and you should not consider information contained on our website to be part of this prospectus.

 

“ERI,” the ERI logo, “Making Desalination Affordable,” “PX Pressure Exchanger,” “PX” and other trademarks or service marks of ERI appearing in this prospectus are the property of ERI. This prospectus contains additional trade names, trademarks and service marks of other companies. We do not intend our use or display of other companies’ trade names, trademarks or service marks to imply a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship of us by, these other companies.

 

Industry and Market Data

 

This prospectus includes market and industry data and forecasts that we obtained from internal research, publicly available information and industry publications and surveys. Industry publications and surveys generally state that the information contained therein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. Unless otherwise noted, statements as to our market position relative to our competitors are approximated and based on the above-mentioned third-party data and internal analysis and estimates as of the date of this prospectus. Although we believe the industry and market data and statements as to market position to be reliable as of the date of this prospectus, we have not independently verified this information and it could prove inaccurate. Industry and market data could be wrong because of the method by which sources obtained their data and because information cannot always be verified with certainty due to the limits on the availability and reliability of raw data, the voluntary nature of the data gathering process and other limitations and uncertainties. In addition, we do not know all of the assumptions regarding general economic conditions or growth that were used in preparing the forecasts from sources cited herein.

 

Dealer Prospectus Delivery Obligation

 

Until          , 2008 (25 days after the date of this prospectus) all dealers that effect transactions in these securities, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to the dealer’s obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as an underwriter and with respect to unsold allotments or subscriptions.

 

PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

	•	up to 98% energy recovery efficiency;
	•	proprietary design employing only one moving part;
	•	corrosion resistant, highly durable ceramic composition;
	•	smaller footprint, modular design and system redundancy; and
	•	lower life cycle cost versus competitors.

•

Unique and efficient product. We manufacture the only commercially available rotary isobaric energy recovery device, which we believe is more effective at recovering and recycling energy than any other commercially available energy recovery device. The PX device incorporates highly-engineered corrosion resistant ceramic parts that require minimal maintenance, and a modular design that allows for system redundancy resulting in minimal plant shutdowns. Our rotary device has only one moving part and a continuous flow design, which complements the continuous flow of the SWRO process. We believe these unique benefits lead to lower life cycle costs than competing products.

•	Leading position in a rapidly growing industry. The combination of decreasing fresh water supplies, increasing fresh water demand and declining SWRO desalination costs is driving growth in the SWRO desalination industry. We believe we are the largest global supplier of energy recovery devices for SWRO, the fastest growing segment of the desalination market. For example, in the last five years we believe that our PX product was selected for a significant majority of new SWRO plants commissioned in China, one of the fastest growing desalination markets.
•	Rapid growth. Our net revenue increased from $4.0 million in 2003 to $35.4 million in 2007, representing a compound annual growth rate of 72%, driven by the rapid growth of the SWRO desalination industry and our increased penetration of this market. Our sales growth has enabled us to leverage our existing manufacturing cost base in order to achieve cost synergies and improved utilization, and to develop new products to provide additional cost and performance advantages.
•	High barriers to entry. Historically, there has been a slow adoption rate for new technologies in the desalination industry. We have spent the last 11 years penetrating the market and establishing our company and products with major industry participants. We also have U.S. and international patents covering specific design features of the PX device, and have developed significant know-how related to ceramic processing methods essential to the manufacturing, reliability and performance of the PX device.
•	Diversified international blue chip customer base. Currently, most of our revenue is generated by sales to large EPCs. As of December 31, 2007, we were specified in plant designs by over 60 OEMs and EPCs worldwide and have sold PX devices to approximately 250 other customers, including small and mid-tier OEMs, hotel operators, power plants and municipalities.
•	Strong, experienced management team. Our senior management team has significant industry experience in the design, construction and operation of SWRO desalination plants and the filtration industry. Our chief executive officer, G.G. Pique, joined us in 2000 after serving for seven years as the group vice president Latin America of US Filter Corporation (subsequently acquired by Vivendi) and has over 30 years of experience in the water treatment industry.

•	Increase market penetration. We actively work with EPCs and OEMs to specify the PX device in the designs of their SWRO desalination plants. To further our market penetration, we are also expanding our existing sales channels through new strategic hires and by increasing our product offerings, and are continuing to increase the awareness of our technology through technical papers, trade shows, industry publications and trade association memberships.
•	Continue to broaden our product portfolio. We are developing new products that we expect will continue to grow our market share and meet the increasing demands of our clients. As the SWRO market moves towards increasingly larger desalination plants, we are developing products such as the PX-1200 Titan, which are designed to address these larger volume plants. For customers who are more sensitive to up-front costs and who operate smaller plants, we are developing the Comp PX. We also intend to expand our product portfolio to include additional circulation/booster pumps and a bundled, turnkey energy recovery system solution that would include both a PX device and pump.
•	Increase our aftermarket sales. Over time, components of our PX device will need to be repaired or replaced. Thus, as our installed base of PX devices ages and the number of installed units increases, we expect aftermarket sales of replacement PX parts and services to increase.
•	Capitalize on growth opportunities in alternative power and other emerging sectors. We are diversifying our energy recovery offerings to capitalize on growth opportunities in emerging sectors. For example, osmotic power generation will utilize a process similar to that of SWRO and is a clean, alternate source of power currently under development. We are currently in discussions with a European utility company that is designing an osmotic power pilot test facility that may use our PX technology. In addition, our PX device could potentially be applied in any process that has a high-pressure waste stream.

•	Our reliance on the sale of our PX devices for almost all of our revenue;

•	Delays or postponements in the construction of desalination plants;

•	Fluctuations in demand, adoption, sales cycles and pricing levels for our products and services;

•	Changes in customers’ budgets for desalination plants and the timing of their purchasing decisions; and

•	Our ability to develop and introduce in a timely manner new products and product enhancements that meet customer demand and requirements.

 

THE OFFERING

Common stock offered by ERI		shares
Common stock offered by the selling stockholders		shares

Common stock to be outstanding after this offering		shares
Use of proceeds by us		We intend to use the net proceeds to us of $     million from this offering for working capital and other general corporate purposes. We may also use a portion of the net proceeds to acquire other businesses, products or technologies. However, we do not have agreements or commitments for any specific acquisitions at this time.
Risk factors		You should read the “Risk Factors” section of this prospectus for a discussion of factors that you should consider carefully before deciding to invest in shares of our common stock.
Proposed NASDAQ Global Market symbol		ERII

	•	1,280,608 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of options outstanding as of December 31, 2007, at a weighted average exercise price of $2.38 per share;
	•	2,074,122 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of warrants outstanding as of December 31, 2007, at a weighted average exercise price of $0.52 per share;
	•	56,879 shares of common stock that have been exercised pursuant to options but not yet vested as of December 31, 2007;
	•	5,625 shares of common stock reserved as of December 31, 2007 for future grant under our 2002 Stock Option/Stock Issuance Plan;
	•	8,709 shares of common stock reserved as of December 31, 2007 for future grant under our 2004 Stock Option/Stock Issuance Plan;
	•	39,017 shares of common stock reserved as of December 31, 2007 for future grant under our 2006 Stock Option/Stock Issuance Plan; and

	•	1,000,000 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2008 Equity Incentive Plan which will become effective immediately prior to the effectiveness of this offering.

	•	the filing of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation immediately prior to the completion of this offering; and
	•	no exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional shares.

 

SUMMARY CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA

		Years ended December 31,
		2007(1)				2006(1)				2005
		(in thousands, except per share data)
Consolidated Statement of Operations Data:
Net revenue		$	35,414			$	20,058			$	10,689
Cost of revenue(2)			14,852				8,131				4,685
Gross profit			20,562				11,927				6,004
Operating expenses:
Sales and marketing(2)			5,230				3,648				1,779
General and administrative(2)			4,299				3,372				2,458
Research and development(2)			1,705				1,267				630
Total operating expenses			11,234				8,287				4,867
Income from operations			9,328				3,640				1,137
Other income (expense):
Interest expense			(105	)			(77	)			(216	)
Interest and other income			517				58				35
Income before provision for income taxes			9,740				3,621				956
Provision for income taxes			3,947				1,239				62
Net income		$	5,793			$	2,382			$	894
Earnings per share—basic		$	0.15			$	0.06			$	0.02
Earnings per share—diluted		$	0.14			$	0.06			$	0.02
Number of shares used in per share calculations:
Basic			39,060				38,018				36,790
Diluted			41,433				40,244				38,454

		As of December 31, 2007
		Actual				As Adjusted(3)
		(in thousands)
Consolidated Balance Sheet Data:
Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments		$	240
Total assets			27,304
Long-term liabilities			620
Total liabilities			7,243
Total stockholders’ equity			20,061

(1)		Effective January 1, 2006, we adopted the fair value recognition provisions of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123 (revised 2004), Share-Based Payment, or SFAS 123(R), using the prospective transition method, which requires the application of the provisions of SFAS 123(R) only to share-based payment awards granted, modified, repurchased or cancelled on or after the modification date. Under this method, we recognize stock-based compensation expense for all share-based payment awards granted after December 31, 2005 in accordance with SFAS 123(R).

(2)		Includes employee and non-employee stock-based compensation as follows:

		Years ended December 31,
		2007			2006			2005
		(in thousands)
Cost of revenue		$	117		$	143		$	88
Sales and marketing			372			310			86
General and administrative			388			428			731
Research and development			159			183			98
Total stock-based compensation		$	1,036		$	1,064		$	1,003

(3)		As adjusted to reflect the issuance of           shares of common stock in this offering at an assumed initial public offering price of $      per share, which is the mid-point of the price range listed on the cover page of this prospectus. Each $1.00 increase or decrease in the assumed initial public offering price of $           per share would increase or decrease, as applicable, the amount of cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments, total assets and total stockholders’ equity by approximately $      million, assuming the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

 

Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described below before making a decision to buy our common stock. If any of the following risks materializes, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be harmed. Consequently, the trading price of our common stock could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment. Before deciding to purchase any shares of our common stock, you should also refer to the other information contained in this prospectus, including “Forward-Looking Statements” and our consolidated financial statements and the related notes.

 

Risks Related to Our Business and Industry

 

We have relied and expect to continue to rely on sales of our PX devices for almost all of our revenue and a decline in sales of these products will cause our revenue to decline.

 

Our primary product is the PX device, and sales of our PX device historically have accounted for almost 100% of our revenue. While we sell a variety of models of the PX device depending on the design of the desalination plant and its desired output, all of our models rely on the same basic technology we have developed over the past 11 years. We expect that the revenue from our PX devices will continue to account for most of our revenue for the foreseeable future. Any factors adversely affecting the demand for the PX device, including competition, customer spending and industry regulations, would cause a significant decline in our revenue. Some of the factors that may affect sales of our PX device may be out of our control.

 

We depend on the construction of new desalination plants for revenue, and as a result, our operating results have experienced, and may continue to experience, significant variability due to volatility in capital spending and other factors affecting the water desalination industry.

 

The demand for our products may decrease if the construction of desalination plants declines. We derive substantially all of our revenue from the sale of products and services, directly or indirectly, to the municipal water supply, hotel and resort, and agricultural industries. Construction of desalination plants and subsequent installation of our products may be deferred or cancelled as a result of many factors, including changing governmental regulations, energy costs and reduced energy conservation capital spending. For instance, desalination projects on islands are often delayed due to unpredictable weather patterns. In addition, a significant amount of revenue generated by our original equipment manufacturer, or OEM, customers is dependent on long-term relationships, which are not always supported by long-term contracts. This revenue is particularly susceptible to variability based on changes in the spending patterns of such OEM customers. We have experienced and may in the future experience significant variability in our revenue, on both an annual and a quarterly basis, as a result of these factors. Pronounced variability or an extended period of reduction in spending by our customers and construction of desalination plants could negatively impact our business and make it difficult for us to accurately forecast our future sales, which could lead to increased spending by us that is not matched with equivalent or higher revenue.

 

New planned sea water reverse osmosis, or SWRO, projects can be cancelled and/or delayed, and cancellations and/or delays may negatively impact our revenue.

 

Due to delays in, or failure to obtain the approval of or permitting for, plant construction because of political factors, adverse financing conditions or other factors, especially in countries with political unrest, planned SWRO projects can be cancelled or delayed. Even though we may have a signed contract to produce a certain number of PX devices by a certain date, if a customer requests a delay of shipment and we accordingly delay shipment of our PX devices, our results of operations and revenue will be negatively impacted.

 

We rely on a limited number of engineering, procurement and construction, or EPC, customers for a large portion of our revenue. If our EPC customers cancel their commitments or do not purchase our products in connection with future projects, our revenue could significantly decrease, which would adversely affect our financial condition and future growth.

 

A limited number of our EPC customers accounts for a substantial portion of our net revenue. In 2007, three EPC customers, including their affiliated entities, accounted for 56% of our net revenue, and in 2006, two EPC customers, including their affiliated entities, accounted for 29% of our net revenue. Specifically, Acciona Water, Geida and its affiliated entities and Doosan Heavy Industries represented approximately 20%, 23% and 13% of our net revenue in 2007, respectively, and GE Ionics and Geida and its affiliated entities accounted for approximately 18% and 11% of our net revenue in 2006, respectively. We do not have long-term contracts with our EPC customers and instead sell to them on a

purchase order basis or under individual stand alone contracts. If our EPC customers reduce their purchases, our projected revenue will significantly decrease, which will adversely affect our financial condition and future growth. If one of our EPC customers delays or cancels one or more of its projects or if it fails to pay amounts due to us or delays its payments, our revenue or operating results could be negatively affected. There is a limited number of EPCs who are involved in the desalination industry. Thus, if one of our EPC customers decides not to continue to use our energy recovery devices in its future projects, we may not be able replace such a lost customer with another EPC customer and our net revenue would be negatively affected.

 

Our operating results may fluctuate significantly, which makes our future operating results difficult to predict and could cause our operating results to fall below expectations or our guidance.

 

Our operating results may fluctuate due to a variety of factors, many of which are outside of our control. Due to the fact that a single order for our PX devices for a particular desalination plant may represent significant revenue, we have experienced significant fluctuations in revenue from quarter to quarter, and we expect such fluctuations to continue. As a result, comparing our operating results on a period-to-period basis may not be meaningful. You should not rely on our past results as an indication of our future performance. If our revenue or operating results fall below the expectations of investors or securities analysts or below any guidance we may provide to the market, the price of our common stock would likely decline substantially.

 

In addition, factors that may affect our operating results include, among others:

 

 

If we are unable to collect unbilled receivables, our operating results will be adversely affected.

 

Our customer contracts generally contain holdback provisions pursuant to which the final installments to be paid under such sales contracts are due up to 24 months after the product has been shipped to the customer and revenue has been recognized. Typically, between 10 and 20 percent, and in some instances up to 30 percent, of the revenue we receive pursuant to our customer contracts are subject to such holdback provisions and are accounted for as unbilled receivables until we deliver invoices for payment. As of December 31, 2007, we had approximately $1.7 million of current unbilled receivables and approximately $2.3 million of non-current unbilled receivables. If we are unable to invoice and collect, or if our customers fail to make payments due under our sales contracts, our results of operations will be adversely affected.

If we lose key personnel upon whom we are dependent, we may not be able to execute our strategies. Our ability to increase our revenue will depend on hiring highly skilled professionals with industry-specific experience, particularly given the unique and complex nature of our devices.

 

Given the specialized nature of our business, we must hire highly skilled professionals with industry-specific experience. Our ability to successfully grow depends on recruiting skilled and experienced employees. We often compete with larger, better known companies for talented employees. Also, retention of key employees, such as our chief executive officer, who has over 30 years of experience in the water treatment industry, is vital to the successful execution of our growth strategies. Our failure to retain existing or attract future key personnel could harm our business.

 

The success of our business depends in part on our ability to develop new products and services and increase the functionality of our current products.

 

Since 2004, we have invested over $3 million in research and development costs associated with our PX products. From time to time, our customers have expressed a need for greater processing efficiency. In response, and as part of our strategy to enhance our energy recovery solutions and grow our business, we plan to continue to make substantial investments in the research and development of new technologies. For instance, we are in the process of developing the PX-1200 Titan as a product for use in increasingly larger desalination plants. While this product has the potential to provide greater capacity, it will be priced higher and may not perform as well as our other PX devices. It is possible that potential customers may not accept the new pricing structure. It is also possible that the release of this product may be delayed if testing reveals unexpected flaws. Our future success will depend in part on our ability to continue to design and manufacture new products, to enhance our existing products and to provide new value-added services. We may experience unforeseen problems in the performance of our existing and new technologies or products. Furthermore, we may not achieve market acceptance of our new products and solutions. If we are unable to develop competitive new products, or if the market does not accept such products, our business and results of operations will be adversely affected.

 

Our revenue and growth model depend upon the continued viability and growth of the SWRO industry using current technology.

 

If there is a downturn in the SWRO industry, our sales would be directly and adversely impacted. In addition, changes in SWRO technology could reduce the demand for our devices. For example, a reduction in the operating pressure used in SWRO plants could reduce the need for and viability of our energy recovery devices. Membrane manufacturers are actively working on lower pressure membranes for SWRO that could potentially be used on a large scale to desalinate sea water at a much lower pressure than is currently necessary. Similarly, an increase in the recovery rate would reduce the number of energy recovery devices required and would reduce the demand for our product. Any of these changes would adversely impact our revenue and growth.

 

The durable nature of the PX device may reduce potential aftermarket revenue opportunities.

 

Our PX devices utilize ceramic components that have to date demonstrated high durability, high corrosion resistance and long life in SWRO applications. Because most of our PX devices have only been installed for several years, it is difficult to accurately predict their performance or endurance over a longer period of time. Accordingly, our value proposition to customers may not be fulfilled and our opportunity to sell replacement components or units may be limited.

 

Our sales cycle can be long and unpredictable, and our sales efforts require considerable time and expense. As a result, our sales are difficult to predict and may vary substantially from quarter to quarter, which may cause our operating results to fluctuate.

 

Our sales efforts involve substantial education of our current and prospective customers about the use and benefits of our PX products. This education process can be extremely time consuming and typically involves a significant product evaluation process. While the sales cycle for our OEM customers, who are involved with smaller desalination plants, averages one to three months, the average sales cycle for our international EPC customers, who are involved with larger desalination plants, ranges from six to 16 months and has, in some cases, extended up to 24 months. Most of our EPC customers are located internationally or are themselves governmental entities. In addition, these customers generally must make a significant commitment of resources to test and evaluate our technologies. As a result, our sales process involving these customers is often subject to delays associated with lengthy approval processes that typically accompany the design, testing and adoption of new, technologically complex products. This long sales cycle makes quarter-by-quarter revenue predictions difficult and results in our investing significant resources well in advance of orders for our products.

Since a significant portion of our annual sales typically occurs during the fourth quarter, any delays could affect our annual revenue and operating results.

 

A significant portion of our annual sales typically occurs during the fourth quarter, which we believe generally reflects EPC customer buying patterns. Any delays or cancellation of expected sales during the fourth quarter would reduce our quarterly and annual revenue from what we anticipated. Such a reduction might cause our quarterly and annual revenue or quarterly and annual operating results to fall below the expectations of investors or securities analysts or below any guidance we may provide to the market, causing the price of our common stock to decline.

 

We depend on three vendors for our supply of ceramics, which is a key component of our products. If any of our ceramics vendors cancels its commitments or is unable to meet our demand and/or requirements, our business could be harmed.

 

We rely on a limited number of vendors to produce the ceramics used in our products. For the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005, our three ceramics suppliers represented approximately 66%, 71% and 62%, respectively, of our total purchases. From time to time our demand has grown faster than the supply capabilities of these vendors. If any of our suppliers were to cancel or materially change its commitment with us or fail to meet the quality or delivery requirements needed to satisfy customer orders for our products, we could lose customer orders, be unable to develop or sell our products cost-effectively or on a timely basis, if at all, and have significantly decreased revenue, which would harm our business, operating results and financial condition. We are currently in the process of qualifying a fourth supplier of ceramics. However, our qualification process is rigorous and there is no assurance that such additional supplier will be approved as a qualifying supplier. If we are unable to qualify this additional supplier, we may be exposed to increased risk of supply chain disruption and capacity shortages.

 

We depend on a single supplier for our supply of stainless steel castings. If our supplier is not able to meet our demand and/or requirements, it could harm our business.

 

We rely on a single foundry to produce all of our stainless steel castings for use in our PX products. Our reliance on a single manufacturer of stainless steel castings involves a number of significant risks, including reduced control over delivery schedules, quality assurance, manufacturing yields, production costs and lack of guaranteed production capacity or product supply. We do not have a long term supply agreement with our supplier and instead secure manufacturing availability on a purchase order basis. Our supplier has no obligation to supply products to us for any specific period, in any specific quantity or at any specific price, except as set forth in a particular purchase order. Our requirements represent a small portion of the total production capacities of our supplier and our supplier may reallocate capacity to other customers, even during periods of high demand for our products. We have in the past experienced and may in the future experience quality control issues and delivery delays with our supplier due to factors such as high industry demand or the inability of our vendor to consistently meet our quality or delivery requirements. If our supplier were to cancel or materially change its commitment with us or fail to meet the quality or delivery requirements needed to satisfy customer orders for our products, we could lose time-sensitive customer orders, be unable to develop or sell our products cost-effectively or on a timely basis, if at all, and have significantly decreased revenue, which would harm our business, operating results and financial condition. We may qualify additional suppliers in the future which would require time and resources. If we do not qualify additional suppliers, we may be exposed to increased risk of capacity shortages due to our complete dependence on our current supplier.

 

We face competition from a number of companies that offers competing energy recovery solutions. If any of these companies produces superior technology or offers more cost effective products, our competitive position in the market could be harmed and our profits may decline.

 

The market for energy recovery devices for desalination plants is competitive and continually evolving. The PX device competes with slow cycle isobarics, Pelton wheels and hydraulic turbochargers. Our three primary competitors are Calder AG, Fluid Equipment Development Company and Pump Engineering Incorporated. We expect competition to persist and intensify as the desalination market opportunity grows. Many of our current and potential competitors may have significantly greater financial, technical, marketing and other resources than we do and may be able to devote greater resources to the development, promotion, sale and support of their products. Also, our competitors may have more extensive customer bases and broader customer relationships than we do, including long-standing relationships or exclusive contracts with our current or potential customers. For instance, we have had difficulties penetrating some of the Caribbean markets because Consolidated Water Co. Ltd., a major builder of SWRO desalination plants in that area, has an exclusive license with Calder AG to use Calder’s technology. In addition, these companies may have longer operating histories and greater name recognition than we do. Our competitors may be in a stronger position to respond quickly to new technologies and may be able to market and sell their products more effectively. Moreover, if one or more of our competitors were to merge

or partner with another of our competitors or with current or potential customers, the change in the competitive landscape could adversely affect our ability to compete effectively.

 

We are subject to risks related to product defects, which could lead to warranty claims in excess of our warranty provisions or result in a large number of warranty claims in any given year.

 

We warrant our products for up to five years. We test our products in our manufacturing facilities through a variety of means. However, there can be no assurance that our testing will reveal latent defects in our products, which may not become apparent until after the products have been sold into the market. Accordingly, there is a risk that warranty claims may be filed due to product defects. We may incur additional operating expenses if our warranty provisions do not reflect the actual cost of resolving issues related to defects in our products. If these additional expenses are significant, they could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. While the number of warranty claims has not been significant to date, we are in the initial stages of offering such warranties to our customers. Accordingly, we cannot quantify the error rate of our products and cannot assure that a large number of warranty claims will not be filed in a given year. As a result, our operating expenses may increase if a large number of warranty claims are filed in any specific year, particularly towards the end of any given warranty period.

 

If we are unable to protect or enforce our intellectual property rights, our competitive position could be harmed and we could be required to incur significant expenses to enforce our rights.

 

We depend on our ability to protect our proprietary technology. We rely on trade secrets, patent, copyright and trademark laws and confidentiality agreements with employees and third parties, all of which offer only limited protection. We hold five United States patents and nine counterpart international patents relating to specific proprietary design features of our PX technology. The terms of these patents will begin to expire in 2011, at which time we could become more vulnerable to increased competition. In addition, we have applied for two new United States patents and 14 international counterpart patents covering our current and anticipated future PX designs. We do not hold patents in many of the countries into which we sell our PX devices, including Saudi Arabia, Algeria and China, and accordingly, the protection of our intellectual property in those countries may be limited. We also do not know whether any of our pending patent applications will result in the issuance of patents or whether the examination process will require us to narrow our claims, and even if patents are issued, they may be contested, circumvented or invalidated. Moreover, while we believe our remaining issued patents are essential to the protection of the PX technology, the rights granted under any of our issued patents or patents that may be issued in the future may not provide us with proprietary protection or competitive advantages, and, as with any technology, competitors may be able to develop similar or superior technologies to our own now or in the future. In addition, our granted patents may not prevent misappropriation of our technology, particularly in foreign countries where intellectual property laws may not protect our proprietary rights as fully as those in the United States. This may render our patents impaired or useless and ultimately expose us to currently unanticipated competition. Protecting against the unauthorized use of our products, trademarks and other proprietary rights is expensive, difficult and, in some cases, impossible. Litigation may be necessary in the future to enforce or defend our intellectual property rights or to determine the validity and scope of the proprietary rights of others. This litigation could result in substantial costs and diversion of management resources, either of which could harm our business.

 

Claims by others that we infringe their proprietary rights could harm our business.

 

Third parties could claim that our technology infringes their proprietary rights. In addition, we may be contacted by third parties suggesting that we obtain a license to certain of their intellectual property rights they may believe we are infringing. We expect that infringement claims against us may increase as the number of products and competitors in our market increases and overlaps occur. In addition, to the extent that we gain greater visibility, we believe that we will face a higher risk of being the subject of intellectual property infringement claims. Any claim of infringement by a third party, even those without merit, could cause us to incur substantial costs defending against the claim, and could distract our management from our business. Furthermore, a party making such a claim, if successful, could secure a judgment that requires us to pay substantial damages. A judgment against us could also include an injunction or other court order that could prevent us from offering our products. In addition, we might be required to seek a license for the use of such intellectual property, which may not be available on commercially reasonable terms, or at all. Alternatively, we may be required to develop non-infringing technology, which could require significant effort and expense and may ultimately not be successful. Any of these events could seriously harm our business. Third parties may also assert infringement claims against our customers and OEMs. Because we generally indemnify our customers and OEMs if our products infringe the proprietary rights of third parties, any such claims would require us to initiate or defend protracted and costly litigation on their behalf, regardless of the merits of these claims. If any of these claims succeeds, we may be forced to pay damages on behalf of our customers and OEMs.

If we fail to expand our manufacturing facilities to meet our future growth, our operating results could be adversely affected.

 

Our existing manufacturing facilities are capable of meeting current demand and demand for the foreseeable future. However, the future growth of our business depends on our ability to successfully expand our manufacturing, research and development and technical testing facilities. Larger products currently under development will require the design and construction of new manufacturing capacity. We intend to add new facilities or expand existing facilities as the demand for our devices increases. However, we cannot ensure that suitable additional or substitute space will be available to accommodate any such expansion of our operations.

 

If we need additional capital to fund future growth, it may not be available on favorable terms, or at all.

 

We have historically relied on outside financing to fund our operations, capital expenditures and expansion. We may require additional capital from equity or debt financing in the future to fund our operations, or respond to competitive pressures or strategic opportunities. We may not be able to secure such additional financing on favorable terms, or at all. The terms of additional financing may place limits on our financial and operating flexibility. If we raise additional funds through further issuances of equity, convertible debt securities or other securities convertible into equity, our existing stockholders could suffer significant dilution in their percentage ownership of our company, and any new securities we issue could have rights, preferences or privileges senior to those of existing or future holders of our common stock, including shares of common stock sold in this offering. If we are unable to obtain necessary financing on terms satisfactory to us, if and when we require it, our ability to grow or support our business and to respond to business challenges could be significantly limited.

 

If foreign and local governments no longer subsidize or are willing to engage in the construction and maintenance of desalination plants and projects, the demand for our products would decline and adversely affect our business.

 

Our products are used in SWRO desalination plants which are often times constructed and maintained through government subsidies. The rate of construction of desalination plants depends on each government’s willingness and ability to allocate funds for such projects. For instance, some desalination projects in the Middle East and North Africa are funded by budget surpluses driven by high crude oil and natural gas prices. If governments divert funds allocated for such projects to other projects or do not have budget surpluses, the demand for our products could decline and negatively affect our revenue base, which could harm the overall profitability of our business.

 

In addition, various water management agencies could alter demand for fresh water by investing in water reuse initiatives or limiting the use of water for certain agricultural purposes. Certain uses of water considered to be wasteful could be curtailed, resulting in more available water and less demand for alternative solutions such as desalination.

 

Our products are highly technical and may contain undetected flaws or defects which could harm our business and our reputation and adversely affect our financial condition.

 

The manufacture of our products is highly technical, and our products may contain latent defects or flaws. We test our products prior to commercial release and during such testing have discovered and may in the future discover flaws and defects that need to be resolved prior to release. Resolving these flaws and defects can take a significant amount of time and prevent our technical personnel from working on other important tasks. In addition, our products have contained and may in the future contain one or more flaws that were not detected prior to commercial release to our customers. Some flaws in our products may only be discovered after a product has been installed and used by customers. Any flaws or defects discovered in our products after commercial release could result in loss of revenue or delay in revenue recognition, loss of customers and increased service and warranty cost, any of which could adversely affect our business, operating results and financial condition. In addition, we could face claims for product liability, tort or breach of warranty. Our contracts with our customers contain provisions relating to warranty disclaimers and liability limitations, which may not be upheld. Defending a lawsuit, regardless of its merit, is costly and may divert management’s attention and adversely affect the market’s perception of us and our products. In addition, if our business liability insurance coverage proves inadequate or future coverage is unavailable on acceptable terms or at all, our business, operating results and financial condition could be harmed.

 

Our international sales and operations subject us to additional risks that may adversely affect our operating results.

 

Historically, we have derived a significant portion of our revenue from customers whose SWRO facilities utilizing the PX device are outside the United States. Many of such customers’ projects are in emerging growth countries with relatively young and unstable market economies and volatile political environments. We also have sales and technical support personnel stationed in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, among other regions, and we expect to continue to add personnel in additional countries. As a result, any governmental changes or reforms or disruptions in the business, regulatory or political

environment in the countries in which we operate or sell our products could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

Sales of our products have to date been denominated principally in U.S. dollars. Over the last several years, the U.S. dollar has weakened against most other currencies. Future increases in the value of the U.S. dollar, if any, would increase the price of our products in the currency of the countries in which our customers are located. This may result in our customers seeking lower-priced suppliers, which could adversely impact our operating results. A larger portion of our international revenue may be denominated in foreign currencies in the future, which would subject us to increased risks associated with fluctuations in foreign exchange rates.

 

Our international contracts and operations subject us to a variety of additional risks, including:

 

 

As we continue to expand our business globally, our success will depend, in large part, on our ability to anticipate and effectively manage these and other risks associated with our international operations. Our failure to manage any of these risks successfully could harm our international operations and reduce our international sales, which in turn could adversely affect our business, operating results and financial condition.

 

If we fail to manage future growth effectively, our business would be harmed.

 

Future growth in our business, if it occurs, will place significant demands on our management, infrastructure and other resources. To manage any future growth, we will need to hire, integrate and retain highly skilled and motivated employees. We will also need to continue to improve our financial and management controls, reporting and operational systems and procedures. If we do not effectively manage our growth, our business, operating results and financial condition would be adversely affected.

 

Our failure to achieve or maintain adequate internal control over financial reporting in accordance with U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, rules or prevent or detect material misstatements in our annual or interim consolidated financial statements in the future could materially harm our business and cause our stock price to decline.

 

As a public company, SEC rules require that we maintain internal control over financial reporting that provides reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and preparation of published financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Accordingly, we will be required to document and test our internal controls and procedures to assess the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. In addition, our independent registered public accounting firm will be required to report on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. In the future, we may identify material weaknesses and deficiencies which we may not be able to remediate in a timely manner. Material weaknesses may exist when we report on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting for purposes of our attestation required by reporting requirements under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 after this offering, with our first reporting obligation being in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ending December 31, 2009. If we fail to achieve or maintain effective internal control over financial reporting, we will not be able to conclude that we have maintained effective internal control over financial reporting or our independent registered public accounting firm may not be able to issue an unqualified report on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. As a result our ability to report our financial results on a timely and accurate basis may be adversely affected and investors may lose confidence in our financial information, which in turn could cause the market price of our common stock to decrease. We may also be required to restate our financial statements from prior periods. In addition, testing and maintaining internal control will require increased management time and resources. Any failure to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting could impair the success of our business and harm our financial results, and you could lose

all or a significant portion of your investment. If we have material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, the accuracy and timing of our financial reporting may be adversely affected.

 

Changes to financial accounting standards may affect our results of operations and cause us to change our business practices.

 

We prepare our financial statements to conform with generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP, in the United States. These accounting principles are subject to interpretation by the SEC and various other bodies. A change in those policies can have a significant effect on our reported results and may affect our reporting of transactions completed before a change is announced. Changes to those rules or the interpretation of our current practices may adversely affect our reported financial results or the way we conduct our business.

 

We may engage in future acquisitions that could disrupt our business, cause dilution to our stockholders and harm our financial condition and operating results.

 

In the future, we may acquire companies or assets that we believe may enhance our market position. We may not be able to find suitable acquisition candidates and we may not be able to complete acquisitions on favorable terms, if at all. If we do complete acquisitions, we cannot assure you that they will ultimately strengthen our competitive position or that they will not be viewed negatively by customers, financial markets or investors. In addition, any acquisitions that we make could lead to difficulties in integrating personnel and operations from the acquired businesses and in retaining and motivating key personnel from these businesses. Acquisitions may disrupt our ongoing operations, divert management from day-to-day responsibilities, increase our expenses and harm our operating results or financial condition. Future acquisitions may reduce our cash available for operations and other uses and could result in an increase in amortization expense related to identifiable assets acquired, potentially dilutive issuances of equity securities or the incurrence of debt, any of which could harm our business, operating results and financial condition.

 

Risks Related to this Offering

 

We will incur significant increased costs as a result of operating as a public company, and our management will be required to devote substantial time to compliance requirements.

 

As a public company, we will incur significant legal, accounting and other expenses that we did not incur as a private company. In addition, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or Sarbanes-Oxley, as well as rules subsequently implemented by the SEC and the NASDAQ Global Market, or NASDAQ, have imposed various requirements on public companies, including requiring changes in corporate governance practices. Our management and other personnel will need to devote a substantial amount of time to these compliance requirements. Moreover, these rules and regulations will increase our legal and financial compliance costs and will make some activities more time-consuming and costly. For example, we expect these rules and regulations to make it more difficult and more expensive for us to obtain director and officer liability insurance, and we may be required to accept reduced policy limits and coverage or incur substantial costs to maintain the same or similar coverage. These rules and regulations could also make it more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified persons to serve on our board of directors, our board committees or as executive officers.

 

The trading price of our common stock may be volatile, and you might not be able to sell your shares at or above the initial public offering price.

 

There are no directly comparable U.S. companies known to us whose securities are currently being publicly traded in the U.S. stock market. Additionally, our common stock has no prior trading history. Factors affecting the trading price of our common stock will include:

 

 

 

In addition, if the market for stocks of companies in industries related or similar to ours, or the stock market in general, experiences loss of investor confidence, the trading price of our common stock could decline for reasons unrelated to our business. The trading price of our common stock might also decline as a result of events that affect other companies in our industry even if these events do not directly affect us. Some companies that have had volatile market prices for their securities have had securities class actions filed against them. If a suit were filed against us, regardless of its merits or outcome, it could result in substantial costs and divert management’s attention and resources. This could harm our business, operating results and financial condition.

 

There has been no prior market for our common stock and our stock price may decline after this offering.

 

Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for shares of our common stock. Although we expect to apply to list our common stock on NASDAQ, an active public trading market for our common stock may not develop or, if it develops, may not be maintained after this offering. Our company and the representatives of the underwriters will negotiate to determine the initial public offering price. The initial public offering price may be higher than the trading price of our common stock following this offering. As a result, you could lose all or part of your investment.

 

Future sales of shares by our existing stockholders could cause our stock price to decline.

 

If our existing stockholders sell, or indicate an intention to sell, substantial amounts of our common stock in the public market after the lock-up agreements and other legal restrictions on resale discussed in this prospectus lapse, the trading price of our common stock could decline. See “Shares Eligible for Future Sale” below. Based upon shares outstanding as of          , 2008, we will have outstanding a total of           shares of common stock upon completion of this offering, an increase of     % from the number of shares outstanding prior to this offering. Of these shares, only the           shares of common stock sold in this offering will be freely tradeable, without restriction, in the public market. Our underwriters, however, may, in their sole discretion, permit our officers, directors and other current stockholders who are subject to the contractual lock-up to sell shares prior to the expiration of the lock-up agreements.

 

The lock-up agreements pertaining to this offering will expire 180 days from the date of this prospectus, although those lock-up agreements may be extended under certain circumstances. After the lock-up agreements expire, up to an additional           shares of common stock will be eligible for sale in the public market, based upon shares outstanding as of          , 2008,           of which are held by our directors, executive officers and other affiliates and will be subject to volume limitations under Rule 144 under the Securities Act and various vesting agreements. In addition, as of          , 2008, the           shares of common stock that are either subject to outstanding warrants or options or reserved for future issuance under our employee benefit plans will become eligible for sale in the public market to the extent permitted by the provisions of various vesting agreements, the lock-up agreements and Rules 144 and 701 under the Securities Act. If these additional shares are sold, or if it is perceived that they will be sold, in the public market, the trading price of our common stock could decline.

 

If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about us or our business, or publish projections for our business that exceed our actual results, our stock price and trading volume could decline.

 

The trading market for our common stock may be affected by the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us or our business. We do not currently have, and may never obtain, research coverage by securities and industry analysts. If no securities or industry analysts commence coverage of our company, the trading price for our stock and the trading volume could decline. In the event we obtain securities or industry analyst coverage, if one or more of the analysts who covers us downgrades our stock or publishes inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our stock price could decline. In addition, if we obtain analyst coverage, the analysts’ projections may have little or no relationship to the results we actually achieve and could cause our stock price to decline if we fail to meet their projections. If one or more of these analysts ceases coverage of our company or fails to publish reports on us regularly our stock price or trading volume could decline.

 

Insiders will continue to have substantial control over us after this offering and will be able to influence corporate matters.

 

Upon completion of this offering, our directors and executive officers and their affiliates will beneficially own, in the aggregate, approximately     % of our outstanding common stock, assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ option to

purchase additional shares, compared to     % represented by the shares sold in this offering, assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares. As a result, these stockholders will be able to exercise significant influence over all matters requiring stockholder approval, including the election of directors and approval of significant corporate transactions, such as a merger or other sale of our company or its assets. This concentration of ownership will limit your ability to influence corporate matters and may have the effect of delaying or preventing a third party from acquiring control over us. For more information regarding the ownership of our outstanding stock by our executive officers and directors and their affiliates, please see the section titled “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management” below.

 

As a new investor, you will experience substantial dilution as a result of this offering and future equity issuances.

 

The initial public offering price per share will be substantially higher than the net tangible book value per share of our common stock outstanding prior to this offering. As a result, investors purchasing common stock in this offering will experience immediate dilution of $      per share. In addition, we have issued options and warrants to acquire common stock at prices significantly below the initial public offering price. To the extent outstanding options are ultimately exercised, there will be further dilution to investors in this offering. This dilution is due in large part to the fact that our earlier investors paid substantially less than the initial public offering price when they purchased their shares of our stock. In addition, if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares, if outstanding warrants to purchase our common stock are exercised or if we issue additional equity securities, you will experience additional dilution.

 

We will have broad discretion to determine how to use the proceeds raised in this offering, and we may use the proceeds in ways that may not enhance our operating results or the price of our common stock.

 

We could spend the proceeds from this offering in ways our stockholders may not agree with or that do not yield a favorable return. We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering for general corporate purposes, which may include expansion of our sales and marketing and research and development efforts, capital expenditures, and potential acquisitions of, or investments in, complementary businesses, products and technologies. However, we do not have more specific plans for the net proceeds from this offering and will have broad discretion in how we use the net proceeds of this offering. If we do not invest or apply the proceeds of this offering in ways that improve our operating results, we may fail to achieve expected financial results, which could cause our stock price to decline.

 

After the completion of this offering, we do not expect to declare any dividends in the foreseeable future.

 

After the completion of this offering, we do not anticipate declaring any cash dividends to holders of our common stock in the foreseeable future. Consequently, investors must rely on sales of their common stock after price appreciation, which may never occur, as the only way to realize any future gains on their investment. Investors seeking cash dividends should not purchase our common stock.

 

Anti-takeover provisions in our charter documents and under Delaware law could discourage, delay or prevent a change in control of our company and may affect the trading price of our common stock.

 

Provisions in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws, as amended and restated upon the closing of this offering, may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control or changes in our management. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws to become effective upon completion of this offering include provisions that:

 

 

 

In addition, we are subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law regulating corporate takeovers. Section 203 generally prohibits us from engaging in a business combination with an interested stockholder subject to certain exceptions.

 

For information regarding these and other provisions, please see the section titled “Description of Capital Stock” below.

 

This prospectus includes forward-looking statements that relate to future events or our future financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “likely,” “will,” “would,” “could” and similar expressions or phrases identify these forward-looking statements.

 

All forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. The occurrence of the events described, and the achievement of the expected results, depend on many events, some or all of which are not predictable or within our control. Actual results may differ materially from expected results.

 

Factors that may cause actual results to differ from expected results include:

 

 

See the section above titled “Risk Factors” for a more complete discussion of these risks and uncertainties and for other risks and uncertainties. These factors and the other risk factors described in this prospectus are not necessarily all of the important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any of our forward-looking statements. Other unknown or unpredictable factors also could harm our results. Consequently, actual results or developments anticipated by us may not be realized or, even if substantially realized, may not have the expected consequences to, or effects on, us. Given these uncertainties, we caution you not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements.

All future written and verbal forward-looking statements attributable to us or any person acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. We undertake no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events discussed in this prospectus might not occur.

 

We estimate that our net proceeds from this offering will be approximately $      million, assuming an initial public offering price of $      per share, which is the midpoint of the range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses. Each $1.00 increase or decrease in the assumed initial public offering price of $      per share would increase or decrease, as applicable, the net proceeds to us by approximately $      million, assuming the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions payable to us. If the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares in this offering is exercised in full, we estimate that our net proceeds will be approximately $      million. We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares of our common stock by the selling stockholders.

 

We intend to use the net proceeds to us from this offering for working capital and other general corporate purposes, including to finance our growth, develop new products and fund capital expenditures. Additionally, we may expand our current business through acquisitions of other businesses, products or technologies. However, we do not have agreements or commitments for any specific acquisitions at this time.

 

Pending our use of the net proceeds from this offering, we intend to invest the proceeds in short-term, investment-grade interest-bearing instruments.

 

We have never declared nor paid cash dividends on our common stock. We currently intend to retain all available funds and any future earnings for use in the operation of our business and do not anticipate paying any dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future. Any future determination to declare dividends will be made at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on our financial condition, operating results, capital requirements, general business conditions and other factors that our board of directors may deem relevant.

 

The following table sets forth our capitalization as of December 31, 2007:

 

 

The information set forth in the table should be read together with the information set forth under “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” and our consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes, each appearing elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our net tangible book value as of December 31, 2007 was $19.7 million, or approximately $0.50 per share. Net tangible book value per share represents the amount of total tangible assets, less our total liabilities, divided by 39,777,446 shares of common stock outstanding.

 

Net tangible book value dilution per share to new investors represents the difference between the amount per share paid by purchasers of shares of common stock in this offering and the as adjusted net tangible book value per share of common stock immediately after completion of this offering. After giving effect to our sale of        shares of common stock in this offering at an assumed initial public offering price of $        per share, which is the midpoint of the range listed on the cover page of this prospectus, and after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses, our net tangible book value as of December 31, 2007 would have been $        million, or $        per share. This represents an immediate increase in net tangible book value of $        per share to existing stockholders and an immediate decrease in net tangible book value of $        per share to purchasers of common stock in this offering, as illustrated in the following table:

 

 

 

A $1.00 increase or decrease in the assumed initial public offering price of $        would increase or decrease, as applicable, our as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering by $        per share and the decrease in as adjusted net tangible book value per share to new investors in this offering by $        per share, assuming the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses payable by us.

 

If the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares of our common stock in full in this offering, the net tangible book value per share after this offering would be $        per share, the increase in net tangible book value per share to existing stockholders would be $        per share and the decrease in net tangible book value per share to new investors purchasing shares in this offering would be $        per share.

 

The following table presents as of December 31, 2007 the differences between the existing stockholders and the purchasers of shares in this offering with respect to the number of shares purchased from us, the total consideration paid and the average price paid per share:

 

 

The above discussion and tables assume no exercise of 1,280,608 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of stock options outstanding as of December 31, 2007 with a weighted average exercise price of $2.38 per share and 2,074,122 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of warrants outstanding as of December 31, 2007 with a weighted average exercise price of $0.52 per share. If all of these options and warrants were exercised, new investors ownership would be diluted by approximately 1% and total consideration would increase by approximately $4.1 million. In addition, if all these options and warrants were exercised, then as adjusted net tangible book value per share would increase from $           to $          , resulting in a reduction in the decrease in as adjusted net tangible book value per share to new investors in this offering of $           per share.

 

You should read the following selected consolidated historical financial data below in conjunction with “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and the consolidated financial statements, related notes and other financial information included in this prospectus. The selected financial data in this section is not intended to replace the consolidated financial statements and is qualified in its entirety by the consolidated financial statements and related notes included in this prospectus.

 

The selected consolidated statements of operations data for each of the three years in the periods ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005 and the consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2007 and 2006 are derived from our audited consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus, and the selected consolidated statements of operations data for each of the two years ended December 31, 2004 and 2003 and the consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2005, 2004 and 2003 are derived from our audited consolidated financial statements and related notes not included in this prospectus. Our historical results are not necessarily indicative of the results that should be expected in the future.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus. This discussion contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from those discussed below. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those identified below, and those discussed in the section titled “Risk Factors” included elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

Overview

 

We were founded in 1992 and are in the business of designing, developing and manufacturing energy recovery devices for sea water reverse osmosis, or SWRO, desalination plants. In early 1997, we introduced the initial version of our energy recovery device, the PX. In November 1997, we introduced and marketed our first ceramic-based PX device. As of December 31, 2007, we had shipped over 4,000 PX devices to desalination plants worldwide, including in China, Europe, India, Australia, Africa, the Middle East, North America and the Caribbean.

 

A majority of our net revenue has been generated by sales to large engineering, procurement and construction firms, or EPCs, who are involved with the design and construction of larger desalination plants. Sales to EPCs often involve a long sales cycle, or the time between the initial project tender and the time the PX device is shipped to the client, which can range from six to 16 months. A single EPC desalination project can generate an order for numerous PX devices and generally represents an opportunity for significant revenue. We also sell PX devices to original equipment manufacturers, or OEMs, which commission smaller desalination plants, order fewer PX devices per plant and have shorter sales cycles.

 

Due to the fact that a single order for PX devices by an EPC for a particular plant may represent significant revenue, we often experience significant fluctuations in net revenue from quarter to quarter. In addition, our EPC customers tend to order a significant amount of equipment for delivery in the fourth quarter and, as a consequence, a significant portion of our annual sales typically occurs during that quarter.

 

In 2007, three customers represented approximately 56% of our net revenue, and in 2006, two customers represented approximately 29% of our net revenue. Specifically, Acciona Water, Geida and its affiliates and Doosan Heavy Industries represented 20%, 23% and 13% of our total sales in 2007, respectively, and GE Ionics and Geida and its affiliates accounted for 18% and 11% of our total sales in 2006, respectively. We do not have long-term contracts with our EPC or our OEM customers and instead sell to them on a purchase order basis or under individual stand alone contracts. Orders may be postponed or delayed by our customers on short or no notice.

 

In 2007 and 2006, most of our revenue was attributable to sales outside of the United States. We expect sales outside of the United States to remain a significant portion of our revenue for the foreseeable future.

 

Our revenue is principally derived from the sales of our PX devices. We receive a small amount of revenue from the sale of booster pumps, which we manufacture and sell in connection with PX devices to smaller desalination plants. We also receive incidental revenue from services, such as product support, that we provide to our PX customers.

 

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

 

Our consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, or GAAP. These accounting principles require us to make estimates and judgments that can affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities as of the date of the consolidated financial statements as well as the reported amounts of revenue and expense during the periods presented. We believe that the estimates and judgments upon which we rely are reasonable based upon information available to us at the time that we make these estimates and judgments. To the extent there are material differences between these estimates and actual results, our consolidated financial results will be affected. The accounting policies that reflect our more significant estimates and judgments and which we believe are the most critical to aid in fully understanding and evaluating our reported financial results are revenue recognition, warranty costs, stock-based compensation, inventory valuation, allowances for doubtful accounts and income taxes.

 

Revenue Recognition

 

We recognize revenue in accordance with SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 104, Revenue Recognition. Revenue is recognized when the earnings process is complete, as evidenced by an agreement with the customer, transfer of title occurs, fixed pricing is determinable and collection is probable. Transfer of title typically occurs upon shipment of the equipment pursuant to a written purchase order or contract. Emerging Issues Task Force No. 00-21, Revenue Arrangements with Multiple Deliverables requires us to allocate the purchase price between the device and the value of the undelivered services

by applying the residual value method. Under this method, revenue allocated to undelivered elements is based on vendor-specific objective evidence of fair value of such undelivered elements, and the residual revenue is allocated to the delivered elements. Vendor specific objective evidence of fair value for such undelivered elements is based upon the price we charge for such product or service when it is sold separately. We may modify our pricing practices in the future, which could result in changes to our vendor specific objective evidence of fair value for such undelivered elements. Our purchase agreements typically provide for the provision by us of field services and training for commissioning of a desalination plant. Recognition of the revenue in respect of those services is deferred until provision of those services is complete. The services element of our contracts represent an incidental portion of the total contract price.

 

Under our revenue recognition policy, evidence of an arrangement has been met when we have an executed purchase order or a standalone contract. Typically, our smaller projects utilize purchase orders that conform to our standard terms and conditions that require the customer to remit payment generally within 30 to 90 days from product delivery. In some cases, if credit worthiness cannot be determined, prepayment is required from the smaller customers.

 

For our large projects, standalone contracts are utilized. For these contracts, consistent with industry practice, the customers typically require their suppliers, including our company, to accept contractual holdback provisions whereby the final amounts due under the sales contract are remitted over extended periods of time. These retention payments typically range between 10% and 20%, and in some instances up to 30%, of the total contract amount and are due and payable when the customer is satisfied that certain specified product performance criteria have been met upon commissioning of the desalinization plant, which in the case of our PX device may be 12 months to 24 months from the date of product delivery as described further below.

 

The specified product performance criteria for our PX device generally pertains to the ability of our products to meet our published performance specifications and warranty provisions, which our products have demonstrated on a consistent basis. This factor, combined with our historical performance metrics measured over the past 10 years, provides us with a reasonable basis to conclude that the PX device will perform satisfactorily upon commissioning of the plant. To help ensure this successful product performance, we provide service, consisting principally of supervision of customer personnel, and training to the customers during the commissioning of the plant. The installation of the PX device is relatively simple, requires no customization and is performed by the customer under the supervision of our personnel. We defer the fair value of the service and training component of the contract and recognize such revenue as services are rendered. Based on these factors, we have concluded that delivery and performance have been completed when the product has been delivered (title transfers) to the customer.

 

We perform an evaluation of credit worthiness on an individual contract basis to assess whether collectibility is reasonably assured. As part of this evaluation, we consider many factors about the individual customer, including the underlying financial strength of the customer and/or partnership consortium and our prior history or industry specific knowledge about the customer and its supplier relationships. To date, we have been able to conclude that collectibility was reasonably assured on our sales contracts at the time the product was delivered and title has transferred; however, to the extent that we conclude that we are unable to determine that collectibility is reasonably assured at the time of product delivery, we will defer all or a portion of the contract amount based on the specific facts and circumstances of the contract and the customer.

 

Under the stand-alone contracts, the usual payment arrangements are summarized as follows:

 

 

Under the terms of the retention payment component, we are generally required to issue to the customer a product performance guarantee in the form of a collateralized letter of credit, which is issued to the customer approximately 12 to 24 months after the product delivery date. The letter of credit is collateralized by restricted cash on deposit with our financial institution (see Restricted Cash under “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies”). The letter of credit remains in place for the performance period as specified in the contract, which is generally 24 months and which runs concurrent with our standard product warranty period. Once the letter of credit has been put in place, we invoice the customer for this final retention payment under the sales contract. During the time between the product delivery and the issuance of the letter of credit, the amount of the final retention is classified on the balance sheet as unbilled receivable, of which a portion may be classified as long term to the extent that the billable period extends beyond one year. Once the letter of credit is issued, we

invoice the customer and reclassify the retention amount from unbilled receivable to accounts receivable where it remains until payment, typically 120 to 150 days after invoicing (see Note 3—Balance Sheet Information: Unbilled Receivables).

 

Shipping and handling charges billed to customers are included in sales. The cost of shipping to customers is included in cost of revenue.

 

We do not provide our customers with a right to return our products. However, we accept returns of products that are deemed to be damaged or defective when delivered, subject to the provisions of the product warranty. Historically, product returns have not been significant.

 

We sell our products to EPC companies that are not subject to sales tax. Accordingly, the adoption of EITF Issue No. 06-3, How Taxes Collected from Customers and Remitted to Governmental Authorities Should Be Presented in the Income Statement (That is, Gross versus Net Presentation), does not have an impact on our consolidated financial statements.

 

Warranty Costs

 

We sell products with a limited warranty for a period of one to two years. In August 2007, we modified the warranty to offer a five-year term on the ceramic components for new sales agreements executed after August 7, 2007. We accrue for warranty costs based on estimated product failure rates, historical activity and expectations of future costs. We periodically evaluate and adjust the warranty costs to the extent actual warranty costs vary from the original estimates.

 

We may offer extended warranties on an exception basis and these are accounted for in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Technical Bulletin 90-1, Accounting for Separately Priced Extended Warranty and Product Maintenance Contracts for Sales of Extended Warranties.

 

Stock-Based Compensation

 

Prior to January 1, 2006, we accounted for stock-based employee compensation arrangements in accordance with the provisions of Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 25, Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees, or APB 25, and FASB Interpretation No. 44, Accounting for Certain Transactions Involving Stock Compensation, an Interpretation of APB Opinion No. 25, or FIN 44, and had adopted the disclosure provisions of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123, Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation, or SFAS 123, and SFAS No. 148, Accounting for Share-Based Compensation—Transition and Disclosure, or SFAS 148.

 

In February 2005, we offered to each of our employees the option to borrow from us an amount equal to the aggregate exercise price for all of their outstanding options pursuant to full recourse promissory notes at 3.76% interest, which are due in February 2010. The interest rate on the notes was deemed to be below market rate, resulting in a change in the deemed exercise price for the options. As a result, we are accounting for these options as variable option awards. For 2007, 2006 and 2005, we recorded $783,000, $1.1 million and $1.0 million, respectively, of stock-based compensation related to the options exercised with promissory notes. All of our executive officers and directors have subsequently repaid their notes.

 

Effective January 1, 2006, we adopted the fair value recognition provisions of SFAS No. 123(R), Share-Based Payment, using the prospective transition method, which requires us to apply the provisions of SFAS 123(R) only to awards granted, modified, repurchased or cancelled after the adoption date. Upon adoption of SFAS 123(R), we selected the Black-Scholes option pricing model as the most appropriate method for determining the estimated fair value for stock-based awards. The Black-Scholes model requires the use of highly subjective and complex assumptions to determine the fair value of stock-based awards, including the option’s expected term and the price volatility of the underlying stock. The value of the portion of the award that is ultimately expected to vest is recognized as expense over the requisite vesting period on a straight-line basis in our consolidated statements of operations and the expense is reduced for estimated forfeitures. SFAS 123(R) requires forfeitures to be estimated at the time of grant and revised, if necessary, in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differ from those estimates. For the years ended December 31, 2007 and 2006 we recognized stock-based compensation under SFAS 123(R) of $251,000 and $13,000, respectively.

 

To determine the inputs for the Black-Scholes option pricing model, we are required to develop several assumptions, which are highly subjective. These assumptions include:

 

 

We use comparable public company data to determine volatility, as our common stock has not yet been publicly traded. We use a weighted average calculation to estimate the time our options will be outstanding as prescribed by Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 107, Share-Based Payment. We estimate the number of options that are expected to be forfeited based on our historical experience and expected future forfeiture patterns. The risk-free rate is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant for the estimated life of the option. We use our judgment and expectations in setting future dividend rates, which is currently expected to be zero.

 

The absence of an active market for our common stock also requires our management and board of directors to estimate the fair value of our common stock for purposes of granting options and for determining stock-based compensation expense. In response to these requirements, our management and board of directors estimate the fair market value of common stock on an annual basis, based on factors such as the price of the most recent common stock sales to investors, the valuations of comparable companies, the status of our development and sales efforts, our cash and working capital amounts, revenue growth and additional objective and subjective factors relating to our business.

 

The following table shows the stock option grants during 2007:

 

Grants Made During the
Quarter Ended,		Number of Options		Exercise Price
March 31, 2007		—			—
June 30, 2007		69,200		$	5.00
September 30, 2007		—			—
December 31, 2007		112,700		$	5.00

 

In 2007, our board of directors determined that the fair market value of common stock for options granted that year was $5.00 per share. The fair value of the common stock for options granted was estimated by our board of directors with input from management and by reference to our stock price in conjunction with the sale of 1,000,000 shares of our common stock at $5.00 per share in a private placement to third parties in May 2007. In March 2008, we retained an independent valuations firm that prepared the valuation of our common stock for 2007, 2006 and 2005. The valuation firm utilized the discounted cash flow methodology as well as trading multiples of companies based on revenue and cash generation to estimate the value of the options as of each valuation date. The discounted cash flow methodology was used as confirming evidence of the reasonableness of the comparable company trading multiple estimates. The valuation firm’s conclusion was that as of June 30, 2007, 2006 and 2005, the fair market value of our common stock was not materially above or below the prices we used to estimate the value of the options during those years.

 

Based on the estimated initial public offering price of $           per share, which is the mid-point of the price range listed on the cover page of this prospectus, the aggregate intrinsic value of options outstanding as of March 31, 2008 was $          , of which $           related to vested options and $           related to unvested options.

 

For options granted during 2007, we determined the fair value at date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The following table summarizes the assumptions used in determining the fair value of stock options granted.

 

		Year Ended
		December 31, 2007
Risk-free interest rate		3.45%
Expected term		5 years
Dividend yield		0%
Expected volatility		50%

 

We account for equity instruments issued in exchange for the receipt of goods or services from non-employees in accordance with the consensus reached by the Emerging Issues Task Force, or EITF, in Issue No. 96-18, Accounting for Equity Instruments That Are Issued to Other Than Employees for Acquiring, or in Conjunction with Selling, Goods or Services. Costs are measured at the fair market value of the consideration received or the fair value of the equity instruments issued, whichever is more reliably measurable. The value of equity instruments issued for consideration other than employee services is determined on the earlier of the date on which there first exists a firm commitment for performance by the provider of goods or services or on the date performance is complete, using the Black-Scholes pricing model.

Inventories

 

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost (using the weighted average cost method) or market. We calculate inventory reserve for excess and obsolete inventories based on estimated future demand of the products and spare parts. Cost of inventory is determined in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 151, Inventory Costs, an amendment of ARB No. 43, Chapter 4, or SFAS 151.

 

Allowances for Doubtful Accounts

 

We record a provision for doubtful accounts based on our historical experience and a detailed assessment of the collectability of our accounts receivable. In estimating the allowance for doubtful accounts, our management considers, among other factors, (1) the aging of the accounts receivable, (2) our historical write-offs, (3) the credit worthiness of each customer and (4) general economic conditions. Our allowance for doubtful accounts was $121,000, $230,000 and $150,000 at December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005, respectively. If we were to experience unanticipated collections issues, it could have an adverse affect on our operating results in future periods.

 

Income Taxes

 

We account for income taxes in accordance with SFAS No. 109, Accounting for Income Taxes, or SFAS 109, issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board, or FASB. SFAS 109 requires an entity to recognize deferred tax liabilities and assets. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequence attributable to the difference between the tax bases of assets and liabilities and their reported amounts in the financial statements. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using the enacted tax rate expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that included the enactment date. Valuation allowances are provided if, based upon the available evidence, management believes it is more likely than not that some or all of the deferred assets will not be realized or the use of prior years’ net operating losses may be limited.

 

On July 13, 2006, the FASB issued Interpretation No. 48, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes – An Interpretation of FASB Statement No. 109, or FIN 48. FIN 48 clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in any entity’s financial statements in accordance with SFAS 109 and prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement attributes for financial statement disclosure of tax positions taken or expected to be taken on a tax return. Under FIN 48, the impact of an uncertain income tax position on the income tax return must be recognized at the largest amount that is more likely than not to be sustained upon audit by the relevant taxing authority. An uncertain income tax position will not be recognized if it has less than a 50% likelihood of being sustained. Additionally, FIN 48 provides guidance on de-recognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosure and transition. We adopted the provisions of FIN 48 on January 1, 2007. Measurement under FIN 48 is based on judgment regarding the largest amount that is greater than 50% likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement with a taxing authority. The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits as of the date of adoption was immaterial. As a result of the implementation of FIN 48, there was no change to our tax liability.

 

We adopted the accounting policy that interest recognized in accordance with Paragraph 15 of FIN 48 and penalty recognized in accordance with Paragraph 16 of FIN 48 are classified as part of income taxes. The amounts of interest and penalty recognized in the statement of operations and statement of financial position for 2007 were insignificant.

 

Our operations are subject to income and transaction taxes in the United States and in foreign jurisdictions. Significant estimates and judgments are required in determining our worldwide provision for income taxes. Some of these estimates are based on interpretations of existing tax laws or regulations. The ultimate amount of tax liability may be uncertain as a result.

 

We are subject to taxation in the U.S. and various states and foreign jurisdictions. There are no ongoing examinations by taxing authorities at this time. Our various tax years from 1997 through 2007 remain open in various taxing jurisdictions.

Results of Operations

 

The following table sets forth certain data from our historical operating results as a percentage of revenue for the years indicated:

 

 

 

 

2007 Compared to 2006 and 2005

 

Net Revenue

 

Net revenue is reported net of volume discounts. We derive our revenue principally from sales of our PX devices. Our net revenue increased by $15.4 million, or 77%, to $35.4 million in 2007 from $20.1 million in 2006, and by $9.4 million in 2006, or 88%, from $10.7 million in 2005. These increases were principally due to higher sales of our PX-220 device, which resulted primarily from increased market acceptance of the device and the overall growth of the desalination market. Prices were relatively constant for our PX devices in 2007, 2006 and 2005. In 2007, the sales of PX devices accounted for approximately 96% of our revenue increase with pump sales accounting for approximately 4% of the increase. In 2006, the sales of PX devices accounted for approximately 92% of the increase, with pump sales accounting for approximately 4% of the increase and spare parts and services accounting for the remainder of the increase.

 

The following geographic information includes net revenue to our domestic and international customers based on the customers’ requested delivery locations, except for certain cases in which the customer directed us to deliver our products to a location that differs from the known ultimate location of use. In such cases, the ultimate location of use is reflected in the table below instead of the delivery location.

 

 

 

 

Gross Profit

 

Gross profit represents our net revenue less our cost of revenue. Our cost of revenue consists primarily of raw materials, personnel costs (including stock-based compensation), manufacturing overhead, warranty costs, capital costs, excess and obsolete inventory expense, and manufactured components. The largest component of our cost of revenue is raw materials, principally ceramic materials, which we obtain from several suppliers. Gross profit, as a percentage of net revenue, remained relatively constant at 58% in 2007 as compared to 59% in 2006 and 56% in 2005. Stock compensation expense included in cost of revenue was $117,000 in 2007, $143,000 in 2006 and $88,000 in 2005.

 

Sales and Marketing Expense

 

Sales and marketing expense consists primarily of personnel costs (including stock-based compensation), sales commissions, marketing programs and facilities cost associated with sales and marketing activities. Sales and marketing expense increased by $1.6 million, or 43%, to $5.2 million in 2007 from $3.6 million in 2006, and by $1.9 million in 2006, or 105%, from $1.8 million in 2005. These increases were primarily related to growth in our sales that resulted in higher headcount with sales and marketing employees increasing to seven at December 31, 2007 from six at December 31, 2006 and four at December 31, 2005. In addition, our sales team is compensated in part by commissions, resulting in increased sales expense as our sales levels increase.

 

As a percentage of our net revenue, sales and marketing expense decreased to 15% in 2007 from 18% in 2006 and 17% in 2005. The decrease in 2007 was attributable principally to the significant increase in our net revenue that year, which grew at a greater rate than our sales and marketing expenses.

 

With respect to the $1.6 million increase in sales and marketing expenses in 2007, $734,000 of such increase related to compensation and employee related benefits, $259,000 related to consultant fees, $249,000 related to travel and related expenses, $151,000 related to increased occupancy costs and $125,000 related to sales and marketing efforts. From 2005 to 2006, $1.1 million of the $1.9 million increase related to compensation and employee related benefits, while the remaining increase was primarily comprised of $645,000 related to outside marketing costs and $89,000 in increased lease facilities. Stock-based compensation expense included in sales and marketing expense was $372,000 in 2007, $310,000 in 2006 and $86,000 in 2005.

 

We plan to continue to invest heavily in sales and marketing by increasing the number of our sales personnel and we expect sales and marketing expenses in absolute dollars to increase in future periods. Our sales personnel are not immediately productive and therefore the increase in sales expense that we incur when we add new sales personnel is not immediately offset by increased revenue and may never result in increased revenue. The timing of our hiring of new sales

personnel and the rate at which they generate incremental revenue could therefore affect our future period-to-period financial performance.

 

General and Administrative Expense

 

General and administrative expense consists primarily of personnel (including stock-based compensation) and facilities costs related to our executive, finance and human resources organizations, as well as fees for professional services. Professional services consist of fees for outside legal and audit services and preparation for operating as a public company.

 

General and administrative expense increased by $927,000, or 28%, to $4.3 million in 2007 from $3.4 million in 2006, and by $915,000 in 2006, or 37%, from $2.5 million in 2005. These increases reflected in part the increase in general and administrative employees to 13 at December 31, 2007 from eight at December 31, 2006 and from six at December 31, 2005.

 

As a percentage of our net revenue, general and administrative expense was 12% in 2007, 17% in 2006 and 23% in 2005. The decrease of general and administrative expense as a percentage of net revenue was attributable principally to the significant increases in our net revenue.

 

The primary reason for the increase in general and administrative expenses was the growth in our operations that resulted in higher headcount including the recruitment of an officer, renting of additional facility space, increased travel and increased bank fees. With respect to the $927,000 increase in such expenses in 2007, $513,000 related to compensation, employee-related benefits and professional services fees, $139,000 related to bank charges, $46,000 related to office supplies and equipment, $89,000 related to occupancy costs, and $349,000 related to other expenses (general recruiting, patent amortization and travel), offset by $184,000 related to bad debt. With respect to the $915,000 increase in 2006, $870,000 related to compensation, employee-related benefits and professional service fees. Stock based compensation expense included in general and administrative expense was $388,000 in 2007, $428,000 in 2006 and $731,000 in 2005.

 

We expect to incur significant additional accounting and legal costs after this offering related to compliance with rules and regulations implemented by the SEC and NASDAQ, as well as additional insurance, investor relations and other costs associated with being a public company. Consequently, we expect general and administrative expenses in absolute dollars to increase in future periods.

 

Research and Development Expense

 

Research and development expenses include costs associated with the design, development, testing and enhancement of our products. Research and development expenses include employee compensation (including stock-based compensation), supplies and materials, consulting expenses, travel and facilities overhead. All research and development expenses are expensed as incurred.

 

Research and development expense increased by $438,000, or 35%, to $1.7 million in 2007 from $1.3 million in 2006, and by $637,000 in 2006, or 101%, from $630,000 in 2005. As a percentage of our net revenue, research and development expense decreased to 5% in 2007, from 6% in 2006 and in 2005.

 

Compensation, employee-related benefits, consulting services and depreciation of development equipment accounted for $151,000 of the $438,000 increase from 2006 to 2007. The remainder of the increase in 2007 was primarily attributable to $173,000 in product development costs and $98,000 in travel expense. Compensation, employee-related benefits, consulting services and depreciation of development equipment accounted for $413,000 of the $637,000 increase from 2005 to 2006. Stock-based compensation expense included in research and development expense was $159,000 in 2007, $183,000 in 2006 and $98,000 in 2005.

 

We believe that continued spending on research and development to develop new PX devices and other products is critical to our success and, consequently, we expect to increase research and development expenses in absolute dollars in future periods.

 

Other Income (Expense), Net

 

Other income (expense), net includes interest income on cash balances and short-term investments, and losses or gains on conversion of non-United States dollar transactions into United States dollars. Our losses or gains on currency conversions have not been material to date because our international sales have been denominated principally in United States dollars, and our foreign currency exposure risk has been limited to expense incurred in our overseas operations. If we are successful in increasing our international sales we may be subject to currency conversion risks because some of the

international sales could be denominated in foreign currencies. We have historically invested our available cash balances in money market funds, short-term United States Treasury obligations and commercial paper.

 

Other income (expense), net increased by $432,000 to $413,000 in 2007 from $(19,000) in 2006, and decreased by $162,000 to $(19,000) in 2006 from $(182,000) in 2005. The increase in net interest and other income from 2006 to 2007 was primarily attributable to gains on foreign currency transactions of $355,000 in 2007 and higher average cash balances, which resulted in higher interest income in 2007. The decrease in net interest expense from 2005 to 2006 was primarily attributable to a reduction in the use of the line of credit and associated interest expense due to increased profitability.

Quarterly Results of Operations

 

The following table sets forth our unaudited quarterly consolidated statement of operations data for each of our eight fiscal quarters in the period ended December 31, 2007. The quarterly data have been prepared on the same basis as the audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus, and reflect all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair presentation of this information. Our results for these quarterly periods are not necessarily indicative of the operating results for a full year or any future period.

 

 

 

 

The following table sets forth our historical quarterly operating results as a percentage of net revenue for the periods indicated:

 

 

 

 

 

Net Revenue. Although annual net revenue increased by $15.3 million, or 77%, to $35.4 million in 2007 from $20.1 million in 2006, there were significant fluctuations in quarterly revenue in 2007 and 2006. Such fluctuations are due to the fact that a particular order from an EPC customer can represent significant revenue and that the postponement or cancellation of a large order can have a significant impact. In addition, as a result of EPC buying patterns, a higher proportion of our sales occurs in the fourth quarter compared to other quarters of the year. EPCs recognize revenue and services fees as a function of the equipment they procure and install. Because the fiscal year of most of these companies ends on December 31, EPCs tend to increase their purchase of our PX units and other plant equipment in the fourth quarter.

Gross Profit. The quarterly changes in gross profit were mainly a result of the fluctuations in net revenue. From quarter to quarter, our fixed costs have generally remained constant, and thus changes to revenue caused corresponding changes to our gross profit. Some of the more significant components of our fixed costs are salaries, manufacturing overhead and insurance. Because our variable costs make up a significant percentage of our cost of revenue, the largest components of which are materials, incremental labor costs and overtime, our variable costs mitigated somewhat the effects of revenue fluctuations on our gross profit.

 

Sales and Marketing Expenses. Sales and marketing expenses generally grew incrementally as a result of growth in our sales organization. Due to commissions, such expenses are generally highest in the fourth quarter as sales are typically greatest in that quarter.

 

Fluctuations in Quarterly Results. Our quarterly results of operation have fluctuated significantly in the past and are expected to fluctuate significantly in the future due to a number of factors, many of which are not in our control. We believe period to period comparisons are not necessarily meaningful and should not be relied upon as indicative of future results. See “Risk Factors—Our operating results may fluctuate significantly, which makes our future operating results difficult to predict and could cause our operating results to fall below expectations or our guidance.”

 

Liquidity and Capital Resources

 

As of December 31, 2007, our principal sources of liquidity consisted of cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments of $240,000 and accounts receivable of $14.8 million. Our cash equivalents and short-term investments are invested primarily in money market funds, short-term United States Treasury obligations and commercial paper.

 

Our primary source of cash historically has been proceeds from the issuance of common stock and customer payments for our products and services. From January 1, 2005 through December 31, 2007, we issued common stock for aggregate net proceeds of $6.5 million. The proceeds from the sales of common stock have been used to fund our operations and capital expenditures.

 

On December 1, 2005, we entered into an agreement with a financial institution for a $2.0 million revolving note, or revolving note, and a $222,000 fixed rate-installment note, or fixed note, with maturity dates of December 1, 2006, subsequently extended to March 1, 2007, and December 15, 2010, respectively. The revolving note bears interest of base rate or LIBOR-based rate as elected by us. The interest rate was amended on April 26, 2006 to modify the definition of base rate and increase the rate to base rate plus 1% or LIBOR plus 2.5%. The fixed note bears an annual interest rate of 10%. These notes are secured by our accounts receivable, inventories, property, equipment and other general intangibles except for intellectual property.

 

On April 26, 2006, we also entered into a loan and security agreement with the financial institution for an additional $2.0 million credit facility with a maturity date of December 1, 2006, subsequently extended to March 1, 2007. The credit facility advances bear interest rates of base rate plus 1% or LIBOR plus 2.5%. The credit facility is secured by our cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, inventory, property and other general intangibles except for intellectual property.

 

On December 7, 2006, the revolving note was amended to increase the face amount of the note to $3.5 million.

 

On March 1, 2007, we renewed the revolving note and the loan and security agreement, or the first modification, to a maturity date of March 31, 2008. Additional amended terms under the first modification were an interest rate change to base rate or LIBOR plus 2.5%, limitation of advances to a borrowing base, various reporting requirements and our satisfaction of certain financial ratios and covenants.

 

On March 28, 2007, we modified the loan and security agreement, or the second modification, to add a $1.0 million equipment promissory note. The equipment promissory note bears an interest rate of cost of funds plus 3% and matures August 31, 2012. Additional amended terms under the second modification were changes to the financial ratios and covenants that we are required to maintain.

 

As of December 31, 2006, borrowings outstanding on the revolving note and the fixed note were $438,000 and $178,000, respectively. There were no borrowings under the credit facility. The interest rate for the revolving note elected by us was the base rate at 9.25%. We were in compliance with all covenants under the loan and security agreement.

 

As of December 31, 2007 there were no borrowings under the revolving note and the credit facility. The amounts outstanding on the fixed note and the equipment promissory note were $133,000 and $596,000, respectively at December 31, 2007. The interest rate for the equipment promissory note at December 31, 2007 was 7.81%. We were in compliance with all covenants under the loan and security agreement.

 

On March 27, 2008, we entered into a new credit agreement with our existing financial institution that replaced the $2.0 million credit facility and the $3.5 million revolving note. The new credit facility allows borrowings of up to $9.0 million on a revolving basis at LIBOR plus 2.75%. This new credit facility expires on September 30, 2008 and is secured by our accounts receivable, inventories, property, equipment and other intangibles except intellectual property.

 

During 2007, 2006 and 2005, we provided certain customers with irrevocable standby letters of credit to secure our obligations for the delivery of products in accordance with sales arrangements. These letters of credit were issued under our revolving note credit facility and generally terminate within eight months from issuance. At December 31, 2007 the amounts outstanding on the letters of credit totaled approximately $2.2 million.

 

We have unbilled receivables pertaining to customer contractual holdback provisions, whereby we invoice the final installment due under a sales contract six to 24 months after the product has been shipped to the customer and revenue has been recognized. Long-term unbilled receivables as of December 31, 2007 and 2006 consisted of unbilled receivables from customers due more than one year subsequent to period end. The customer holdbacks represent amounts intended to provide a form of security for the customer rather than a form of long-term financing; accordingly, these receivables have not been discounted to present value. At December 31, 2007, we had $1.7 million of current unbilled receivables and $2.3 million of non-current unbilled receivables.

 

Cash Flows from Operating Activities

 

Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities was $(2.8) million and $822,000 in 2007 and 2006, respectively. The $3.7 million increase in net cash used in operating activities from 2006 to 2007 was primarily attributable to increases in accounts and unbilled receivables.

 

Within changes in assets and liabilities, changes in accounts and unbilled receivables used $(9.2) million in cash in 2007 compared to $(3.2) million used in 2006 due to the timing of invoices for large projects at the end of 2007, along with a 77%, or $15.4 million, increase in net sales for the year. Changes in inventory used $(2.0) million in cash in 2007 compared to $(960,000) in 2006 primarily as a result of the growth of our business. Changes in accounts payable provided $583,000 in 2007 compared to $270,000 in 2006 due to the timing of payments. Changes in accrued liabilities provided $214,000 in 2007 compared to $1.0 million in 2006, primarily due to timing of payments. Changes in deferred revenue provided $343,000 in 2007 compared to $115,000 in 2006, primarily due to increased sales.

 

Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities was $822,000 in 2006 and $(694,000) in 2005. The $1.5 million decrease in net cash used in operating activities from 2005 to 2006 was primarily attributable to a $1.5 million increase in net income.

 

Within changes in assets and liabilities, changes in accounts and unbilled receivables used $(3.2) million in cash in 2006 compared to $(3.1) million in 2005. Changes in inventory used $(960,000) in cash in 2006 compared to $(901,000) in 2005 primarily as a result of the growth of our business. Changes in accounts payable provided $270,000 in cash in 2006 compared to $346,000 in 2005 due to the timing of payments. Changes in accrued liabilities provided $1.0 million in cash in 2006 compared to $(23,000) in 2005, primarily due to increased accrued bonuses and deferred revenue. Changes in deferred revenue provided $115,000 in cash in 2006 compared to $30,000 in 2005, primarily due to increased business.

 

Cash Flows from Investing Activities

 

Cash flows from investing activities primarily relate to capital expenditures to support our growth, as well as increases in our restricted cash used to collateralize our letters of credit.

 

Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities was $(2.0) million in 2007, $(511,000) in 2006 and $(1.0) million in 2005. $1.0 million of the increase in net cash used in investing activities from 2006 to 2007 was attributable to the increase in restricted cash balances along with $918,000 used for the purchase of property and equipment. The decrease in net cash used in investing activities from 2005 to 2006 was primarily attributable to fewer purchases of property, plant and equipment.

 

Cash Flows from Financing Activities

 

Net cash provided by financing activities was $5.1 million in 2007 and net cash used was $(530,000) in 2006. Net cash provided by financing activities was $1.9 million in 2005. The increase in net cash provided by financing activities in 2007 was primarily attributable to our issuance of common stock in a private placement.

 

We believe that our existing cash balances, together with the anticipated net proceeds from this offering and cash generated from our operations, will be sufficient to meet our anticipated capital requirements for at least the next 12 months.

However, we may need to raise additional capital or incur additional indebtedness to continue to fund our operations in the future. Our future capital requirements will depend on many factors, including our rate of revenue growth, if any, the expansion of our sales and marketing and research and development activities, the timing and extent of our expansion into new geographic territories, the timing of introductions of new products and the continuing market acceptance of our products. Although we currently are not a party to any agreement or letter of intent with respect to potential material investments in, or acquisitions of, complementary businesses, services or technologies, we may enter into these types of arrangements in the future, which could also require us to seek additional equity or debt financing. Additional funds may not be available on terms favorable to us or at all.

 

Contractual Obligations

 

The following is a summary of our contractual obligations as of December 31, 2007 (in thousands):

 

		Payments Due by Period
					Less than									More than
		Total			1 Year			1-3 Years			3-5 Years			5 Years
Notes payable		$	729		$	172		$	472		$	85		$	—
Operating lease obligations			862			411			451			—			—
Capital lease obligations (including interest)*			120			50			70			—			—
Total		$	1,691		$	633		$	993		$	85		$	—

 

 

 

In the course of our normal operations, we also entered into purchase commitments with our suppliers for various key raw materials and component parts. The purchase commitments covered by these arrangements are subject to change based on our sales forecasts for future deliveries. As of December 31, 2007 purchase commitments with our suppliers were approximately $8.1 million.

 

This table excludes agreements with guarantees or indemnity provisions that we have entered into with, among others, customers and OEMs in the ordinary course of business. Based on our historical experience and information known to us as of December 31, 2007, we believe that our exposure related to these guarantees and indemnities as of December 31, 2007 was not material.

 

Supplier Concentration

 

Certain of the raw materials and components that we use in the manufacturing of our products are available from a limited number of suppliers. We do not enter into long-term supply contracts with these suppliers. For instance, we purchase the ceramic components for the PX device pursuant to standard purchase orders that specify the quantity and price of various component parts to be delivered over a three-month period. We then update the pricing and quantity of our purchase orders based upon our most current forecast on a quarterly basis. Shortages could occur in these essential materials and components due to an interruption of supply or increased demand in the industry. If we are unable to procure certain of such materials or components, we would be required to reduce our manufacturing operations, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.

 

For the years ended December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005, three suppliers represented approximately 66%, 71% and 62%, respectively, of our total purchases. As of December 31, 2007 and 2006, approximately 60% and 77%, respectively, of our accounts payable were due to these suppliers.

 

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

 

During the periods presented, we did not have any relationships with unconsolidated entities or financial partnerships, such as entities often referred to as structured finance or special purpose entities, which would have been established for the purpose of facilitating off-balance sheet arrangements or other contractually narrow or limited purpose.

 

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

 

In September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS No. 157, Fair Value Measurements, or SFAS 157. SFAS 157 defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value, and enhances fair value measurement disclosure. In February 2008,

the FASB issued FASB Staff Position 157-1, Application of FASB Statement No. 157 to FASB Statement No. 13 and Other Accounting Pronouncements That Address Fair Value Measurements for Purposes of Lease Classification or Measurement under Statement 13, or FSP 157-1, and FSP 157-2, Effective Date of FASB Statement No. 157, or FSP 157-2. FSP 157-1 amends SFAS 157 to remove certain leasing transactions from its scope. FSP 157-2 delays the effective date of SFAS 157 for all non-financial assets and non-financial liabilities, except for items that are recognized or disclosed at fair value in the financial statements on a recurring basis (at least annually), until the beginning of the first quarter of 2009. The measurement and disclosure requirements related to financial assets and financial liabilities are effective for us beginning in the first quarter of 2008. The adoption of SFAS 157 for financial assets and financial liabilities will not have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements. However, the resulting fair values calculated under SFAS 157 after adoption may be different from the fair values that would have been calculated under previous guidance. We are currently evaluating the impact that SFAS 157 will have on our consolidated financial statements when it is applied to non-financial assets and non-financial liabilities beginning in the first quarter of 2009.

 

In February 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 159, The Fair Value Option for Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities, or SFAS 159. SFAS 159 permits companies to choose to measure certain financial instruments and other items at fair value. The standard requires that unrealized gains and losses are reported in earnings for items measured using the fair value option. SFAS 159 is effective for us beginning in the first quarter of 2008. The adoption of SFAS 159 is not expected to have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements.

 

In June 2007, the FASB ratified EITF Issue No. 07-3, Accounting for Nonrefundable Advance Payments for Goods or Services to Be Used in Future Research and Development Activities, or EITF 07-3. EITF 07-3 requires non-refundable advance payments for goods and services to be used in future research and development activities to be recorded as assets and the payments to be expensed when the research and development activities are performed. EITF 07-3 applies prospectively to new contractual arrangements entered into beginning in the first quarter of 2008. Prior to adoption, we recognized these non-refundable advance payments as an expense upon payment. The adoption of EITF 07-3 is not expected to have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements.

 

In December 2007, the SEC issued SAB 110 to amend the SEC’s views discussed in SAB 107 regarding the use of the simplified method in developing an estimate of expected life of share options in accordance with SFAS 123R. SAB 110 is effective for us beginning in the first quarter of 2008. As of December 31, 2007, we did not use the simplified method and the adoption of SAB 107, as amended by SAB 110, is not expected to have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements.

 

In December 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 141 (revised 2007), Business Combinations, or FAS 141(R). FAS 141(R) will change how business acquisitions are accounted for. FAS 141(R) is effective for fiscal years beginning on or after December 15, 2008. The adoption of FAS 141(R) is not expected to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

 

In December 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 160, Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Financial Statements — an amendment of Accounting Research Bulletin No. 51. SFAS No. 160 establishes accounting and reporting standards for ownership interests in subsidiaries held by parties other than the parent, the amount of consolidated net income attributable to the parent and to the noncontrolling interest, changes in a parent’s ownership interest, and the valuation of retained noncontrolling equity investments when a subsidiary is deconsolidated. SFAS No. 160 also establishes disclosure requirements that clearly identify and distinguish between the interests of the parent and the interests of the noncontrolling owners. SFAS No. 160 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2008. The adoption of SFAS No. 160 is not expected to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

 

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosure About Market Risk

 

Foreign Currency Risk

 

Most of our sales contracts have been denominated in United States dollars, and therefore our revenue historically has not been subject to foreign currency risk. As we expand our international sales, we expect that an increasing portion of our revenue could be denominated in foreign currencies. As a result, our cash and cash equivalents and operating results could be increasingly affected by changes in exchange rates. Our international sales and marketing operations incur expense that is denominated in foreign currencies. This expense could be materially affected by currency fluctuations. Our exposures are to fluctuations in exchange rates for the United States dollar versus the Euro. Changes in currency exchange rates could adversely affect our consolidated operating results or financial position. Additionally, our international sales and marketing operations maintain cash balances denominated in foreign currencies. In order to decrease the inherent risk associated with translation of foreign cash balances into our reporting currency, we have not maintained excess cash balances in foreign currencies. We have not hedged our exposure to changes in foreign currency exchange rates because expenses in foreign

currencies have been insignificant to date, and exchange rate fluctuations have had little impact on our operating results and cash flows.

 

Interest Rate Risk

 

We had cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments totaling $240,000, $42,000 and $261,000 at December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005, respectively. These amounts were invested primarily in money market funds, short-term United States Treasury obligations and commercial paper. The unrestricted cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments are held for working capital purposes. We do not enter into investments for trading or speculative purposes. We believe that we do not have any material exposure to changes in the fair value as a result of changes in interest rates due to the short term nature of our cash equivalents and short-term investments. Declines in interest rates, however, would reduce future investment income.

 

The demand for fresh water continues to escalate, driven by the need for drinking water to satisfy the world’s growing population, changing weather patterns, an increasing need for water for agriculture and industry and the concentration of populations in urban areas that lack sufficient fresh water resources. For example, according to the World Water Council, approximately 260 gallons of water are needed to produce 2.2 pounds of wheat and 3,380 gallons of water are needed to produce 2.2 pounds of beef. The power industry is also a large consumer of water, as water is critical to the cooling processes used in fossil fuel and nuclear plants and in the production of biofuels. The United Nations Population Fund expects the global consumption of water to double every 20 years. A study conducted by the International Water Management Institute projects that by 2025, 33% of the population of the developing world will face severe water shortages. The uneven geographic distribution of fresh water supplies compounds this problem. Even in water-rich nations, population growth, environmental regulation and irrigation needs are placing constraints on existing water resources.

 

The United Nations Environmental Program estimates that by 2010, 80% of the world’s population will live within 100 kilometers of a sea coast. With the growth of population centers along coastal areas and improvements in technology, desalination, once a luxury of oil-rich Middle Eastern countries and large-scale resorts, is rapidly becoming an economically viable alternative in many regions where traditional fresh water sources are becoming increasingly stressed. According to the February/March 2008 issue of International Desalination & Water Reuse Quarterly, there are approximately 14,000 desalination plants installed worldwide. Global Water Intelligence, or GWI, estimates that as of December 31, 2005, there were 39.9 million cubic meters per day of installed capacity, and that the growth in the market for new total desalination capacity should increase by approximately 13% per year from 2005-2015. We expect SWRO’s share of new total desalination capacity to grow in excess of the overall industry growth rate particularly due to higher energy costs.

 

Desalination is the process of removing salt and other minerals and solids from water. The process is most commonly used to derive fresh water from sea water or brackish water. Brackish water is water that has more salinity than fresh water, but not as much as sea water, and is found in certain lakes, marshes, deltas, rivers and bays. The higher the salinity of the source water, the greater the energy required in the desalination process. We target the sea water segment of the desalination industry, which is the dominant segment of the market. More specifically, we operate primarily in the sea water reverse osmosis, or SWRO, sector of the sea water desalination market.

 

Desalination Market by Feedwater

 

Source: GWI, Desalination Markets 2007

 

Sea Water Desalination

 

Currently there are two basic methods of sea water desalination:

 

 

The choice of processes depends largely on the cost of power. Thermal processes require more energy than SWRO processes because of the high energy required to boil water. Advances in SWRO processes, such as the use of more efficient energy recovery devices and membranes, have dramatically decreased the associated energy cost, making it the preferred method in regions where energy costs are high.

Thermal Desalination

 

Thermal desalination is the process of boiling water and condensing the vapor into fresh water. Because thermal desalination processes are energy intensive, the process is generally only viable for large-scale plants built primarily in oil-rich regions such as the Middle East where the cost of power is low. Although in recent years thermal technologies have evolved to require less net power consumption, these advances have not been able to achieve the reduced levels of energy consumption associated with SWRO. As a result, thermal plants continue to be constructed primarily in regions with low energy costs.

 

SWRO Desalination

 

SWRO desalination uses high pressure to drive fresh water from sea water through reverse osmosis membranes. The pressure required for this process depends upon the permeability of the membranes and salinity of the water. As an example, brackish water desalination requires less pressure than sea water desalination due to its lower salinity. Technology advances have increased membrane permeability, lowering the pressure required while improving salt filtration. However, without an energy recovery device a significant amount of energy would be lost in the reject stream. Effective recovery of the energy contained within the reject stream has made the SWRO process significantly more energy efficient and economically attractive. The evolution of energy recovery devices for SWRO began with the use of the Pelton wheel in 1984, followed by the hydraulic turbocharger in 1992 and most recently isobaric technologies, including our PX device, which became commercially available in 1997.

 

SWRO versus Thermal

 

Declining SWRO desalination costs due to improved technology and increasing energy costs have made SWRO desalination the preferred method of water production in regions where the cost of energy is high and fresh water is scarce. Consequently, according to GWI, the share of total new contracted desalination capacity using SWRO has increased from approximately 42% in 1999 to approximately 71% in 2006, and is expected to continue to increase.

 

The surge in desalination project activity since 1990 is primarily due to advances in SWRO technology, including energy recovery devices and membranes, which have significantly reduced the cost of producing fresh water from sea water. According to GWI, using SWRO technology, the cost of producing a cubic meter of fresh water from sea water, which averaged approximately $10 per cubic meter in the mid-1960’s, had dropped to as low as $0.46 per cubic meter by 2005. As shown below, energy costs associated with the SWRO process are approximately 50% less than those associated with the traditional thermal desalination process.

 

Relative Operating Costs of the Desalination Process as of 2006

 

 

Source: GWI, Desalination Markets 2007

 

Energy Recovery Devices

 

Wheel Technology

 

When SWRO was first commercialized on a large scale in 1984, engineers used existing water wheel technology, the Pelton wheel, which was first developed in 1880 in connection with gold mining, to recover the pressure energy from the reject stream. The Pelton wheel works by directing the high-pressure reject stream at a bucket wheel mounted on the same shaft as the high-pressure feed water pump, thereby recycling energy back into the SWRO process. However, as energy is transferred from the reject stream back into the feed water stream utilizing the Pelton wheel and pump system, energy is lost.

 

In the late 1980’s, the hydraulic turbocharger was developed as an alternate energy recovery device for SWRO plants. Similar to the Pelton wheel, the hydraulic turbocharger uses a turbine to recover energy and transfers the energy back into the SWRO process with a high-pressure pump. While the hydraulic turbocharger was slightly more efficient than the Pelton wheel because of its higher rotating speed, it suffered from similar inefficiencies due to similar design characteristics.

 

Isobaric Technology

 

In 1975, the first isobaric technology device was piloted in Bermuda. In contrast to the Pelton wheel and turbocharger technology, isobaric technology employs a pressure equalizing method to transfer energy from the membrane reject stream directly to the membrane feed stream, bypassing the need to convert energy from the high pressure rejection stream into mechanical form. This direct positive displacement approach results in significantly higher transfer efficiency rates.

 

During the 1990’s, the Dual Work Exchanger Energy Recovery, or DWEER, was developed and initially used in the manufacturer’s SWRO plants in the Caribbean as a slow cycle isobaric energy recovery device. According to its manufacturer, Calder AG, the DWEER system attains efficiency rates of up to 97%. The DWEER system utilizes a piston and valve system in a high pressure batch process with large pressure vessels, similar to a steam locomotive, to capture and transfer the energy lost in the membrane reject stream. While the DWEER attains high rates of efficiency, it suffers from its large size, mechanical complexity with numerous moving parts that undergo millions of cycles per year, and corrosion potential due to its metal composition.

 

In early 1997, we introduced the initial version of our energy recovery device, the PX. In November 1997, we introduced and marketed our first ceramic-based PX device. Our PX device represented an advance in the available technology by utilizing ceramic construction and a rotating chamber design with only one moving part.

 

Desalination Growth Regions

 

Significant growth is forecasted in the broader desalination industry, which includes sea water, brackish and all other types of feedwater. According to GWI, countries such as Australia, Algeria, China and India are expected to achieve compound annual growth of at least 20% from 2005 to 2015.

Projected Desalination Installed Capacity—All Feedwater Types (2005-2015)

 

 

Source: GWI, Desalination Markets 2007

 

Middle East and North Africa

 

The Middle East dominates the desalination industry, accounting for approximately 70% of total contracted capacity in 2005, according to GWI 19^th Annual Desalting Plant Inventory. As reported by ULTRAPURE WATER, the Arab states alone will need to spend $100 billion on desalination over the next 10 years. During 2007, several SWRO plants were contracted in Kuwait, Oman, Israel and the United Arab Emirates. Algeria and Saudi Arabia accounted for almost half of 2005 contracted capacity. All of Algeria’s 2005 contracted capacity was SWRO while Saudi Arabia’s SWRO capacity made up 17% of its total 2005 contracted capacity. This statistic demonstrates that in many oil rich Middle East countries traditional thermal desalination persists due to the abundance of subsidized power.

 

The recent emergence of large SWRO desalination plant projects in the Middle East, such as Al Fujairiah in the United Arab Emirates (170,000 cubic meters per day) and Shoiaba in Saudi Arabia (150,000 cubic meters per day), may demonstrate the beginning of a shift to SWRO, even where power has been historically inexpensive. Thermal desalination plants, typically located adjacent to power plants, pose an efficiency constraint for power generators. Power generators that would otherwise reduce power generation during off-peak seasons to cut costs, must continue operating at peak because the thermal desalination process necessitates continuity of operations. Many Middle East operators are turning to hybrid SWRO/thermal plants to accommodate off-peak usage periods. In addition, high maintenance and building costs associated with thermal plant construction may shift preferences to SWRO plants which are less expensive to build and operate. Specifically, thermal desalination plants are constructed of nickel/chromium based alloy metals to avoid corrosion, and these metals have experienced price increases in recent years.

 

Algeria is currently one of the most active desalination markets outside the Persian Gulf region. GWI predicts that Algeria will install 2.6 million cubic meters per day by 2010 and 4.5 million cubic meters per day by 2015.

 

Europe

 

The most significant European market to date has been Spain. Spain utilizes SWRO plants built by large Spanish EPC consortiums. Spain’s Plan Hidrológico Nacional, which initially favored transferring water from the Ebro River to Spain’s dry southern Mediterranean coast, changed its strategy in 2004 in favor of the construction of multiple SWRO desalination sites under a fast-track development program called Acuamed.

 

United States

 

While the U.S. market currently utilizes reverse osmosis primarily for brackish water, 1.2 to 1.7 million cubic meters of SWRO capacity are under consideration, according to GWI. However, permits, environmental impact studies and project financing present steep initial hurdles for U.S. municipalities. The most promising regions for SWRO are populated coastal areas, particularly California, Texas and Florida. California, in particular, is a potential locus for SWRO desalination. Population growth on the West Coast and environmental pressures place continued strain on the Colorado River.

The Affordable Desalination Collaboration, or ADC, project seeks to demonstrate to California municipalities that with state of the art technology, SWRO desalination is a cost effective alternative to traditional water sources. ADC also promotes the use of the PX technology in SWRO water projects.

 

Asia Pacific

 

Australia, China and India all represent large-scale SWRO opportunities. Asia Pacific countries have large populations in water stressed regions that border oceans. In particular, India, with its high population growth, offers a significant SWRO opportunity due to an accelerated use of water for irrigation, rapid industrialization and improving living standards. At the same time, existing water resources are diminishing. According to GWI, India currently accounts for 31% of the Asia Pacific region’s contracted capacity.

 

In Australia, drought has played a significant role in the political decision to move forward on large SWRO plants. Australia’s major population centers border the coast. The commissioning of a desalination plant in Perth (143,000 cubic meters per day) marked a major milestone for Australia. According to GWI, Australia built approximately 100,000 cubic meters per day of new capacity in the 2001–2005 period, and it is expected to add approximately 1.4 million cubic meters per day between 2006 and 2010.

 

GWI expects that China’s desalination capacity will grow approximately 24% per annum from approximately 600,000 cubic meters per day in 2005 to over 5.3 million cubic meters per day by 2015. As the Chinese economy moves towards a free market, the water sector is expected to operate on a more commercial basis. For example, in Shanghai and Pudong the water utilities have become privatized. We believe that as such privatization continues, considerations of water production costs will lead to the commissioning of further SWRO plants that utilize our PX technology. Over the last five years, our PX device was selected for 14 new SWRO plants, which we believe represent a majority of the new SWRO plants commissioned during the same period.

 

Overview

 

We are a leading global developer and manufacturer of highly efficient energy recovery devices utilized in the rapidly growing water desalination industry. We operate primarily in the sea water reverse osmosis, or SWRO, segment of the industry. SWRO uses pressure to drive salt water through filtering membranes to produce fresh water. Energy recovery devices have increased the cost-competitiveness of SWRO desalination compared to other means of fresh water supply and has enabled the ongoing rapid growth of the SWRO segment of the desalination industry worldwide. Our primary product, the PX Pressure Exchanger, or PX, helps optimize the energy intensive SWRO process by recapturing and recycling up to 98% of the energy in the high pressure reject stream, thereby reducing energy consumption by an estimated 60% as compared to a plant without any energy recovery devices.

 

We believe that the proven benefits of our proprietary technology have made us a leader in the SWRO energy recovery market due to the following:

 

 

The PX device uses highly durable, ceramic components to capture and recycle the energy that otherwise would have been lost in the high pressure reject stream of the SWRO process and applies it to the low pressure sea water feed stream. The PX device has become a leading energy recovery solution in the sea water desalination industry, installed in over 300 desalination plants and specified in plant designs by over 60 original equipment manufacturers, or OEMs, and engineering, procurement and construction, or EPC, firms worldwide. We estimate that PX devices shipped as of December 31, 2007 will reduce electricity consumption in SWRO desalination plants by approximately 300 megawatts relative to comparable plants with no energy recovery devices. Assuming a rate of $0.08 per kilowatt hour, the deployment of PX devices in plants that otherwise had no energy recovery devices would result in annual electricity cost savings of approximately $210 million in the aggregate, which would equate to a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions of approximately 1.5 million tons per year.

 

Our successful market penetration has resulted in a rapidly increasing installed base of PX devices globally, which we expect to lead to aftermarket part replacement and service opportunities. We also manufacture a line of booster pumps for use in conjunction with same models of the PX device. As of December 31, 2007, we had shipped over 4,000 PX devices to desalination plants worldwide, including in China, Europe, India, Australia, Africa, the Middle East, North America and the Caribbean.

We design, manufacture and sell various PX models to serve a range of SWRO process flow rates for various plant designs and sizes. With respect to large desalination plants (greater than 50,000 cubic meters, or 13.2 million gallons, per day capacity), we sell our products to international EPCs, and with respect to smaller desalination facilities (fewer than 50,000 cubic meters per day capacity) we sell our products to OEMs for installation in hotels, power plants and municipal facilities. Our research, development and manufacturing facility is located in the San Francisco Bay technology corridor, and we have direct sales offices and technical support centers in many key desalination markets, including Madrid, Dubai, Shanghai and Fort Lauderdale.

 

Our Strengths

 

 

Our Strategy

 

 

 

Products and Services

 

Our core product, the PX, is an energy recovery device employed within SWRO desalination systems. The PX device utilizes the principle of positive displacement and isobaric chambers to achieve an extremely efficient transfer of energy from a high-pressure waste stream, the reject stream, to a low-pressure incoming feed stream, effectively recycling energy that otherwise would have been lost.

 

Our PX device uses a cylindrical rotor with longitudinal ducts parallel to its rotational axis to transfer the pressure energy from the reject stream directly to the feed stream. The rotor spins inside a sleeve between two end covers with port openings for low and high pressure. The low-pressure side of the rotor fills with sea water while the high-pressure side discharges sea water. The rotational action of the PX device is similar to that of a Gatling machine gun and is refilled with new sea water cartridges while rotating around a central axis. A liquid piston moves back and forth inside each duct, significantly minimizing mixing between the reject water and incoming sea water streams.

 

The flow diagram below depicts how our PX device takes pressure energy from the reject stream and recycles it back to the desalination process at up to 98% efficiency.

 

 

 

We produce a variety of PX models to suit the design and capacity needs of various SWRO plants. We also manufacture a line of booster pumps for use in conjunction with PX devices to service flows up to 300 gallons per minute, or gpm.

Current Products

 

65-Series PXs

 

The PX-220 has been our flagship product. However, we expect the recently introduced PX-260 to become our flagship product in late 2008. The 65-Series PX product line, named for the diameter of the rotor, includes the following models:

 

 

The 65-Series is designed for SWRO plants with production capacities greater than 120 gpm (650 m³/day). PX devices are manifolded together into trains to achieve unlimited capacity ranges.

 

4S-Series PXs

 

The 4S-Series devices are designed for plants with production capacities in the range of 25 to 300 gpm (140 to 1,600 m³/day). The current product line includes the following models: