Attached files
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EX-32.2 - EXHIBIT 32.2 - Western Iowa Energy, L.L.C. | c14717exv32w2.htm |
EX-31.2 - EXHIBIT 31.2 - Western Iowa Energy, L.L.C. | c14717exv31w2.htm |
EX-31.1 - EXHIBIT 31.1 - Western Iowa Energy, L.L.C. | c14717exv31w1.htm |
EX-32.1 - EXHIBIT 32.1 - Western Iowa Energy, L.L.C. | c14717exv32w1.htm |
Table of Contents
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
þ | Annual report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. |
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010.
OR
o | Transition report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. |
For the transition period from to .
COMMISSION FILE NUMBER 00051965
WESTERN IOWA ENERGY, LLC
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Iowa | 41-2143913 | |
(State or other jurisdiction of | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) | |
incorporation or organization) | ||
1220 S. Center Street, P.O. Box 399 | ||
Wall Lake, Iowa | 51466 | |
(Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) |
(712) 664-2173
(Registrants telephone number, including area code)
(Registrants telephone number, including area code)
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
None
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
Limited Liability Company Membership Units
(Title of class)
(Title of class)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule
405 of the Securities Act. o Yes þ No
Indicated by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or
Section 15(d) of the Act. o Yes þ No
Note Checking the box above will not relieve any registrant required to file reports pursuant to
Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act from their obligations under those Sections.
Indicated by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by
Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for
such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been
subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. þ Yes o No
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its
corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted
pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T
(§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the
registrant was required to submit and post such files).
o Yes o No
Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K
(§229.405 of this chapter) is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of
registrants knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in
Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. 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.
Large Accelerated Filer o | Accelerated Filer o | Non-Accelerated Filer þ | Smaller Reporting Company o |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the
Exchange Act). o Yes þ No
The aggregate market value of the membership units held by non-affiliates of the registrant was
$23,497,300 at June 30, 2010. There is no established public trading market for the registrants
membership units. In addition, no units of the registrant were traded during the fiscal years ended
December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2009. The aggregate market value was computed by reference to
the average price at which membership units were traded on the registrants qualified matching
service during the fourth quarter of the registrants fiscal year ended December 31, 2008, which is
the most recent quarter prior to June 30, 2010 during which the registrants units were traded on
the qualified matching service.
As of March 1, 2011, there were 26,447 membership units outstanding.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
The information required in Section III of this Annual Report is incorporated herein by reference
to the Companys definitive proxy statement to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
within 120 days of the close of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010.
INDEX
4 | ||||||||
4 | ||||||||
18 | ||||||||
27 | ||||||||
27 | ||||||||
27 | ||||||||
28 | ||||||||
28 | ||||||||
28 | ||||||||
31 | ||||||||
31 | ||||||||
41 | ||||||||
43 | ||||||||
59 | ||||||||
59 | ||||||||
60 | ||||||||
60 | ||||||||
60 | ||||||||
60 | ||||||||
60 | ||||||||
60 | ||||||||
60 | ||||||||
60 | ||||||||
60 | ||||||||
Exhibit 31.1 | ||||||||
Exhibit 31.2 | ||||||||
Exhibit 32.1 | ||||||||
Exhibit 32.2 |
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CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
This report contains forward-looking statements that involve known and unknown risks and
relate to future events, our future financial performance, or our expected future operations and
actions. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as may,
will, should, expect, plan, anticipate, believe, estimate, future, intend,
could, hope, predict, target, potential, or continue or the negative of these terms or
other similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are only our predictions based upon
current information and involve numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties. Our actual results
or actions may differ materially from these forward-looking statements for many reasons, including
the reasons described in this report. While it is impossible to identify all such factors, factors
that could cause actual results to differ materially from those estimated by us include, but are
not limited to:
| Changes in federal, state, or local incentives for biodiesel production, including without limitation the federal biodiesel blenders tax credit; |
| The availability and adequacy of our cash flow to meet our requirements; |
| Changes to the rules related to the Renewable Fuels Standard and the value of renewable identification numbers (RINs); |
| Competition with other manufacturers in the biodiesel industry; |
| Results of our hedging strategies; |
| Changes in interest rates and the availability of credit to support capital improvements, development, expansion, and operations; |
| Changes in the amounts available under our credit facilities with Farm Credit; |
| Our ability to keep up with the latest technology for the production of biodiesel; |
| Decrease in the demand for biodiesel; |
| Changes in plant production capacity or technical difficulties in operating the plant; |
| Actual biodiesel and co-product production varying from expectations; |
| Availability and cost of products and raw materials, particularly soybean oil and animal fats; |
| Changes in the price and market for biodiesel and its co-products; |
| Our ability to market and our reliance on ADM to market our products; |
| Fluctuations in petroleum prices; |
| Our ability to procure and our reliance on ADM to procure feedstock for our plant; |
| Competition from alternative fuels and alternative fuel additives; |
| Changes in our business strategy, capital improvement, or development plans; |
| Consequences of the domestic and global economic downturn and ongoing financial crisis; |
| Our ability to generate free cash flow to invest in our business and service our debt; |
| Changes in general economic conditions or the occurrence of certain events causing an economic impact in the agriculture, oil, or transportation industries; |
| Changes in the environmental regulations or in our ability to comply with the environmental regulations that apply to our plant operations; |
| Changes and advances in biodiesel production technology; |
| Our ability to export our biodiesel; |
| Overcapacity within the biodiesel industry resulting in increased competition and costs for feedstock and/or decreased prices for our biodiesel and co-products; |
| Our ability to successfully operate our plant following the period during which the plant was warm-idled; |
| The imposition of tariffs or other duties on biodiesel imported into Europe; |
| Our ability to comply with the financial covenants in our loan agreements; |
| Changes to our operations related to the engagement of ADM as our biodiesel and co-product marketer and feedstock procurer; |
| Our ability to hire and retain qualified personnel to operate the plant; and |
| Other factors described elsewhere in this report. |
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The cautionary statements referred to in this section also should be considered in connection
with any subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements that may be issued by us or persons
acting on our behalf. We
undertake no duty to update these forward-looking statements, even though our situation may
change in the future. Furthermore, we cannot guarantee future results, events, levels of activity,
performance, or achievements. We caution you not to put undue reliance on any forward-looking
statements, which speak only as of the date of this report. You should read this report and the
documents that we reference in this report and have filed as exhibits completely and with the
understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we currently
expect. We qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements.
AVAILABLE INFORMATION
Our website address is www.westerniowaenergy.com. Our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly
reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports filed or
furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the Exchange
Act), are available, free of charge, on our website under the link SEC Compliance, as soon as
reasonably practicable after we electronically file such materials with, or furnish such materials
to, the Securities and Exchange Commission. The contents of our website are not incorporated by
reference in this annual report on Form 10-K.
PART I.
Item 1. | Business |
General Development of Business
Western Iowa Energy, LLC (WIE or the Company) is an Iowa limited liability company formed
on September 21, 2004, for the purpose of developing, constructing, and operating a biodiesel
manufacturing facility in Sac County, Iowa. References to we, us, and our refer to Western
Iowa Energy, LLC. Our biodiesel production plant first commenced operations in May 2006.
We derive our revenues from the sale and distribution of our biodiesel, glycerin, and fatty
acid. Our plant has a nameplate production capacity of 30 million gallons of biodiesel per year and
is able to pre-treat crude vegetable oil and crude animal fats for use in the biodiesel production
process. Our pretreatment systems permit us to utilize lower-cost feedstock, such as animal fats,
in place of higher-cost feedstock, such as soybean oil, to optimize our profits.
Our plant is BQ-9000 accredited by the National Biodiesel Board and the National Biodiesel
Accreditation Committee. BQ-9000 is a voluntary quality-assurance program. BQ-9000 accreditation
demonstrates that the quality control processes in place at a plant provide confidence that the
biodiesel produced at the facility will consistently meet applicable American Society of Testing
and Materials (ASTM) biodiesel specifications.
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010, we produced a total of 3,411,080 gallons of
biodiesel at our plant. This is significantly less than our annual nameplate production capacity of
30,000,000 gallons, and represents a significant decrease from the fiscal year ended December 31,
2009, when we produced 17,276,098 gallons of biodiesel. The reduced production in fiscal year 2010
was a result of limited sales related to the failure of Congress to extend the federal blenders
tax credit for biodiesel mixtures, which expired on December 31, 2009. Although this tax credit was
reinstated in December 2010 and made retroactive for the 2010 calendar year, the absence of the
credit during 2010 caused many biodiesel plants to significantly reduce production or halt
production altogether. The biodiesel tax credit is set to expire again on December 31, 2011. If
Congress fails to enact another extension of this credit, we expect that demand for biodiesel will
once again decrease significantly.
In mid-April 2010 we warm-idled our plant, meaning we reduced staffing levels and maintained
the plant in a state capable of commencing the production of biodiesel again within a matter of
several days, due to limited sales. In connection with our plant warm-idling, we laid off 15
full-time employees to reduce operating expenses. Effective August 13, 2010, we laid off seven
additional full-time employees, leaving us with six full-time employees. However, since these
layoffs we have begun hiring employees again. In September 2010, we hired our General Manager and
Operations Manager. We were in need of employees for these positions following the termination of
our Management and Operational Services Agreement (MOSA) with Renewable Energy Group,
Inc. (REG), discussed below in more detail. Following the reinstatement of the biodiesel
tax credit in December 2010, we began to hire back additional employees as we started operating our
biodiesel plant again.
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On May 11, 2009, we entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement with REG providing for the sale
of substantially all of our assets to REG. This agreement was later amended on August 7, 2009 and
again on November 20, 2009. Under the agreement as amended, REG Wall Lake, LLC would have acquired
substantially all of our assets and certain of our liabilities in exchange for a certain amount of
common and preferred stock in REG Newco, Inc. The amended agreement also contemplated the
consolidation of the business and operations of two other biodiesel plants, Central Iowa Energy,
LLC and Blackhawk Biofuels, LLC, under REG Newco, Inc. However, the amended agreement was subject
to several closing conditions, including the approval of a majority of the membership voting
interests of WIE. On February 24, 2010, our unitholders voted against the proposed transaction,
meaning that we did not complete the transaction.
REG formerly managed and directed the general operations of our plant pursuant to the MOSA.
However, the term of the MOSA, as extended, expired on June 11, 2010. Following the expiration of
the MOSA, we continued our working relationship with REG upon the same general terms without a
written agreement. During this time, the plant was warm-idled, as discussed above, meaning we were
not engaging in the day-to-day production of biodiesel and its co-products and therefore did not
require the same level of management, feedstock procurement and product marketing services that
would have been required if we were actively operating the plant during that time.
Since we desired to have marketing and feedstock procurement services in place in the event
that the federal biodiesel tax credit was reinstated, in September 2010 we finalized three
agreements with Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (ADM): (i) a Product Marketing Agreement, (ii) a
Feedstock Agreement, and (iii) a Services Agreement. Pursuant to the Product Marketing Agreement,
ADM will purchase, and we will sell, all of the biodiesel and co-products produced at our biodiesel
plant. Under this agreement, we will receive an amount equal to the sales price charged by ADM to
third party purchasers for our products (or to be paid by ADM, if there is no underlying third
party sale), less ADMs marketing costs such as freight, fuel surcharges, brokerage fees, off-site
storage and any applicable shrink, independent lab fees, and other related costs. Under the
Feedstock Agreement, ADM will procure the feedstock for our biodiesel plant. Finally, pursuant to
the Services Agreement, ADM will provide us with certain other services, including: (i) annual site
audits for BQ 9000, safety, and regulatory and environmental compliance, (ii) ongoing operations
assistance, and (iii) annual quality control lab audits and routine round robin lab testing. The
initial terms of the Product Marketing Agreement, Feedstock Agreement and Services Agreement are
one year, commencing on the first day of the month in which the production of biodiesel resumed at
our biodiesel plant, which was January 2011, subject to earlier termination by either party upon
thirty days written notice. While our MOSA with REG provided that REG would provide us with certain
management personnel and services, our agreements with ADM do not contemplate the provision of
management services because we desired to move all management functions in-house. For this reason,
we hired our General Manager and Operations Manager in September 2010, as discussed above.
We expect to fund our operations during the next 12 months using cash flow from continuing
operations and our credit facilities. In May 2010 we agreed with Farm Credit to reduce the amount
available under our revolving credit loan from $8,000,000 to $6,000,000 through July 31, 2010. The
agreement to reduce this loan was subsequently extended through March 31, 2011. On March 28, 2011,
we agreed with Farm Credit to increase the amount available under this loan to $7,000,000 through
September 30, 2011. We paid off our term debt in full in December 2010. Although we expect to have
sufficient cash flow to fund our operations from our continuing operations and from our remaining
credit facilities, it is possible our cash flow may prove to be insufficient.
We are subject to industry-wide factors that affect our operating and financial performance.
These factors include, but are not limited to, the available supply and cost of animal fats and
other feedstocks from which we produce our biodiesel, glycerin, and fatty acid; dependence on our
product marketer to market and distribute our products; the timely expansion of infrastructure in
the biodiesel industry; the intensely competitive nature of the biodiesel industry; possible
legislation at the federal, state, and/or local level; and the cost of complying with extensive
environmental laws that regulate our industry.
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Table of Contents
Financial Information About Segments
We do not operate any distinct segments, as defined by generally accepted accounting
principles.
Principal Products
The principal products that we produce are biodiesel, crude glycerin, and fatty acid.
Biodiesel
Biodiesel is a high-lubricity, clean-burning alternative fuel produced from domestic,
renewable resources and is primarily used in compression ignition (diesel) engines and may also be
used as home heating oil. Biodiesel provides environmental benefits over petroleum-based diesel,
including reduced emissions of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, and sulfur.
Biodiesels physical and chemical properties, as they relate to operation of diesel engines, are
similar to petroleum-based diesel fuel. As a result, blends containing 20% biodiesel and 80%
petroleum-based diesel may be used in most standard diesel engines without requiring any engine
modifications.
We derived approximately 90.0% of our revenue from the sale of biodiesel during our fiscal
year ended December 31, 2010. Biodiesel sales accounted for approximately 96.7% and 96.5% of our
revenue for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2009 and 2008, respectively.
Primary Co-Product Crude Glycerin
The primary co-product of the biodiesel production process is crude glycerin, which equals
approximately 10% of the quantity of biodiesel produced. Crude glycerin is highly stable under
typical storage conditions, compatible with a wide variety of other chemicals, and relatively
non-toxic. Glycerin possesses a unique combination of physical and chemical properties that are
used in a large variety of products. It is an ingredient or processing aid in cosmetics,
toiletries, personal care, pharmaceuticals, and food products. In addition, new uses for glycerin
are frequently being discovered and developed due to its versatility. Many of these uses, however,
require refined glycerin. Our plant only produces crude glycerin and does not have the capability
to refine glycerin. Also, glycerin produced from the production of animal fat-based biodiesel
cannot be used in pharmaceutical products.
We derived approximately 2.6% of our revenue from the sale of crude glycerin during our fiscal
year ended December 31, 2010. Crude glycerin sales accounted for approximately 1.4% and 2.2% of our
revenue for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2009 and 2008, respectively.
Primary Co- Product Fatty Acid
An additional co-product of the biodiesel production process is fatty acid. Fatty acid is
generally used as a component of livestock feed. We derived approximately 3.5% of our revenue from
the sale of fatty acid during our fiscal year ended December 31, 2010. Fatty acid sales accounted
for approximately 1.9% and 1.3% of our revenue for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2009 and
2008, respectively.
Principal Products Markets
As described below in Distribution Methods, we currently market and distribute all of our
biodiesel, glycerin, and fatty acid through a third-party marketer, Archer-Daniels-Midland Company
(ADM). Our products are primarily sold in the domestic market. A portion of our products have
also been sold in international markets, particularly to European customers. In 2009, however, the
European Commission imposed anti-dumping and countervailing duties on U.S. biodiesel imported into
Europe. These duties significantly increase the price at which we must sell our biodiesel in
European markets, making it difficult or impossible for us to compete with European biodiesel
producers.
We expect our product marketer to explore all markets for our products, including export
markets. However, due to high transportation costs, and the fact that we are not located near a
major international shipping port, we expect a majority of our products to continue to be marketed
and sold domestically.
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Table of Contents
Distribution Methods
We previously were a party to a Management and Operational Services Agreement (MOSA) with
Renewable Energy Group, Inc. (REG), under which REG marketed and distributed our biodiesel,
glycerin, and fatty acid. The term of the MOSA expired on June 11, 2010, although we continued our
working relationship with REG for a period of time following that date upon the same general terms
without a written agreement. Pursuant to the MOSA, we paid REG a fee equal to one cent ($0.01) per
gallon for all biodiesel marketed from our facility. We also paid REG a fee for marketing our
glycerin based on the amount of biodiesel marketed, which was equal to one fifth of one cent
($0.002) per gallon of biodiesel. We also paid REG an annual net income bonus equal to 6% of our
net income.
Following the expiration of the term of the MOSA, we entered into a Product Marketing
Agreement with ADM dated September 21, 2010 pursuant to which ADM purchases from us, and we sell to
ADM, all of the biodiesel and co-products produced at our biodiesel plant. Under the Product
Marketing Agreement, we receive an amount equal to the sales price charged by ADM to third party
purchasers for our products (or to be paid by ADM, if there is no underlying third party sale),
less ADMs marketing costs such as freight, fuel surcharges, brokerage fees, off-site storage and
any applicable shrink, independent lab fees, and other related costs. ADM also procures feedstock
for our production plant and provides certain other services to us pursuant to separate agreements.
The fee we pay to ADM for all such services, including services provided under the Product
Marketing Agreement, is a percentage of the net amount we receive for our product sales, plus a
percentage of our annual net profit. The initial terms of our Product Marketing Agreement with ADM
is one year, commencing on the first day of the month in which we resumed the production of
biodiesel following our warm-idle, which was January 2011, subject to earlier termination by either
party upon thirty days written notice. The amounts we paid our product marketers for their
services in the fiscal years ended December 31, 2010, 2009, and 2008 were $106,099, $676,532, and
$751,659, respectively.
Seasonal Demand for Biodiesel
Biodiesel has different cold flow properties depending on the type of feedstock used in its
manufacture. Cold flow refers to a fuels ability to flow easily at colder temperatures and is an
important consideration in producing and blending biodiesel for use in colder climates. The cloud
point is the temperature at which small solid crystals are visually observed as the fuel is cooled.
When air temperatures fall below the cloud point, these crystals may plug fuel filters or drop to
the bottom of a storage tank; however, fuels can usually be pumped at temperatures below the cloud
point. The pour point for a fuel is the temperature at which the fuel contains so many crystals
that it is essentially a gel and will no longer flow. Therefore, a lower cloud point and pour point
means that the fuel flows better in colder temperatures. To provide biodiesel with an acceptable
cloud point and pour point in cold weather, we need to blend our biodiesel with petroleum-based
diesel. Generally, biodiesel that is used in blends of 2% to 20% provides acceptable cold flow
properties for the Iowa market. We expect that our biodiesel distributor will sell our biodiesel
throughout the nation, and potentially abroad. Cold flow additives can also be used seasonally to
provide a higher level of cold weather protection, similar to the current practice with
conventional diesel fuel. Demand for our biodiesel typically diminishes in colder climates and
during the colder fall and winter months as a result of cold flow concerns. Animal fat-based
biodiesel has a higher pour point temperature than other types of biodiesel. Accordingly, demand
for this type of biodiesel may fluctuate by season more than demand for biodiesel made from other
types of feedstock.
General Demand for Biodiesel
The biodiesel industry is still relatively new and unknown especially when compared to the
ethanol industry. In 2010, the Renewable Fuels Association reported that a record 13.23 billion
gallons of ethanol were produced in the United States. However, the biodiesel industry produced
only approximately 315 million gallons of biodiesel in 2010, constituting only a small part of the
U.S. diesel fuel market and a fraction of the amount of 2010 ethanol production. Total 2010
biodiesel production is also significantly less than that produced in 2009, which was approximately
545 million gallons. Biodiesel production overall is currently less than current national biodiesel
production capacity. The Biodiesel Magazine website estimates that as of January 27, 2011, national
biodiesel production capacity totaled approximately 2.84 billion gallons per year. According to the
Biodiesel Magazine
website there are 169 plants already operational; of these, some are currently not producing
biodiesel and some do not currently operate at full capacity due to this excess production capacity
and other economic factors.
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While there has been some uncertain or negative public opinion regarding biodiesel, in July
2008 there was a change to the ASTM standards which allows up to 5% biodiesel to be blended in with
petroleum diesel and the product to still be labeled as petroleum diesel. This may continue to
provide demand for biodiesel, especially in conjunction with the renewed biodiesel tax credit and
RFS2, discussed below under Government Regulation and Federal Biodiesel Supports, and offset some
of the negative public opinions the biodiesel industry has faced.
Financial Information about Geographic Areas
All of our operations are domiciled in the United States. All of the products sold to our
customers for fiscal years 2010, 2009 and 2008 were produced in the United States and all of our
long-lived assets are domiciled in the United States. We have engaged a third party marketer to
market our biodiesel and co-products. Our marketer may decide to sell our products in countries
other than the United States.
Sources and Availability of Raw Materials
Feedstock Procurement
We entered into a Feedstock Agreement with ADM in September 2010, under which ADM procures the
feedstock for our biodiesel plant. The inability of ADM to obtain adequate feedstock for our
facility at economical prices, or at all, could have significant negative impacts on our ability to
produce biodiesel and on our revenues.
Feedstock Cost and Supply
The cost of feedstock is the largest single component of the cost of biodiesel production,
accounting for 70% to 90% of the overall cost of producing biodiesel. As a result, increased prices
for feedstock greatly impact the biodiesel industry. Soybean oil is the most abundant and widely
used feedstock available in the United States. Our plant is capable of pretreating animal fats and
crude vegetable oil, including soybean oil and corn oil, and utilizing these feedstocks to produce
biodiesel. Our plant is also capable of pretreating used cooking oils. Animal fat has typically
been less expensive to acquire than soybean oil and, accordingly, we attempt to use as much animal
fat feedstock as possible when producing our biodiesel when such use would return greater profit
margins. Demand for animal fat-based biodiesel, however, typically declines in the colder fall and
winter months and, accordingly, our use of animal fats may decline during those months. Most of the
feedstock used in our biodiesel production in fiscal year 2010 was animal fats. In the past we have
also utilized cooking oils as a lower-cost feedstock alternative to soybean oil.
In the event we cannot obtain adequate supplies of feedstock at affordable prices, our ability
to operate profitably may be materially impaired. Increased feedstock costs may reduce our revenues
and the value of our units.
Animal Fats and Other Alternative Feedstocks
Our plant is capable of utilizing animal fats to produce biodiesel. In 2010, approximately
75.8% of our total feedstock usage consisted of a particular animal fat, choice white grease, as
compared to 2009 and 2008, when 68.8% and 57.0%, respectively, of our total feedstock usage
consisted of choice white grease. Animal fat prices peaked in the summer of 2008 and then fell as
domestic and global economic conditions worsened. More recently animal fat prices have risen again
and remain above their historical average. We have also used small amounts of bacon fat, beef
tallow, poultry fat, lard, yellow grease, and used cooking oil as feedstocks for our biodiesel.
It takes approximately 7.75 pounds of choice white grease to make a gallon of biodiesel. In
2010, the average price we paid for choice white grease was 28.32 cents per pound. By contrast, we
paid an average of 24.92 and 39.50 cents per pound for choice white grease in 2009 and 2008,
respectively.
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Table of Contents
The charts below show U.S. lard and edible tallow prices over the past ten years and for each
month from February 2010 to January 2011.
Lard and Edible Tallow Prices for the Past
10 Years
10 Years
Lard Price | Edible Tallow | |||||||
Marketing Year | (cents/lb.) | Price (cents/lb.) | ||||||
2001/2002 |
13.55 | 13.87 | ||||||
2002/2003 |
18.13 | 17.80 | ||||||
2003/2004 |
26.13 | 22.37 | ||||||
2004/2005 |
21.80 | 18.48 | ||||||
2005/2006 |
21.74 | 18.16 | ||||||
2006/2007 |
28.43 | 27.32 | ||||||
2007/2008 |
40.85 | 41.68 | ||||||
2008/2009 |
26.72 | 25.47 | ||||||
2009/2010 |
31.99 | 32.26 | ||||||
2010/2011 |
44.5-48.5 | (1) | 45.0-49.0 | (1) |
Lard and Edible Tallow Prices
for Preceding Twelve-Month
Period
for Preceding Twelve-Month
Period
Lard Price | Edible Tallow | |||||||
Month | (cents/lb.) | Price (cents/lb.) | ||||||
February 2010 |
28.25 | 29.42 | ||||||
March 2010 |
32.95 | 33.73 | ||||||
April 2010 |
33.95 | 35.14 | ||||||
May 2010 |
34.24 | 35.33 | ||||||
June 2010 |
32.98 | 35.72 | ||||||
July 2010 |
31.42 | 32.50 | ||||||
August 2010 |
33.33 | 33.54 | ||||||
September 2010 |
43.59 | 35.02 | ||||||
October 2010 |
46.64 | 37.00 | ||||||
November 2010 |
37.32 | 41.75 | ||||||
December 2010 |
38.30 | 45.00 | ||||||
January 2011 |
48.50 | (1) | 50.10 | (1) |
(1) | Preliminary Price | |
Source: USDA, Oil Crops Outlook Report, February 10, 2011 |
Soybean Oil
Like many other biodiesel plants, our plant is capable of producing biodiesel from crude
vegetable oils, including soybean oil. Due to the recent high cost of soybean oil, however, we have
significantly limited our use of soybean oil. After peaking in the summer of 2008 and sharply
declining thereafter, soybean oil prices remained relatively stable throughout 2009 and the
first nine months of 2010. However, more recently, soybean oil prices have again risen sharply.
This increase is likely attributable to projected decreases in soybean oil stock, combined with
increasing demand from export markets. The charts below show U.S. soybean oil prices over the past
ten years and for each month from February 2010 to January 2011.
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U.S. Soybean Oil Prices for the Past
10 Years
10 Years
Price | ||||
Marketing Year | (cents/lb.) | |||
2001/2002 |
16.46 | |||
2002/2003 |
22.04 | |||
2003/2004 |
29.97 | |||
2004/2005 |
23.01 | |||
2005/2006 |
23.41 | |||
2006/2007 |
31.02 | |||
2007/2008 |
52.03 | |||
2008/2009 |
32.16 | |||
2009/2010 |
35.95 | |||
2010/2011 |
51.0-55.0 | (1) |
U.S. Soybean Oil Prices
for Preceding Twelve-Month
Period
for Preceding Twelve-Month
Period
Price | ||||
Month | (cents/lb.) | |||
February 2010 |
34.69 | |||
March 2010 |
36.39 | |||
April 2010 |
37.11 | |||
May 2010 |
35.41 | |||
June 2010 |
34.47 | |||
July 2010 |
35.07 | |||
August 2010 |
37.57 | |||
September 2010 |
39.21 | |||
October 2010 |
44.02 | |||
November 2010 |
47.62 | |||
December 2010 |
51.51 | |||
January 2011 |
53.84 | (1) |
(1) | Preliminary Price | |
Source: USDA, Oil Crops Outlook Report, February 10, 2011 |
It takes more than seven pounds of soybean oil to make a gallon of biodiesel. Increases in
soybean oil costs significantly reduce the potential profit margin on each gallon of biodiesel we
sell produced from soybean oil. Any increase in the price of soybean oil without a corresponding
increase in the price of biodiesel will negatively impact our ability to generate revenues and
profits. Due to high soybean oil prices, we have been using alternative forms of feedstock as
substitutes for soybean oil to the greatest extent possible. These substitutes include animal fat
and used cooking oil, as discussed above. However, prices for these alternative feedstocks have
tended to increase along with the cost of soybean oil. In 2010, only a de minimis amount of our
total feedstock used consisted of soybean oil, which is a significant decrease from 2009 and 2008,
in which 8.4% and 29.3%, respectively, of our total feedstock used was soybean oil.
In the event we cannot obtain adequate supplies of feedstock at affordable costs for sustained
periods of time, then we may be forced to shut down the plant temporarily or permanently. Shut
downs and increased feedstock costs may reduce our revenues from operations which could decrease or
eliminate the value of our units.
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Feedstock Cold Flow Properties
Because biodiesel has different cold flow properties depending on the type of feedstock used
in its manufacture, cold flow also becomes a primary factor in determining the type of feedstock to
use. Cold flow
refers to a fuels ability to flow easily at colder temperatures and is an important
consideration in producing and blending biodiesel for use in colder climates and in colder seasons.
The cloud point is the temperature at which small solid crystals are visually observed as the
fuel is cooled. When air temperatures fall below the cloud point, these crystals may plug fuel
filters or drop to the bottom of a storage tank; however, fuels can usually be pumped at
temperatures below the cloud point. The pour point for a fuel is the temperature at which the
fuel contains so many crystals that it is essentially a gel and will no longer flow. Therefore, a
lower pour point temperature means the fuel flows better in colder temperatures. The following
table represents the cloud points and pour points for different types of fuels:
Type of Fuel | Cloud Point | Pour Point | ||||||
Soy-based Biodiesel (B100) |
32ºF | 25ºF | ||||||
Choice white grease-based Biodiesel (B100) |
48ºF | 42ºF | ||||||
Beef tallow-based Biodiesel (B100) |
61ºF | 59ºF | ||||||
No. 2 Ultra Low Sulfur Petroleum Diesel |
6ºF | -30ºF | ||||||
B2 Soy Blend with No. 2 Diesel |
7ºF | -25ºF |
To provide biodiesel with acceptable cloud points and pour points in cold weather, we will
need to blend our biodiesel with petroleum-based diesel. Generally, biodiesel that is used in
blends of 2% to 20% will provide acceptable cold weather properties for the Iowa market. However,
we expect that our biodiesel marketer will sell our biodiesel throughout the nation, and
potentially abroad. Cold flow additives can also be used seasonally to provide a higher level of
cold weather protection, similar to the current practice with conventional diesel fuel. Demand for
our biodiesel may diminish in colder climates and during the colder months as a result of cold flow
concerns. We are currently producing biodiesel from animal fats and soybean oil. Nearly all of our
biodiesel sales for fiscal year 2010 were animal fat biodiesel blends, which is an increase over
the previous two years. In fiscal years 2009 and 2008, approximately 91.5% and 69.8% of our
biodiesel sales were animal fat biodiesel blends.
Hedging
Due to fluctuations in the price and supply of feedstock, we utilize forward contracting and
hedging strategies to manage our commodity risk exposure and to optimize finished product pricing
and supply. Hedging means protecting the price at which we buy feedstock and the price at which we
will sell our products in the future. It is a way to attempt to reduce the risk caused by price
fluctuations that result from our purchase of feedstock in the agricultural market and the sale of
our biodiesel in the energy market. These markets are largely unrelated, so an increase in
feedstock costs does not generally translate into an increase in the price of our biodiesel. The
effectiveness of such hedging activities is dependent upon, among other things, the cost of
feedstock and our ability to sell sufficient amounts of biodiesel. Although we attempt to link
hedging activities to sales plans and pricing activities, such hedging activities can themselves
result in costs because price movements in feedstock contracts are highly volatile and are
influenced by many factors that are beyond our control. We may incur such costs and they may be
significant. The market for soybean oil trades 18 months into the future. The animal grease market
has no futures trade. However, there is a quoting system through the USDA that provides for price
discovery for animal grease. There is not enough volume of biodiesel currently produced to justify
a futures market. As such, there is no spot biodiesel price, making current price discovery
limited. In late 2007, our Board of Directors formed a Risk Management Committee, which enacted a
policy intended to balance our hedging activities.
Pretreatment Costs
Crude vegetable oils, such as crude soy and corn oil, and all animal fats need to be
pretreated before being processed into biodiesel. Pretreatment removes the impurities from crude
vegetable oils, crude animal fats, and waste greases, and prepares the feedstock to go through the
biodiesel production process. Some types of feedstock need more treatment than others. For example,
virgin soybean oil can be easier and cheaper to pretreat than turkey fat, and turkey fat can be
easier and cheaper to pretreat than beef tallow. The cost of the process is driven by the structure
of the feedstock and the impurities in the feedstock.
For soybean oil, the pretreatment process results in refined and bleached (RB) oil. The price
differential between RB oil and crude soy oil is ordinarily approximately 5 cents per pound. Our
processing plant has pretreatment capabilities allowing us to utilize crude vegetable oil and many
types of fat or grease as feedstock in
our facility. This added flexibility allows us to choose the feedstock that will produce
biodiesel in the most cost-effective manner possible.
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Utilities, Energy & Infrastructure
Our biodiesel plant requires a significant and uninterrupted supply of electricity, natural
gas, and water to operate. We entered into agreements with providers of these utilities as follows:
Electricity. Our plant requires a continuous supply of electricity. We entered into an
Electrical Services Agreement with Sac County Electric Cooperative (now known as Raccoon Valley
Electric Cooperative) to supply our electricity. Under the agreement, we pay Sac County Electric
Cooperative a facility charge of $2,100 per month, plus regular rates for delivery of electricity
to our plant. Our current delivery rate is $0.0686 per kilowatt.
Water. We require a significant supply of waterapproximately 100,000 gallons of
water per day. The City of Wall Lake drilled a well on the property adjacent to the plant to supply
process water for our use. The City of Wall Lake has run a line from its pretreatment plant to our
site to supply us with potable water. The rate currently charged by the City of Wall Lake for both
process water and potable water is $1.00 per 1,000 gallons.
Natural Gas. Natural gas is a significant input to our manufacturing process. During
the 2010 fiscal year, our natural gas usage was approximately 43,852 million British thermal units
(mmBTU). Because the volume of animal fat processed through our plant has a large impact on the
volume of gas we use, we estimate a usage between 120,000 mmBTU and 160,000 mmBTU for the 2011
fiscal year. In fiscal year 2010, the average price that we paid for natural gas was $8.30 per
mmBTU. Although the price we will pay for our natural gas during the 2011 fiscal year is uncertain,
management expects that the cost will increase from the cost we experienced in 2010.
Patent, Trademarks and Licenses.
As part of our design-build agreement with REG, REG agreed to provide us a perpetual and
irrevocable license to use any and all of its technology and propriety property related to or
incorporated into the plant in connection with our operation, maintenance, and repair of the plant.
Since this license is irrevocable, neither the expiration of the term of the MOSA nor the rejection
of the proposed consolidation with REG is expected to affect our license of the REG proprietary
technology that has been incorporated into the plant.
Working Capital
In order to protect the price of our finished biodiesel, we enter into hedging transactions
that are designed to limit our exposure to decreases in the price of biodiesel. In 2009 and 2010,
we sought to minimize the risks from fluctuations in the price of biodiesel by using derivative
instruments such as cash, futures, and option contracts for home heating oil. There is currently no
futures market for biodiesel. Instead, we used home heating oil derivatives. Home heating oil is
high sulfur diesel, which is the closest commodity to biodiesel for which there is a futures
market. More recently, we have entered into flat price future sales contracts with our product
marketer, ADM, to limit our exposure to decreases in the price of biodiesel. These flat price
sales contracts allow us to lock in a margin at the time that we purchase the feedstock utilized to
produce the biodiesel that we have contracted for future sale. This risk management practice has
allowed us to avoid dedicating cash to margin calls associated with derivative instruments.
We are also subject to volatility with respect to the prices of our inputs, including
feedstock and natural gas. Currently, we are unable to manage our price risk for animal fats as
there are no futures contracts available for animal fats, and animal fats suppliers are, to date,
unwilling to enter into long-term contracts for animal fats. Volatility in feedstock and natural
gas prices can significantly impact the cash we have available for working capital.
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Government Regulation and Federal Biodiesel Supports
The biodiesel industry is dependent on economic incentives to produce biodiesel, including
federal biodiesel supports. The American Jobs Creation Act of 2004, the Energy Policy Act of 2005,
and the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 have established the groundwork for biodiesel
market development.
Renewable Fuels Standard
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 created the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) which required
refiners to use 7.5 billion gallons of renewable fuels by 2012. The Energy Independence and
Security Act of 2007 (EISA) expanded the existing RFS (often referred to as RFS2) to require
the use of 9 billion gallons of renewable fuel in 2008, increasing to 36 billion gallons of
renewable fuel by 2022. The RFS2 requires 600 million gallons of renewable fuel in 2009 to come
from advanced biofuels other than corn-based ethanol, such as ethanol derived from cellulose, sugar
or crop residue, and biomass-based diesel (which includes biodiesel and renewable diesel),
increasing to 21 billion gallons in 2022. The RFS2 further included a requirement that 500 million
gallons of biodiesel and biomass-based diesel fuel be blended into the national diesel pool in
2009, gradually increasing to one billion gallons by 2012. In 2008, however, the EPA announced that
the RFS program in 2009 would be applicable to producers and importers of gasoline only, which
meant that the 500 million gallons of biomass-based diesel required by the RFS2 was not required to
be blended into U.S. fuel supplies in 2009. This was due to the fact that the regulatory structure
of the original RFS program did not provide a mechanism for implementing the RFS2 requirement for
the use of 500 million gallons of biomass-based diesel. On February 3, 2010 the EPA issued final
rules under RFS2. The final rules addressed this issue by combining the 2010 biomass-based diesel
requirement of 0.65 billion gallons with the 2009 biomass-based diesel requirement of 0.5 billion
gallons to require that obligated parties meet a combined 2009/2010 requirement of 1.15 billion
gallons by the end of the 2010 compliance year. We anticipate that some of the cellulosic
requirements that cannot be achieved due to lack of technology may be allowed to be filled by
biodiesel. Thus, we anticipate that biodiesel requirements under the 2011 RFS2 may exceed the
stated 800 million gallon requirement.
RFS2 required that advanced biofuels reduce life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions by 50%
relative to gasoline sold or distributed for transportation. In May 2009, the EPA proposed rules
that took into account indirect land use changes when calculating greenhouse gas emissions. Based
on the EPAs preliminary findings, soy-based biodiesel was found to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
by only 22%, which would disqualify it from counting towards the RFS2. Biodiesel from animal fat
was found to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 80%. In February 2010, the EPA
published new rules to confirm that biodiesel made from soy oil complies with the 50% threshold for
reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and therefore soy-based biodiesel qualifies to count toward
the RFS2 requirement. The EPA cautioned that it is committed to reassess these determinations as
the state of scientific knowledge continues to evolve.
The RFS2 program recently gained additional certainty when on December 21, 2010, a lawsuit
challenging the RFS2 regulations was dismissed. We anticipate that the RFS2 may increase demand for
biodiesel in the long-term, as it sets a minimum usage requirement for biodiesel and other types of
biomass-based diesel. However, there can be no assurances that the price of biodiesel will be
increased by the RFS2. As of January 27, 2011, the Biodiesel Magazine website estimated that
national biodiesel production capacity was approximately 2.84 billion gallons per year, which
already exceeds the 2012 biodiesel and biomass-based diesel use mandate required by RFS2.
Accordingly, there is no assurance that additional production of biodiesel and biomass-based diesel
will not continually outstrip any additional demand for biodiesel that might be created by RFS2. We
also anticipate that the expanded RFS2 will be primarily satisfied by ethanol, including both
corn-based and other types of ethanol. The amount of corn-based ethanol that may be used to satisfy
the RFS2 requirements is capped at 15 billion gallons starting in 2015 and, accordingly, other
types of ethanol, including cellulose-based ethanol, will likely be used to satisfy any
requirements over and above the 15 billion gallon corn-based ethanol cap. Furthermore, we have not
yet significantly benefited from RFS2 because the biodiesel tax credit was expired when the final
RFS2 regulations were released. Because the biodiesel tax credit was only reinstated and extended
in December 2010, we are still not certain if this measure will be enough to re-stimulate the
biodiesel market.
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The RFS2 system is enforced through a system of registration, recordkeeping and reporting
requirements for obligated parties and renewable fuel producers, as well as any party that procures
or trades renewable identification numbers (RINs), either as part of their renewable fuel
purchases or separately. Any person who violates any prohibition or requirement of the RFS program
may be subject to civil penalties for each day of each violation. For example, a failure to acquire
sufficient RINs to meet a partys renewable fuels obligation would constitute a separate day of
violation for each day the violation occurred during the annual averaging period. The enforcement
provisions are necessary to ensure the RFS program goals are not compromised by illegal conduct in
the creation and transfer of RINs. The EPA has assigned equivalence values to each type of
renewable energy fuel in order to determine compliance with the RFS. The equivalence values used
ethanol as the base-line measurement (such that one gallon of ethanol is equivalent to one credit
towards RFS compliance) and assigned biodiesel an equivalence value of 1.5, such that each gallon
of biodiesel used by an obligated party will be equal to one and one-half gallons credit towards
its RFS compliance. A market has established in the petroleum diesel industry for trading these
RINs. Thus, the value of the RINs can sometimes offset higher biodiesel pricing, which can make
biodiesel more competitive on the market with petroleum diesel.
Other Federal Biodiesel Supports and Programs
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 provided for a tax subsidy for small agri-biodiesel producers
with total annual production capacities of 60 million gallons or less. The subsidy is applicable to
the first 15 million gallons of biodiesel produced annually and is available through December 31,
2011. The subsidy is equivalent to a 10 cent credit per gallon of biodiesel produced annually and
the maximum annual subsidy per biodiesel producer is $1.5 million. This tax credit may foster
additional growth and increase competition among biodiesel producers whose plant capacity does not
exceed 60 million gallons per year. Because we are organized as a limited liability company, this
credit passes through to our members and may be used as a credit against their federal income tax
liability, subject to various limitations.
The American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 originally created the biodiesel mixture tax credits,
including the excise tax credit and the income tax credit (collectively, the blenders credit).
That legislation, as amended, provides an excise tax credit of $1.00 per gallon and an income tax
credit of $1.00 per gallon for biodiesel mixtures. The two credits are coordinated so that a
taxpayer cannot claim both credits for the same biodiesel. The biodiesel blenders credit may be
claimed in both taxable and nontaxable markets, including exempt fleet fuel programs and off-road
diesel markets. The desired effect of the blenders credit is to streamline the use of biodiesel
and encourage petroleum blenders to blend biodiesel as far upstream as possible, which will allow
more biodiesel to be used in the marketplace. The American Jobs Creation Act also streamlined the
tax refund system for below-the-rack blenders to allow a tax refund of the blenders credit on each
gallon of biodiesel blended with diesel (dyed or undyed) to be paid within 20 days of blending.
Below-the-rack blenders are those blenders that market fuel for ground transportation engines and
not in the bulk transfer system. The blenders credit expired on December 31, 2009. Only in
December 2010 was the credit reinstated retroactively for 2010 and extended through December 31,
2011. Due to the recent nature of this change, it remains uncertain whether a one-year extension of
the blenders credit will be sufficient to stimulate demand for biodiesel. We do not anticipate
benefitting very much from the retroactive application of the biodiesel tax credit in 2010 due to
our limited sales during the year.
The Farm, Nutrition and Bioenergy Act of 2008 reauthorized the Commodity Credit Corporation,
or CCC, Bioenergy Program. The program provides $55.0 million in mandatory funding in each of 2009
and 2010, $85.0 million in funding in 2011, and $105.0 million in funding in 2012 for producers of
advanced biofuels derived from renewable biomass, including biodiesel. Biodiesel producers must
apply for this credit and are paid based on the quantity and duration of advanced biofuel
production and on net nonrenewable energy content of the advanced biofuel. Funding to a single
eligible producer may be limited to ensure equitable distribution of funding. Producers with
production capacity of less than 150 million gallons are eligible for 95% of the funds provided
under the program. We received approximately $298,476 in funds pursuant to the CCC Bioenergy
Program in 2009 and approximately $210,509 during 2010.
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State Legislation
Several states, including Iowa, are currently researching and considering legislation to
increase the amount of biodiesel used and produced in their states. Minnesota was the first state
to mandate biodiesel use. The Minnesota
legislation, which became effective in September 2005, required that all diesel fuel sold in
the state contain a minimum of 2% biodiesel. In 2008, Minnesota passed additional legislation to
increase biodiesel content of diesel fuel sold in the state from 2% to 20%, which is the highest in
the nation, by 2015. In 2009, Minnesota increased its biodiesel blend requirements to mandate all
diesel fuel contain a minimum of 5% biodiesel, however; the state has occasionally had to suspend
this requirement during winter months, due to cold flow concerns. Similarly, in July 2008,
Massachusetts signed a law that requires all home heating oil and diesel fuel in the state to
consist of 2% biodiesel by 2010 and 5% biodiesel by 2013. However, the Massachusetts Department of
Energy Resources will be entitled to delay those requirements if it determines that fuels are not
available to meet these requirements.
In May 2006, Iowa passed legislation (later updated in 2009) that creates a renewable fuels
standard that requires 10% of the fuel used in Iowa to be from renewable sources by 2009 and
increasing the renewable fuel standard to 25% by 2021. While this does not require biodiesel use,
it may significantly increase renewable fuels use in Iowa, which may include increased biodiesel
use in Iowa. The Iowa legislation includes tax credits to help retailers meet this requirement,
such as an incentive of $0.03 per gallon of biodiesel sold for retailers who sell at least 50%
biodiesel blends. This incentive, known as the Biodiesel Blended Fuel Tax Credit, is also expected
to support biodiesel sales and production. This incentive is set to expire in 2012.
Other states have enacted legislation to encourage (but not require) biodiesel production and
use. Several states provide tax incentives and grants for biodiesel-related studies and biodiesel
production, blending, and use. In addition, several governors have issued executive orders
directing state agencies to use biodiesel blends to fuel their fleets.
Effect of Government Incentives and Regulation
The biodiesel industry and our business depend upon continuation of the state and federal
biodiesel supports discussed above. These incentives have supported a market for biodiesel that
might disappear without the incentives, as demonstrated in 2010 following the expiration of the
federal biodiesel blenders tax credit. Alternatively, the incentives may be continued at lower
levels than the levels at which they currently exist. The elimination or reduction of such state
and federal biodiesel supports would make it more costly for us to produce our biodiesel and
negatively impact our future financial performance.
Furthermore, environmental regulations that may affect our company change frequently. It is
possible that the government could adopt more stringent federal or state environmental rules or
regulations, which could increase our operating costs and expenses. The government could also adopt
federal or state environmental rules or regulations that may have an adverse effect on the use of
biodiesel. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) oversees our plant
operations. OSHA regulations may change such that the costs of operating the plant increase. Any of
these regulatory factors may result in higher costs or other materially adverse conditions
affecting our operations, cash flows, and financial performance. These adverse effects could
decrease or eliminate the value of our units.
Competition with Other Biodiesel Producers
We operate in a very competitive environment. Because biodiesel is a relatively uniform
commodity, competition in the marketplace is predominately based on variables other than the
product itself, such as price, consistent quality and, to a lesser extent, delivery service.
Accordingly, the uniform nature of the product limits the competitive advantage that may be gained
based upon unique or improved product features. Nevertheless, the consistent high-quality biodiesel
produced by BQ-9000 certified plants is becoming the standard in the industry.
As of the end of calendar year 2010, the U.S. Census estimates that approximately 315 million
gallons of biodiesel were produced in the United States. As of January 27, 2011 (the latest date
for which data is available), the National Biodiesel Board reported that there were 169 operating
biodiesel plants in the United States with a total annual production capacity of 2.84 billion
gallons. Another 11 plants were reported to be in the planning stages or under construction as of
January 2011. The additional combined capacity of these plants under construction or expansion is
estimated at 385.50 million gallons per year. Accordingly, biodiesel supply may already far exceed
demand for biodiesel. Currently, there are 12 existing biodiesel plants in Iowa, including our
plant. However, several of these plants may not be operating, may not be operating at full
capacity, or may never begin operations due to
economic and market conditions. We expect that additional biodiesel producers may enter the
market if the demand for biodiesel increases. As additional biodiesel plants are constructed and
brought on line, we expect the supply of biodiesel to increase. The absence of increased demand may
cause prices for biodiesel to decrease. We may not be able to compete successfully or such
competition may reduce our ability to generate the profits necessary to operate our plant.
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We must compete with other biodiesel producers in the industry not just in the sale of our
biodiesel, but also in the acquisition of animal fats, soybean oil, and other feedstocks and raw
materials. A majority of biodiesel plants, including many of the largest biodiesel producers,
utilize soybean oil. This may change over time as high soybean oil prices are encouraging biodiesel
producers to find ways to utilize alternative and less costly types of feedstock. Furthermore,
producers may design their plants with the capability to use multiple feedstocks. Nonetheless, we
expect that as biodiesel production increases, the demand for, and cost of, soybean oil, animal
fats and other inputs will also increase. We expect this will make it more expensive for us to
produce our biodiesel from soybean oil alternatives, such as animal fat, and will reduce our profit
margins from biodiesel. This is because there is little or no correlation between the cost of
feedstock and the market price of biodiesel. Therefore, we cannot pass along increased feedstock
costs to our biodiesel customers. In order to stay competitive in the diesel industry, biodiesel
must be competitively priced with petroleum-based diesel. Therefore, biodiesel prices fluctuate
more in relation to petroleum-based diesel market prices than with feedstock market prices. As a
result, increased feedstock costs may result in decreased profit margins.
Many plants are currently capable of using only vegetable oil for feedstock. Our plant is able
to use both vegetable oils and animal fats to produce biodiesel, allowing us to use whichever types
of feedstock provide the greatest return at any given time. This is beneficial because the cost of
feedstock is the highest cost associated with biodiesel production. Our ability to utilize animal
fats is also significant because animal fat-based biodiesel has some favorable advantages over
soybean oil-based biodiesel, such as better lubricity, lower nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, and
higher cetane values. The tendency of animal-fat based biodiesel to gel at higher temperatures than
soybean oil-based biodiesel, however, limits our ability to sell animal fat-based biodiesel during
winter months.
We compete with large, multi-product companies and other biodiesel plants with varying
capacities. Some of our competitors have greater resources than we currently have or will have in
the future. Large plants with which we compete include the 85 million gallon per year Archer
Daniels Midland Co (ADM) canola-based plant in Velva, North Dakota; the 90 million gallon per year
Green Earth Fuels multi-feedstock plant in Galena Park, Texas; the 100 million gallon per year
multi-feedstock Imperium Grays Harbor plant in Grays Harbor, Washington; the 100 million gallon per
year multi-feedstock plant in Las Vegas, Nevada; and the 180 million gallon per year
multi-feedstock RBF Port Neches plant in Port Neches, Texas. As discussed previously, ADM
currently markets our products and procures our feedstock pursuant to agreements we entered into
with ADM in September 2010. Our agreements with ADM do not prohibit ADM from competing with us or
from providing marketing and sales services to our competitors.
Although most biodiesel plants are not equipped to process raw materials (such as soybeans)
into feedstock (such as soybean oil), there are several of our competitors that have soy-crushing
facilities and are therefore not reliant upon third parties for their feedstock supply like we are.
As a result, we face a competitive challenge from biodiesel plants owned and operated by the
companies that supply our inputs, such as Cargill, Inc., Ag Processing, Inc. (AGP) and ADM.
Cargill, AGP and ADM have significant crush capabilities throughout North America and are large
suppliers of soybean oil that own and operate their own biodiesel plants in the Midwest. Cargill
owns a 37.5 million gallon plant in Iowa Falls, Iowa and AGP owns a 30 million gallon per year
plant in Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, both of which process soy oil into biodiesel. ADMs 85 million
gallon plant in Velva, North Dakota processes canola oil into biodiesel. Increasing feedstock costs
have spurred, and may continue to spur, additional development of crush facilities throughout the
country. Such vertical integration provides these plants with greater control over their feedstock
supplies, thereby providing them with a competitive advantage over plants like ours that do not
have soy-crushing capabilities, especially as prices and competition for soybean oil and other
feedstocks increase.
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Competition from Other Fuel Sources and Additives
The biodiesel industry is in competition with the diesel fuel segment of the petroleum
industry. Historically, biodiesel prices have correlated to the prices of petroleum-based diesel.
According to the Energy Information Administration, the price of diesel fuel steadily increased
until reaching record high prices in July 2008 of approximately $4.70 per gallon for No. 2 ultra
low sulfur diesel, and thereafter declined sharply to approximately $2.00 per gallon in March 2009.
More recently, the price of diesel fuel has risen again, to approximately $3.90 per gallon as of
March 2011. Although the price of diesel fuel has increased over the past several months, diesel
fuel prices per gallon remain at levels below or equal to the price of biodiesel. As of March 11,
2011, the National Weekly Ag Energy Roundup reports that B100 biodiesel prices in Iowa ranged from
$4.70 to $5.06 per gallon, an increase from a range of $3.25 to $3.45 approximately one year ago.
If the diesel fuel industry is able to produce petroleum-based diesel fuel with acceptable
environmental characteristics, we may find it difficult to compete with diesel fuel. In addition,
other more cost-efficient domestic alternative fuels may be developed and displace biodiesel as an
environmentally-friendly alternative. If diesel prices do not continue to increase or a new fuel is
developed to compete with biodiesel, it may be difficult to market our biodiesel, which could
result in the loss of some or all of our ability to operate profitably.
At least one large oil company has previously announced its intent to produce renewable
diesel, another form of diesel with which we may be required to compete. Renewable diesel has
characteristics similar to that of petroleum-based diesel fuel and can be co-processed at
traditional petroleum refineries from vegetable oils or animal fats mixed with crude oil through a
thermal de-polymerization process. However, as a result of an Internal Revenue Service
interpretation of the application of certain biodiesel tax credits, renewable diesel processed in
traditional petroleum-refining equipment is eligible for the federal biodiesel blenders tax
credit, but only at a reduced rate of 50 cents per gallon. Because renewable diesel is currently
eligible for this credit (although only at the reduced credit amount), other large oil companies
may also decide to add production capacity for renewable diesel. These large petroleum refiners
likely have greater financial resources than we do and may be able to devote greater production
capacity to the production of renewable diesel than the typical biodiesel plant, which on average
has an annual production capacity of 30 million gallons. Accordingly, if renewable diesel proves to
be more cost-effective than biodiesel, our revenues and our ability to operate profitably may be
adversely affected.
The EPA has issued regulations to reduce the amount of sulfur in diesel fuel in order to
improve air quality. The removal of sulfur from diesel fuel also reduces its lubricity which must
be corrected with fuel additives, such as biodiesel, which has inherent lubricating properties. We
expect to compete with producers of other diesel additives made from raw materials other than
soybean oil having similar lubricity values as biodiesel, such as petroleum-based lubricity
additives. Some major oil companies produce these petroleum-based lubricity additives and strongly
favor their use because they may be used in lower concentrations than biodiesel. In addition, much
of the infrastructure in place is for petroleum-based additives. As a result, petroleum-based
additives may be more cost-effective than biodiesel. Therefore, it may be difficult to market our
biodiesel as a lubricity additive.
Research and Development
We do not conduct any research and development activities associated with the development of
new technologies for use in producing biodiesel, glycerin, and fatty acid.
Dependence on One or a Few Major Customers
We have entered into a Product Marketing Agreement with ADM to market all of our products. Any
failure by ADM to comply with the terms of the Product Marketing Agreement could negatively impact
our ability to generate revenues. The Product Marketing Agreement does not prohibit ADM from
providing services to our competitors, and its does not provide any procedures as to how ADM will
address any conflicts of interest that may arise during ADMs service to our plant and ADMs own
plants or other competitor plants. If ADM places the interests of its own biodiesel plants or other
biodiesel plants which it manages ahead of our interests, our profitability may be negatively
impacted.
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Costs and Effects of Compliance with Environmental Laws
We are subject to extensive air, water, and other environmental regulations and we have been
required to obtain a number of environmental permits to construct and operate the plant. We have
obtained all of the necessary permits to conduct plant operations, including air emissions permits,
a NPDES permit, and boiler permits. We previously entered into an agreement with the City of Des
Moines for the discharge of our wastewater into its wastewater reclamation facility; however, this
agreement expired on March 1, 2011. We now sell our wastewater to a private energy-recycling firm.
We are subject to ongoing environmental regulation and testing. Thompson Environmental
Consulting, Inc. assisted us in obtaining all of our required permits and continues to assist us in
ongoing permitting matters. Although we have been successful in obtaining all of the permits
currently required, any retroactive change in environmental regulations, either at the federal or
state level, could require us to obtain additional or new permits or spend considerable resources
on complying with such regulations. We estimate that we will spend approximately $25,000 to comply
with federal, state, and local environmental laws over the next twelve months.
The governments regulation of the environment changes constantly. It is possible that more
stringent federal or state environmental rules or regulations could be adopted, which would
increase our operating costs and expenses. It also is possible that federal or state environmental
rules or regulations could be adopted that could have an adverse effect on the use of biodiesel.
There is always a risk that the EPA may enforce certain rules and regulations differently than
Iowas environmental administrators. Iowa or EPA rules are subject to change, and any such changes
could result in greater regulatory burdens on plant operations.
We could also be subject to environmental or nuisance claims from adjacent property owners or
residents in the area arising from possible foul smells or other air or water discharges from the
plant. Such claims may result in an adverse result in court if we are deemed to engage in a
nuisance that substantially impairs the fair use and enjoyment of real estate.
Employees
As of December 31, 2010, we had 20 full-time employees and no part-time employees. We have
since increased our workforce to 27 full-time employees as we have increased biodiesel production.
Item 1A. | Risk Factors. |
You should carefully read and consider the risks and uncertainties below and the other information
contained in this report. The risks and uncertainties described below are not the only ones we may
face. The following risks, together with additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to
us or that we currently deem immaterial could impair our financial condition and results of
operations.
Risks Related to Our Business
Declines in the prices of biodiesel and glycerin will have a significant negative impact on
our financial performance. Our revenues will be greatly affected by the price at which we can sell
our biodiesel and its primary co-product, glycerin. These prices can be volatile as a result of a
number of factors over which we have no control. These factors include the overall supply and
demand of biodiesel and glycerin, the price of diesel fuel, the level of government support, the
availability and price of competing products, and domestic and global economic conditions. The
total production capacity of biodiesel remains significantly above the level of demand for
biodiesel, which may lead to lower prices. Any lowering of biodiesel prices may negatively impact
our ability to generate profits.
In addition, at times during which biodiesel production has increased, this has led to
increased supplies of co-products from the production of biodiesel, such as glycerin. These
increased supplies have led to lower prices for glycerin. If the price of glycerin declines, our
revenue from glycerin may substantially decrease.
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Our business is sensitive to feedstock costs. Changes in the prices and availability of our
feedstock may hinder our ability to generate revenue. Our results of operations and financial
condition are significantly affected by the cost and supply of feedstock. Biodiesel production at
our plant requires significant amounts of feedstock. Changes in the price and supply of feedstock
are subject to and determined by market forces over which we have no control. Because there is
little or no correlation between the costs of feedstock and the price of biodiesel, we cannot pass
along increased feedstock costs to our biodiesel customers. As a result, increased feedstock cost
may result in decreased profits. If we experience a sustained period of high or volatile feedstock
costs, such pricing may reduce our ability to generate revenues and our profit margins will
decrease, and these decreases may be significant.
Our biodiesel plant processes primarily animal fats and a small amount of soybean oil, and the
cost of feedstock represents approximately 70%-90% of our cost of production. In late 2010, the
cost of our primary feedstock, choice white grease, increased substantially. If the cost of choice
white grease continues to increase, the cost advantages of utilizing choice white grease as a
primary feedstock may diminish and our profits will be negatively affected.
The price for animal fats, including choice white grease, tends to move in relation to the
price of other feedstocks, such as soybean oil. Accordingly, as soybean oil prices increase, animal
fat prices generally tend to increase. Soybean oil prices have recently increased substantially.
Soybean prices may also be affected by other market sectors, as soybeans are comprised of 80%
protein meal and only 20% oil. Soybean oil is a co-product of processing, or crushing, soybeans
for protein meal used for livestock feed. Soybean meal demand drives the prices we pay for soybean
oil. Currently, soybean crush capacity is concentrated among four companies, Cargill, Inc., Bunge,
ADM, and Ag Processing Inc., which represent more than 80% of crushing operations in the United
States. These companies typically crush soybeans based upon demand for livestock feed and they will
not likely increase the amount of soybeans crushed for soybean oil unless there is an equal
increase in demand for livestock feed. Accordingly, the amount of soybean crushing could create
uncertainty and price volatility in the soybean oil market. We also expect that competition for raw
soy oil, animal fats and other feedstocks from other biodiesel producers may increase our cost of
feedstock and harm our financial performance and reduce our profits. Any inability to obtain
adequate quantities of feedstock at economical prices will result in increased costs and decreases
in our profit margins.
Increases in the price of natural gas could reduce our profitability. Our results of
operations and financial condition are significantly affected by the cost and supply of natural
gas. Changes in the price and supply of natural gas are subject to and determined by market forces
over which we have no control. The average price we paid for natural gas during the fiscal year
ended December 31, 2010 was approximately 36.0% more than the average price we paid for natural gas
during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009. In 2008, natural gas prices significantly exceeded
historical averages. According to the Energy Information Administration, the industrial price of
natural gas averaged $9.58 per thousand cubic feet in 2008, reaching a peak price of $13.05 per
thousand cubic feet in July 2008. Since that time, natural gas prices have decreased substantially,
and as of December 2010 averaged $5.42.
The price we pay for natural gas affects our costs of production. The prices for and
availability of natural gas are subject to volatile market conditions. These market conditions
often are affected by factors beyond our control such as higher prices as a result of colder than
average weather conditions, natural disasters, overall economic conditions, and foreign and
domestic governmental regulations and relations. Significant disruptions in the supply of natural
gas could impair our ability to manufacture biodiesel for our customers. Furthermore, increases in
natural gas prices or changes in our natural gas costs relative to natural gas costs paid by
competitors may adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.
We are in competition with ADM, our current product marketer and feedstock procurer, which
could place us at a competitive disadvantage and cause a conflict of interest for ADM. We have
contracted with ADM for feedstock procurement and marketing services for our plant. We are highly
dependent upon ADM to procure our inputs and market our products. We are also highly dependent upon
ADMs experience and relationships in the biodiesel industry.
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ADM owns, wholly or jointly, biodiesel production facilities in Missouri, North Dakota, and
other places around the world. This means that ADM is in competition with us in many aspects of our
business, including feedstock procurement (to the extent that we utilize soybean oil as a
feedstock) and biodiesel production and
marketing. Because ADM operates its own biodiesel production facilities and competes with us
in many aspects of our business, ADM may have a conflict of interest in marketing our products.
Although we have entered into marketing and feedstock procurement agreements with ADM, there is no
assurance that ADMs performance of these services will not be compromised by its own biodiesel
production operations.
Our exclusive reliance on ADM to procure our inputs and market our products could damage our
profitability if ADM fails to perform its obligations under our agreements with ADM. We are highly
dependent upon ADM to procure our inputs and market our products. We do not have a soy crushing
facility to supply our own raw soybean oil and we do not have any arrangements with other suppliers
of feedstock. Rather, we depend upon ADM to acquire our feedstock from third parties. If ADM is
unable to provide us with adequate feedstock or other inputs, we may have to decrease or halt
operations which would adversely affect our ability to generate profits and adversely affect our
financial obligations
In addition, we do not have a sales force of our own to market our biodiesel and glycerin and
will be highly dependent upon ADM to market our products. If ADM breaches the terms of our
agreement or does not have the ability to market all of the biodiesel and glycerin we produce, we
will not have any readily available means to sell our biodiesel and glycerin. Our lack of a sales
force and reliance on ADM to sell and market our products may place us at a competitive
disadvantage. If and when we recommence producing biodiesel, our failure to sell our biodiesel and
glycerin products may result in less income from sales, reducing our revenue, which could adversely
affect our financial position.
If ADM does not perform its obligations as agreed, we may be unable to specifically enforce
our agreement. Additionally, ADMs right to terminate its agreements with us upon thirty days
notice could place us at a competitive disadvantage. Any loss of our relationship with ADM may
result in the failure of our business. Significant costs and delays would likely result from the
need to find other feedstock suppliers, consultants or product marketers. In addition, any failure
by ADM to perform under our agreements may reduce our ability to generate revenue and may
significantly damage our competitive position in the biodiesel industry such that our members could
lose all or substantially all of their investment.
Reductions in the amounts available under our credit facilities with Farm Credit may cause us
to be unable to meet our capital needs. The expiration of the blenders tax credit on December 31,
2009 and our subsequent decision to warm-idle our plant led to discussions with CoBank, as
administrative agent of Farm Credit, regarding certain changes to our credit facilities. In
particular, we agreed with Farm Credit to reduce the amount available under our revolving credit
loan from $8,000,000 to $6,000,000 (inclusive of our $490,000 irrevocable letter of credit in favor
of Glidden Rural Electric Cooperative) and reduce the amount of minimum working capital required
pursuant to our loan covenants. On March 28, 2011, we entered into an agreement with Farm Credit
increasing the amount available under this loan to $7,000,000 through September 30, 2011 and
reducing the minimum net worth we are required to maintain pursuant to our loan covenants through
that same date. If Farm Credit again reduces the amounts available under our credit facilities, we
may be unable to meet our capital needs. This may have a material adverse effect on our ability to
operate the plant and may cause our members to lose some or all of their investment.
Liquidity constraints could impact our operations. There is a delay between the time we
purchase our raw materials and the time we receive payment for sales of our finished products.
Rising input costs tend to increase the amount of working capital we need to finance our
operations, particularly in light of the delay between our raw material acquisition and the date we
receive payment for finished products. In May 2010 we agreed with Farm Credit to reduce the amount
available under our revolving credit loan from $8,000,000 to $6,000,000. On March 28, 2011, we
agreed with Farm Credit to increase the amount available under this loan to $7,000,000 through
September 30, 2011. While we currently expect our cash from operations and the amounts available
under our revolving credit loan to be sufficient to fund our operations, our cash flow may prove to
be insufficient to fund our ongoing operations. Should we not be able to secure the cash we
require to operate the plant and pay our obligations as they become due, we may have to reduce or
cease our operations, which may decrease or eliminate the value of our units.
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Our loan agreement contains restrictive covenants that we may be unable to satisfy. Our loan
agreement with Farm Credit contains restrictive covenants that require us to maintain minimum
levels of working capital and net worth, as well as to meet a minimum debt service coverage ratio.
We were not in compliance with our restrictive covenant regarding our debt service coverage ratio
at December 31, 2010; however, we received a waiver from
CoBank, as administrative agent for Farm Credit, regarding this covenant violation. A failure
to comply with our covenants in the future may constitute an event of default under our loan
agreements which, at the election of Farm Credit, could result in the acceleration of the unpaid
principal loan balance and accrued interest owed to Farm Credit, or the loss of our assets securing
the loan in the event Farm Credit elected to foreclose its lien or security interest in such
assets. While Farm Credit granted us a waiver for failing to comply with our debt service coverage
ratio at December 31, 2010, Farm Credit might not grant a waiver for future covenant violations. If
an event of default occurs and Farm Credit elects to accelerate the amounts due to it or foreclose
on our assets, this may have a material adverse effect on our ability to operate the plant and may
cause our members to lose some or all of their investment.
We have limited experience in the biodiesel industry, which increases the risk of our
inability to operate the biodiesel plant. We organized our company in September 2004 and commenced
production of biodiesel at our plant in May 2006. Accordingly, we have a limited operating history
from which you can evaluate our business and prospects. We are presently, and will likely continue
to be, dependent upon our directors to govern the business of the biodiesel plant. Most of our
directors are experienced in business generally but have limited or no prior experience in
operating a biodiesel plant or in governing and operating a public company. Most of our directors
had no prior expertise in the biodiesel industry. In addition, certain directors on our board of
directors are presently engaged in business and other activities that impose substantial demands on
the time and attention of such directors.
Our operating results could fluctuate significantly in the future as a result of a variety of
factors. Many of these factors are outside of our control. As a result of these factors, our
operating results may not be indicative of future operating results and you should not rely on them
as indications of our future performance. There is no assurance that our future financial
performance will improve. In addition, our prospects must be considered in light of the risks and
uncertainties encountered by an early-stage company and in rapidly growing industries, such as the
biodiesel industry, where supply and demand may change substantially in a short amount of time.
Some of these risks relate to our potential inability to effectively manage our business and
operations; recruit and retain key personnel; develop new products that complement our existing
business; and obtain sufficient amounts of credit and capital to support our business operations.
If we cannot successfully address these risks, our business, future results of operations and
financial condition may be materially adversely affected.
We engage in hedging transactions which involve risks that can harm our business. We are
exposed to market risk from changes in commodity prices. Exposure to commodity price risk results
from our dependence on commodities in the biodiesel production process, such as soybean oil and
home heating oil. Hedging activities can result in increased costs because price movements in
soybean oil contracts, home heating oil contracts, and other commodity contracts are highly
volatile and are influenced by many factors that are beyond our control. There are several
variables that could affect the extent to which our derivative instruments are impacted by price
fluctuations in the cost of soybean oil, home heating oil and other commodities. However, it is
likely that commodity cash prices will have the greatest impact on the derivative instruments with
delivery dates nearest the current cash price. We may incur such costs and they may be significant.
If we realize losses with respect to our derivative instruments, our net income could decrease.
The effectiveness of our hedging strategies with respect to soybean oil is dependent upon the
cost of soybean oil and other commodities and our ability to sell sufficient amounts of our
products to use all of the soybean oil for which we have futures contracts. There is no assurance
that our hedging activities will successfully reduce the risk caused by price fluctuation which may
leave us vulnerable to high soybean oil prices. Alternatively, we may choose not to engage in
hedging transactions. As a result, our results of operations and financial conditions may also be
adversely affected during periods in which soybean oil prices increase.
We compete with other biofuels plants for key management and other personnel who are critical
to our success. In September 2010 we successfully hired a General Manager and a Plant Manager.
However, if these or other employees leave our employment, we may be forced to identify and hire
new individuals to fill these positions or to contract with a provider of plant management
services. There are a limited number of individuals with expertise in this area. In addition, we
may have difficulty in attracting other competent personnel to relocate to Iowa in the event that
such personnel leave our employment. Our failure to attract and retain such individuals could limit
or eliminate any profit that we might make and could result in our failure.
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Our business is not diversified. Our success depends largely on our ability to profitably
operate our biodiesel plant. We do not have any other lines of business or other sources of revenue
if we are unable to operate our biodiesel plant and manufacture biodiesel and glycerin. If economic
or political factors adversely affect the market for biodiesel, we have no other line of business
to fall back on. Our business would also be significantly harmed if our biodiesel plant does not
operate at full capacity for any extended period of time.
If it is necessary to temporarily cease operating our biodiesel plant for sustained periods of
time for any reason, we might not be able to meet our current liabilities and may experience
losses. If we are forced to temporarily cease operations at our biodiesel plant, either due to our
inability to sell the biodiesel we are producing, increased feedstock costs, our lack of working
capital and available credit, defects in our equipment at the plant, violations of environmental
law, or any other reason, our ability to produce revenue would be aversely affected. We do not have
any source of revenues other than production of biodiesel and glycerin at our biodiesel plant. If
our plant were to cease production, we would not generate any revenue and we might not be able to
pay our debts as they become due, including payments required under our loan agreements with our
lender. Failure to make the payments required under our loan agreements would constitute an event
of default, entitling our lender to exercise any number of remedies, including foreclosure on its
security interest in all of our assets. If the plant ceases to operate for enough time, we might
not be able to re-start operations at the plant and our members could lose some or all of their
investment.
We are at a disadvantage in marketing our glycerin because our plant does not produce
pharmaceutical grade glycerin, thereby decreasing the market for the glycerin we produce. A major
use of glycerin is in the production of drugs. The glycerin our plant produces, however, is not
pharmaceutical grade glycerin. This limits our ability to market the glycerin produced by our
biodiesel plant. The glycerin we produce has to be purified in order for it to be used in
pharmaceutical applications. However, any glycerin produced from the production of animal fat-based
biodiesel cannot be used in such pharmaceutical applications. Since the market in which we can sell
our glycerin is limited, we might not be able to sell all of the glycerin we produce or we may not
be able to sell our glycerin at a favorable price. If we cannot sell all of the glycerin we produce
or cannot sell it at a favorable price, our ability to operate our biodiesel plant profitably might
be adversely affected, which could decrease the value of our units.
Concerns about fuel quality may impact our ability to successfully market our biodiesel.
Industry standards impose quality specifications for biodiesel fuel. Actual or perceived problems
with quality control in the industry may lead to a lack of consumer confidence in the product and
hinder our ability to successfully market our biodiesel. An inability to successfully market our
biodiesel will lead to decreased revenues and may adversely impact our ability to operate at all.
Cold weather may cause biodiesel to gel, which could have an adverse impact on our ability to
successfully market our biodiesel. The cloud point is the temperature at which small solid
crystals are visually observed as a fuel is cooled. When air temperatures fall below the cloud
point, these crystals may plug fuel filters or drop to the bottom of a storage tank. The pour
point for a fuel is the temperature at which the fuel contains so many crystals that it is
essentially a gel and will no longer flow. The cloud point of 100% soy-based biodiesel is
approximately 32ºF and the pour point is approximately 25ºF. The cloud point and pour point for No.
2 ultra low sulfur petroleum diesel fuel, the non-biodiesel fuel currently used in machines, are
approximately 6ºF and -30ºF, respectively. When diesel is mixed with soy-based biodiesel to make a
2% biodiesel blend, the cloud point and pour point are 7ºF and -25ºF, respectively. Therefore, we
believe we will need to blend soy-based biodiesel and animal fat-based biodiesel with petroleum
diesel in order to provide a biodiesel product that will have an acceptable cloud point and pour
point in cold weather. Generally, biodiesel that is used in blends of 2% to 20% is expected to
provide acceptable cold flow properties for colder markets comparable to the No. 2 petroleum diesel
cold flow properties. In colder temperatures, lower blends are recommended to avoid fuel system
plugging. This may cause the demand for our biodiesel in northern markets to diminish during the
colder months.
The tendency of biodiesel to gel in colder weather may also result in long-term storage
problems. At low temperatures, fuel may need to be stored in a heated building or heated storage
tanks. This may result in a decrease in demand for our product in colder climates due to increased
storage costs.
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We may be unable to generate positive cash flow, and if we are unable to continue our
business, our units may have little or no value. As discussed in Note 14 to the accompanying
financial statements, the biodiesel industry has faced numerous challenges since we commenced
production, including significant volatility in the cost of its inputs. Unlike many industries,
historically, we have not been able to pass along increased input costs to our customers. A
sustained narrow spread or any further reduction in the spread between biodiesel and feedstock
prices, whether as a result of sustained high or increased feedstock prices or sustained low or
decreased biodiesel prices, would adversely affect our results of operations and financial
position. Additionally, the future expiration of the federal blenders tax credit on
December 31, 2011 has led our auditor to raise doubts about our ability to continue as a going
concern. If we are unable to continue as a going concern, our units may have little or no value.
Technological advances could significantly decrease the cost of producing biodiesel or result
in the production of higher-quality biodiesel, and if we are unable to adopt or incorporate
technological advances into our operations, our plant could become uncompetitive or obsolete. We
expect that technological advances in the processes and procedures for processing biodiesel will
continue to occur. It is possible that those advances could make the processes and procedures that
we utilize at our plant less efficient or obsolete, or cause the biodiesel we produce to be of a
lesser quality. Advances and changes in the technology of biodiesel production are expected to
occur. These advances could also allow our competitors to produce biodiesel at a lower cost than
cost at which we produce biodiesel. Our plant is a single-purpose facility and has no use other
than the production of biodiesel and associated products. Much of the cost of the plant is
attributable to the cost of production technology which may be impractical or impossible to update.
If we are unable to adopt or incorporate technological advances, our biodiesel production methods
could be less efficient than our competitors, which could cause our plant to become uncompetitive
or obsolete. If our competitors develop, obtain, or license technology that is superior to ours or
that makes our technology obsolete, we may be required to incur significant costs to enhance or
acquire new technology so that our biodiesel production remains competitive. Alternatively, we may
be required to seek third-party licenses, which could also result in significant expenditures. We
cannot guarantee or assure you that third-party licenses will be available or, once obtained, will
continue to be available on commercially reasonable terms, if at all. These costs could negatively
impact our financial performance by significantly increasing our operating costs, as well as
reducing our net income.
Risks Related to the Biodiesel Industry
The economic recession and tightening of credit markets has caused demand for biodiesel to
decline, which may adversely affect our ability to generate revenues. The collapse of various major
financial institutions and the federal governments bailout and takeover of troubled financial
institutions and corporations since the Fall of 2008 have caused significant economic stress and
upheaval in the financial and credit markets in the United States, as well as abroad. Credit
markets have tightened and lending requirements have become more stringent. We believe that these
economic factors have contributed to a decrease in demand for fuel in general, including biodiesel,
which may persist throughout all or parts of fiscal year 2011. It is uncertain for how long and to
what extent these economic troubles may negatively affect biodiesel demand in the future. If demand
for biodiesel declines, we may be forced to temporarily or permanently cease operations and you may
lose some or all of your investment.
A decline in crude oil and diesel prices may affect our ability to sell biodiesel at
profitable prices. The price for biodiesel is correlated to the price for diesel, as biodiesel is
used primarily as a diesel additive. The price of biodiesel tends to increase as the price of
diesel increases, and the price of biodiesel tends to decrease as the price of diesel decreases.
Diesel prices are typically influenced by crude oil prices. In January 2009, crude oil prices fell
to their lowest level in more than four years, dropping to $31.76 per barrel. However, more
recently, crude oil prices rebounded to more than $100 per barrel in early March 2011. If crude
oil and diesel prices decline, biodiesel prices will also likely decline. This could make it
difficult for us to produce and sell biodiesel at a profit and you could lose some or all of your
investment as a result.
The downturn in the U.S. economy may limit our customers ability to pay for our biodiesel and
co-products, which may adversely affect our ability to generate revenues In 2008, one of our
customers defaulted on its contract with us for the purchase of biodiesel as a result of poor
economic conditions. As a result, we sold the biodiesel to another customer for a lower price. We
and other biodiesel producers who sold biodiesel to this customer remain in arbitration to resolve
this dispute. Under our current product marketing agreement, we sell our biodiesel to our product
marketer, ADM. Although this provides us with protection with respect to payment risk, if for some
reason we do not receive payment for the biodiesel we produce, we may be forced to reduce
production, and you may lose some or all of your investment.
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The European Commission has imposed definitive anti-dumping and countervailing duties on
biodiesel imported into Europe, which may negatively impact biodiesel demand and our revenues. In
March 2009, the European Commission imposed anti-dumping and anti-subsidy tariffs on biodiesel
produced in the United States. These tariffs have reduced European demand for biodiesel produced in
the United States. In July 2009, the European Commission decided to extend these tariffs beyond
their July 2009 expiration until 2014. These duties significantly increase the price at which U.S.
biodiesel producers may be able to sell biodiesel in European markets, making it difficult or
impossible to compete with European biodiesel producers and thereby increasing the supply and
reducing overall demand for biodiesel produced in the United States. Accordingly, these duties on
U.S. biodiesel imported into Europe could significantly harm our financial performance.
If demand for biodiesel fails to grow at the same rate as planned supply, the excess
production capacity will adversely impact our financial condition. In 2010, approximately 315
million gallons of biodiesel were produced in the United States, according to the National
Biodiesel Board. Our biodiesel plant alone could produce approximately 9.5% of the 2010 domestic
production if we operated at our annual nameplate production capacity. The National Biodiesel Board
estimates the current dedicated U.S. biodiesel production capacity of existing biodiesel plants as
of January 27, 2011 is approximately 2.84 billion gallons per year. Thus the current annual
production capacity of existing plants far exceeds 2010 annual biodiesel consumption, and will
likely far exceed 2011 biodiesel consumption. As production capacity increases, our competition
with other biodiesel producers for the sale of our products increases, especially if there is not a
corresponding increase in demand for biodiesel. Many biodiesel plants do not operate at full
capacity due to the discrepancy between annual domestic biodiesel consumption and annual U.S.
biodiesel production capacity, among other factors. Several biodiesel plants have even been forced
to completely shut down or declare bankruptcy, which may be due in part to an increase in national
excess production capacity without a corresponding increase in biodiesel demand in combination with
the worsening economic conditions. If biodiesel production capacity continues to expand at its
current pace, and demand does not grow to meet the available supply, we may be forced to suspend
production at our plant and the value of your units could be decreased or eliminated.
Excess capacity in the biodiesel industry may cause increased competition for inputs and
decreased market prices for biodiesel. Biodiesel production at our plant requires significant
amounts of animal fats and other inputs. If overproduction of biodiesel occurs, we will face
increased competition for inputs which means we may be either unable to acquire the inputs that we
need or unable to acquire them at profitable prices. In addition, if excess capacity occurs, we may
also be unable to market our products at profitable prices. If the demand for biodiesel does not
grow at the same pace as increases in supply, we would expect the price for biodiesel to decline.
Any decrease in the price at which we can sell our biodiesel will negatively impact our future
revenues. Increased expenses and decreased sales prices for biodiesel will result in decreased
revenues and increased losses.
Excess production of glycerin, a co-product of the biodiesel production process, may cause the
price of glycerin to decline, thereby adversely affecting our ability to generate revenue from the
sale of glycerin. It is estimated that every million gallons of biodiesel produced adds
approximately another one hundred thousand gallons of crude glycerin into the market. As biodiesel
production has increased, the glycerin market has become increasingly saturated, resulting in
significant declines in the price of glycerin. In 2006, glycerin prices dropped dramatically, with
crude glycerin prices hovering around 2 cents per pound or less. However, more recently there has
been a steady, gradual increase in glycerin prices. If the price of glycerin declines again, our
revenues will be adversely affected and we could even be forced to pay to dispose of our glycerin.
Any further excess glycerin production capacity may limit our ability to market our glycerin
co-product and could negatively impact our future revenues.
The biodiesel manufacturing industry is a feedstock limited industry. As more plants go into
production there may not be an adequate supply of feedstock to supply the demands of the industry,
which could threaten the viability of our plant. As more biodiesel plants go into production
following the reinstatement of the federal blenders credit, there may not be an adequate supply of
feedstock to supply the demand of the biodiesel industry. Consequently, the price of feedstock may
rise to the point where it threatens the viability of our plant. This is because there is little or
no correlation between the price of feedstock and the market price of biodiesel and, therefore, we
cannot pass along increased feedstock costs to our biodiesel customers. We cannot pass along
increased feedstock costs to our biodiesel customers because in order to stay competitive in the
diesel industry,
biodiesel must be competitively priced with petroleum-based diesel. Therefore, biodiesel
prices fluctuate more in relation to petroleum-based diesel market prices than with feedstock
market prices. As a result, increased feedstock costs may result in decreased profit margins. If we
experience a sustained period of high feedstock costs, such pricing may significantly decrease or
eliminate our profit margins.
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The biodiesel industry is becoming increasingly competitive and we compete with some larger,
better financed entities which could impact our ability to operate profitably. We face a
competitive challenge from larger biodiesel plants and from biodiesel plants owned and operated by
the companies that supply our inputs. We also expect to compete with plants that are capable of
producing significantly greater quantities of biodiesel than the amount we expect to produce.
Moreover, some of these plants may not face the same competition we do for inputs as the companies
that own them are suppliers of the inputs. Such competition could result in lower prices for
biodiesel, which would adversely affect our ability to generate profits and adversely affect our
financial obligations.
Competition from other sources of fuel may decrease the demand for our biodiesel. Diesel fuel
prices per gallon remain at levels below or equal to the price of biodiesel, making it difficult
for the biodiesel industry to compete with the diesel fuel industry without government support
programs. In addition, other more cost-efficient domestic alternative fuels may be developed and
displace biodiesel as an environmentally friendly alternative. If diesel prices do not continue to
increase or a new fuel is developed to compete with biodiesel, it may be difficult to market our
biodiesel, which could result in increased losses for our company.
Automobile manufacturers and other industry groups have expressed reservations regarding the
use of biodiesel, which could negatively impact our ability to market our biodiesel. Because it is
a relatively new product, the research on biodiesel use in automobiles and its effect on the
environment is ongoing. Some industry groups, including the World Wide Fuel Charter, have
recommended that blends of no more than 5% biodiesel be used for automobile fuel due to concerns
about fuel quality, engine performance problems and possible detrimental effects of biodiesel on
rubber components and other parts of the engine. Although some manufacturers have encouraged use of
biodiesel fuel in their vehicles, cautionary pronouncements by others may impact our ability to
market our product.
In addition, studies have shown that nitrogen oxide emissions increase by 10% when pure
biodiesel is used. Nitrogen oxide is the chief contributor to ozone or smog. New engine technology
is available and is being implemented to eliminate this problem. However, these emissions may
decrease the appeal of our product to environmental groups and agencies who have been historic
supporters of the biodiesel industry, which may result in our inability to market our biodiesel.
Competition from other diesel fuel lubricity additives for ultra low sulfur diesel may be a
less expensive alternative to our biodiesel, which would cause us to lose market share and
adversely affect our ability to generate revenues. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has
issued regulations to reduce the amount of sulfur in diesel fuel in order to improve air quality.
These regulations affect all diesel fuel available for retail sale since October 2006. The removal
of sulfur from diesel fuel also reduces its lubricity which must be corrected with fuel additives,
such as biodiesel which has inherent lubricating properties. Our biodiesel plant is expected to
compete with producers of other diesel additives made from raw materials other than soybean oil
having similar lubricity values as biodiesel, such as petroleum-based lubricity additives. Many
major oil companies produce these petroleum-based lubricity additives and strongly favor their use
because they may be used in lower concentrations than biodiesel. In addition, much of the
infrastructure in place is for petroleum-based additives. As a result, petroleum-based additives
may be more cost-effective than biodiesel. Therefore, it may be difficult to market our biodiesel
as a lubricity additive, which could adversely affect our ability to generate revenues.
Several biofuels companies throughout the country have filed for bankruptcy due to industry
and economic conditions. Several biofuels companies have filed for bankruptcy. Unfavorable
worldwide economic conditions, the decreasing availability of credit, volatile biofuels prices and
input costs and the expiration of the federal blenders credit for most of 2010 have likely
contributed to the necessity of these bankruptcy filings. If biodiesel prices drop to extremely low
levels or feedstock prices increase significantly, we may find ourselves in a similar situation to
these other biofuels plants.
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Risks Related to Regulation and Governmental Action
Loss of or ineligibility for favorable tax benefits for biodiesel production could hinder our
ability to operate at a profit and reduce the value of our units. The biodiesel industry and our
business are assisted by various federal biodiesel incentives. One such incentive is the blenders
tax credit for biodiesel mixtures, which has provided a tax credit of $1.00 per gallon of
biodiesel. On December 31, 2009, the $1.00 federal tax credit expired and only in December 2010 was
it extended for 2011 and made retroactive for 2010. These tax incentives for the biodiesel industry
may not continue, or, if they continue, the incentives may not be at the same level. The
elimination or reduction of tax incentives to the biodiesel industry, including the biodiesel tax
credit, could significantly reduce the market for biodiesel and could materially impair our ability
to profitably produce and sell biodiesel. The loss or reduction of the biodiesel tax credit would
make it more costly or difficult to produce and sell biodiesel and we could be forced to take
significant cost savings measures or temporarily or permanently cease production at our plant. If
the federal tax incentives are eliminated or sharply curtailed, we believe that a continued
decreased demand for biodiesel will result, which could further depress biodiesel markets and
negatively impact our financial performance.
A change in environmental regulations or violations thereof could be expensive and increase
our costs. We are subject to extensive air, water, and other environmental regulations. In
addition, some of these laws require our plant to operate under a number of environmental permits.
These laws, regulations, and permits can often require expensive pollution-control equipment or
operation changes to limit actual or potential impact to the environment. A violation of these laws
and regulations or permit conditions can result in substantial fines, damages, criminal sanctions,
permit revocations, and/or plant shutdowns. To the best of our knowledge, we have at all times been
in complete compliance with these laws, regulations, or permit conditions and we have all permits
required to operate our business. Additionally, any changes in environmental laws and regulations,
both at the federal and state level, could require us to invest or spend considerable resources in
order to comply with future environmental regulations. The expense of compliance could be
significant enough to increase our operating costs and decrease our profits, negatively affecting
our financial condition.
Risks Related to Conflicts of
Interest
Our directors
may have relationships with individuals, companies or organizations which may
result in conflicts of interest. There may be business relationships
between our directors and other individuals, companies or organizations that
may pose potential conflicts of interest with us. For example, two of our
directors, Warren Bush and Denny Mauser, currently serve on the board of
directors of another company engaged in biodiesel production, Western Dubuque
Biodiesel, LLC. These and our other directors may serve on other boards of
directors in the future or have relationships with other individuals, companies
or organizations that may result in conflicts of interest with respect to
transactions between us and the other individuals, companies or organizations
if our directors and officers put their interests in other companies or their
own personal relationships ahead of what is best for our company.
Risks Related to Tax Issues in a Limited Liability Company
We expect to continue to be taxed as a partnership; however, if we are taxed as a corporation
we would be subject to corporate level taxes which would decrease our net income and decrease the
amount of cash available to distribute to our members. We expect that our company will continue to
be taxed as a partnership. This means that our company does not pay any company-level taxes.
Instead, the members are allocated any income generated by our company based on the members
ownership interest, and would pay taxes on the members share of our income. If we are not taxed as
a partnership, our company would be liable for corporate level taxes which would decrease our net
income which may decrease the cash we have to distribute to our members.
We may be unable to make any distributions to our members to satisfy tax obligations unless we
obtain the approval of our lender. On June 5, 2008, we executed an amendment to our Master Loan
Agreement with our lender. Pursuant to this amendment, we agreed to a negative covenant prohibiting
us from distributing any profits to our members unless the proposed distribution is agreed to in
writing by our lender. As a result of this amendment, we may be unable to make future distributions
to our members, including distributions to satisfy members income tax obligations, and members
would have to satisfy any tax liability resulting from the ownership of our units using their
personal funds.
Members may be allocated a share of our taxable income that exceeds any cash distributions
received, therefore members may have to pay this tax liability using their personal funds. We
expect to continue to be taxed as a partnership. This means members are allocated a percentage of
our taxable income or losses based on their ownership interest in our company. Members may have tax
liability based on their allocation of this income. We may make distributions that are less than
the amount of tax members owe based on their allocated percentage of our taxable income, or we may
not make any distributions at all. If this is the case, members would have to satisfy this tax
liability using their personal funds.
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If we are audited by the IRS resulting in adjustments to our tax returns, this could cause the
IRS to audit members tax returns, which could lead to additional tax liability for our members.
The IRS could audit our tax
returns and could disagree with tax decisions we have made on our returns. This could lead to
the IRS requiring us to reallocate items of income, gain, losses, deductions, or credits that could
change the amount of our income or losses that is allocated to members. This could require
adjustments to members tax returns and could lead to audits of members tax returns by the IRS. If
adjustments are required to members tax returns, this could lead to additional tax liabilities for
members as well as penalties and interest being charged to members.
Item 1B. | Unresolved Staff Comments. |
None.
Item 2. | Properties. |
Our property consists primarily of the plant and the real estate upon which the plant sits in
Wall Lake, Iowa in Sac County. The plant is located on an approximately 38.3-acre site near both US
Highway 20 and US Highway 30. We commenced plant operations in May 2006. Our plant has the capacity
to produce a total of 30 million gallons of biodiesel per year.
The completed plant consists of the following buildings:
| Principal office building |
| Processing building |
| Pretreatment building |
| Loading/receiving building |
| Storage warehouse |
| Storage tank farm |
| Iron treatment facility |
In December 2009, the Company exercised an option to purchase approximately 35 acres of land
adjacent to the property on which the plant is situated. The purchase was completed in January 2010
for a total cost of $70,496. Substantially all of our property, real and personal, serves as the
collateral for our debt financing with Farm Credit Services of America, FLCA. Money borrowed under
an Iowa Department of Economic Development loan is also secured by substantially all of the
Companys assets, but is subordinate to the agreements with Farm Credit Services of America, FLCA.
See MANAGEMENTS DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Liquidity and Capital Resources.
Item 3. | Legal Proceedings. |
From time to time in the ordinary course of business, WIE may be named as a defendant in legal
proceedings related to various issues, including without limitation, workers compensation claims,
tort claims, or contractual disputes. Other than the arbitration matter described below, we are not
currently involved in any material legal proceedings, directly or indirectly, and we are not aware
of any claims pending or threatened against us or any of the directors that could result in the
commencement of legal proceedings.
In 2008, a customer allegedly defaulted on its contract with our biodiesel marketer for the
purchase of biodiesel due to revocation of the customers letter of credit after our marketer
shipped the biodiesel for exporting. As a result, our marketer sold the biodiesel to another
purchaser for a lower price. Our former marketer, on behalf of WIE and other biodiesel producers
who sold biodiesel to the allegedly defaulting customer, is now in continued arbitration to resolve
this dispute. The arbitration is being conducted in London, UK under the system of arbitration and
appeals of the Federation of Oils, Seeds, and Fats Associations (FOSFA). The parties to the
arbitration proceeding are an affiliate of our former marketer, REG Marketing and Logistics Group
LLC, and Avista Trade Oy, a Finnish entity. On September 28, 2010, the arbitrators issued an award
to our former marketer in an amount of approximately $3.25 million, plus interest dating from
November 1, 2008, plus certain fees, costs and legal expenses. However, Avista Trade Oy has
appealed this award to the FOFSA Board of Appeal. Because WIE produced and marketed approximately
one-third (1/3) of the total quantity of biodiesel for which payment default is
alleged in this arbitration proceeding, we estimate that WIE will be entitled to approximately
one-third (1/3) of any award, judgment, settlement, or other monies collected by our former
marketer arising from this dispute.
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Item 4. | (Removed and Reserved). |
PART II
Item 5. | Market for Registrants Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities. |
Market Information
There is no public trading market for our membership units. We have created a qualified online
matching service in order to facilitate trading of our units. Our online matching service consists
of an electronic bulletin board that provides information to prospective sellers and buyers of our
units. The Company does not receive any compensation for creating or maintaining the matching
service. The Company does not become involved in any purchase or sale negotiations arising from our
qualified matching service. In advertising our qualified matching service, we do not characterize
the Company as being a broker or dealer or an exchange. We do not give advice regarding the merits
or shortcomings of any particular transaction. We do not receive, transfer, or hold funds or
securities as an incident of operating the online matching service. We do not use the bulletin
board to offer to buy or sell securities other than in compliance with the securities laws,
including any applicable registration requirements. We have no role in effecting the transactions
beyond approval, as required under our operating agreement, and the issuance of new certificates.
So long as we remain a publicly reporting company, information about the Company will be publicly
available through the SECs filing system. However, if at any time we cease to be a publicly
reporting company, we anticipate continuing to make information about the Company publicly
available on our website in order to continue operating the QMS.
Effective on May 18, 2009, the Company suspended trading on its qualified online matching
service in connection with the proposed consolidation with REG. Following rejection of the proposed
consolidation by the unitholders of the Company, the Company resumed operation of the matching
service on March 29, 2010.
The following table contains historical information by quarter for the past two years
regarding the actual unit transactions that were completed by the Companys unit-holders during the
periods specified. The Company believes, during periods for which there are trades, this most
accurately represents the current trading value of the Companys units. The information was
compiled by reviewing the completed unit transfers that occurred on our qualified matching service
bulletin board during the quarters indicated. No units were traded on our qualified matching
service bulletin board during the years ended December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2009.
Low | High | Average | # of Units | |||||||||||||
Quarter | Price | Price | Price | Traded | ||||||||||||
2009 1st |
| | | 0 | ||||||||||||
2009 2nd |
| | | 0 | ||||||||||||
2009 3rd |
| | | 0 | ||||||||||||
2009 4th |
| | | 0 | ||||||||||||
2010 1st |
| | | 0 | ||||||||||||
2010 2nd |
| | | 0 | ||||||||||||
2010 3rd |
| | | 0 | ||||||||||||
2010 4th |
| | | 0 |
The following table contains the bid and asked prices that were posted on the Companys
qualified matching service bulletin board and includes some transactions that were not completed.
The Company believes, during periods for which there are trades, that the table above more
accurately describes the trading value of its units as the bid and asked prices below include some
offers that never resulted in completed transactions. The information was compiled by reviewing
postings that were made on the Companys qualified matching service bulletin board.
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Low | High | Average | # of Units | |||||||||||||
Sellers Quarter | Price | Price | Price | Listed | ||||||||||||
2009 1st |
$ | 750 | $ | 750 | $ | 750 | 20 | |||||||||
2009 2nd |
| | | 0 | ||||||||||||
2009 3rd |
| | | 0 | ||||||||||||
2009 4th |
| | | 0 | ||||||||||||
2010 1st |
$ | 1,650 | $ | 1,900 | $ | 1,775 | 30 | |||||||||
2010 2nd |
$ | 800 | $ | 800 | $ | 800 | 5 | |||||||||
2010 3rd |
| | | | ||||||||||||
2010 4th |
| | | |
Low | High | Average | # of Units | |||||||||||||
Buyers Quarter | Price | Price | Price | Listed | ||||||||||||
2009 1st |
| | | 0 | ||||||||||||
2009 2nd |
| | | 0 | ||||||||||||
2009 3rd |
| | | 0 | ||||||||||||
2009 4th |
| | | 0 | ||||||||||||
2010 1st |
| | | | ||||||||||||
2010 2nd |
$ | 200.00 | $ | 200.00 | $ | 200.00 | 20 | |||||||||
2010 3rd |
| | | | ||||||||||||
2010 4th |
| | | |
As a limited liability company, we are required to restrict the transfers of our membership
units in order to preserve our partnership tax status. Our membership units may not be traded on
any established securities market or readily traded on a secondary market (or the substantial
equivalent thereof). All transfers are subject to a determination that the transfer will not cause
the Company to be deemed a publicly traded partnership.
Unit Holders
As of February 28, 2010, there were approximately 748 holders of our membership units.
Distributions
Distributions are payable at the sole discretion of our board of directors, subject to the
provisions of the Iowa Revised Uniform Limited Liability Company Act and our operating agreement.
Under our operating agreement, we may distribute a portion of the net profits generated from plant
operations to our unit holders in proportion to the number of units held by each unit holder. A
unit holders distribution is determined by dividing the number of units owned by such unit holder
by the total number of units outstanding. Our unit holders are entitled to receive distributions of
cash or property if and when a distribution is declared by our board of directors. However, there
can be no assurance as to our ability to declare or pay distributions in the future or that past
distributions (described below) will be indicative of future distributions.
Our operating agreement requires our directors to endeavor to make cash distributions at such
times and in such amounts as will permit our unit holders to satisfy their income tax liability in
a timely fashion. However, under our Master Loan Agreement, we are required to make additional loan
payments based on excess cash flow. In addition, on June 5, 2008, we executed an amendment to our
Master Loan Agreement, pursuant to which we agreed to an additional negative covenant prohibiting
us from distributing any profits to the our members unless the proposed distribution is agreed to
in writing by our lender. These loan covenants and restrictions are described in greater detail
under Item 7Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
OperationsIndebtedness. As a result of our loan covenants and restrictions, we may be unable to
make future distributions to our members, including for income tax purposes. Accordingly, if our
lender does not allow us to make distributions on our units and our unit holders incur any tax
liability as a result of unit ownership, our unit holders may be required to satisfy such liability
with their personal funds.
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Table of Contents
We did not declare or pay any distributions during the fiscal years ended December 31, 2010
and December 31, 2009.
Performance Graph
The following graph shows a comparison of cumulative total member return since December 31,
2006, calculated on a dividend reinvested basis, for WIE, the NASDAQ Composite Index (the NASDAQ)
and an index of other companies that have the same SIC code as WIE (the Industry Index). The
graph assumes $100 was invested in each of our units, the NASDAQ, and the Industry Index on January
1, 2006. Data points on the graph are annual. Note that historic stock price performance is not
necessarily indicative of future unit price performance.
COMPARISON OF CUMULATIVE TOTAL RETURN
Pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the
performance graph and the information set forth therein shall not be deemed to be filed for
purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and shall not be deemed to be
incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the
Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.
Equity Compensation Plans
We do not have any equity compensation plans under which equity securities of WIE are
authorized for issuance.
Sale of Unregistered Securities
We did not make any sales of equity securities that were unregistered during the fiscal year
ended December 31, 2010.
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Repurchases of Equity Securities
Neither we, nor anyone acting on our behalf, has repurchased any of our outstanding units.
Item 6. | Selected Financial Data. |
The following table sets forth selected consolidated financial data of the Company, which is
derived from the audited financial statements for the periods indicated. The information below is
only a summary. This information should be read in conjunction with MANAGEMENTS DISCUSSION AND
ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS and our audited financial statements
included in this annual report. Our past performance may not be indicative of future financial
condition or results of operations for many reasons, including the risks described in Item
1ARisk Factors and elsewhere in this annual report.
Statement of Operations Data: | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | |||||||||||||||
Revenues |
$ | 11,601,444 | $ | 50,109,924 | $ | 79,782,833 | $ | 78,676,998 | $ | 31,991,876 | ||||||||||
Cost of Goods Sold |
$ | 12,338,018 | $ | 46,475,116 | $ | 75,431,492 | $ | 78,253,820 | $ | 23,715,252 | ||||||||||
Gross Profit (Loss) |
$ | (736,574 | ) | $ | 3,634,808 | $ | 4,351,341 | $ | 423,178 | $ | 8,276,624 | |||||||||
Operating Expenses |
$ | 1,429,827 | $ | 2,052,040 | $ | 1,915,675 | $ | 1,750,886 | $ | 1,606,516 | ||||||||||
Other Income (Expense) |
$ | (29,012 | ) | $ | 39,307 | $ | (592,957 | ) | $ | (1,278,545 | ) | $ | (337,583 | ) | ||||||
Net Income (Loss) |
$ | (2,195,413 | ) | $ | 1,622,075 | $ | 1,842,709 | $ | (2,606,253 | ) | $ | 6,332,525 | ||||||||
Weighted Average Units Outstanding |
26,447 | 26,447 | 26,447 | 26,447 | 25,674 | |||||||||||||||
Net Income (Loss) Per Unit |
$ | (83.01 | ) | $ | 61.33 | $ | 69.68 | $ | (98.55 | ) | $ | 246.65 | ||||||||
Cash Distributions per Unit |
$ | | $ | | $ | | $ | 80.21 | $ | |
Balance Sheet Data: | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | |||||||||||||||
Total Assets |
$ | 30,129,718 | $ | 35,804,989 | $ | 37,478,401 | $ | 49,080,864 | $ | 48,831,373 | ||||||||||
Long-Term Debt, less current
maturities |
$ | 2,195,000 | $ | 3,262,222 | $ | 6,725,056 | $ | 12,366,667 | $ | 12,851,239 | ||||||||||
Members Equity |
$ | 26,355,372 | $ | 28,550,785 | $ | 26,928,710 | $ | 25,086,001 | $ | 29,813,568 | ||||||||||
Units Outstanding at End of Year |
26,447 | 26,447 | 26,447 | 26,447 | 25,674 | |||||||||||||||
Book Value Per Capital Unit |
$ | 996.54 | $ | 1,079.55 | $ | 1,018.21 | $ | 948.54 | $ | 1,161.24 |
Item 7. | Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations. |
Except for historical information, the following discussion contains forward-looking
statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. We caution you not to put undue reliance
on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this report. Our actual
results or actions may differ materially from these forward-looking statements for many reasons,
including the risks described in Item 1ARisk Factors and elsewhere in this annual report. Our
discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in
conjunction with the financial statements and related notes and with the understanding that our
actual future results may be materially different from what we currently expect. For an overview
of our business, please see Item 1Business.
During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010, we operated at only 11.9% of our nameplate
capacity. This was due in large part to the expiration of the federal blenders tax credit for
biodiesel mixtures on December 31, 2009. In mid-April 2010 we warm-idled our plant, meaning we
reduced staffing levels and maintained the plant in a state capable of commencing the production of
biodiesel again within a matter of several days, due to limited sales and reduced sales forecasts
related to the expiration of the blenders tax credit. Although this tax credit was reinstated in
December 2010 and made retroactive for the 2010 calendar year, the absence of the credit during
2010 caused many biodiesel plants to significantly reduce production or halt production altogether.
The biodiesel tax credit is set to expire again on December 31, 2011. If Congress fails to enact
another extension of this credit, we expect that demand for biodiesel will once again decrease
significantly.
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Table of Contents
Results of Operations
Comparison of Fiscal Years Ended December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2009
The following table shows the results of our operations and the percentage of revenues, costs
of goods sold, operating expenses, and other items to total revenues in our statements of
operations for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009.
Fiscal Year Ended | Fiscal Year Ended | |||||||||||||||
December 31, 2010 | December 31, 2009 | |||||||||||||||
Statement of Operations Data | Amount | Percent | Amount | Percent | ||||||||||||
Revenues |
$ | 11,601,444 | 100.00 | % | $ | 50,109,924 | 100.00 | % | ||||||||
Cost of Sales |
$ | 12,338,018 | 106.35 | % | $ | 46,475,116 | 92.75 | % | ||||||||
Gross Profit (Loss) |
$ | (736,574 | ) | (6.35 | %) | $ | 3,634,808 | 7.25 | % | |||||||
Operating Expenses |
$ | 1,429,827 | 12.32 | % | $ | 2,052,040 | 4.10 | % | ||||||||
Operating Income |
$ | (2,166,401 | ) | (18.67 | %) | $ | 1,582,768 | 3.16 | % | |||||||
Other Income (Expense) |
$ | (29,012 | ) | (0.25 | %) | $ | 39,307 | 0.08 | % | |||||||
Net Income (Loss) |
$ | (2,195,413 | ) | (18.92 | %) | $ | 1,622,075 | 3.24 | % | |||||||
Revenues
Our revenues from operations primarily come from biodiesel, glycerin and fatty acid and
soapstock sales, as well as custom processing and storage. The following table shows the sources of
our revenues for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2009:
Fiscal Year Ended | Fiscal Year Ended | |||||||||||||||
December 31, 2010 | December 31, 2009 | |||||||||||||||
Revenue Source | Amount | % of Revenues | Amount | % of Revenues | ||||||||||||
Biodiesel Sales |
$ | 10,423,823 | 89.8 | % | $ | 48,396,111 | 96.6 | % | ||||||||
Glycerin Sales |
$ | 298,037 | 2.6 | % | $ | 703,169 | 1.4 | % | ||||||||
Fatty Acid and Soapstock Sales |
$ | 671,355 | 5.8 | % | $ | 939,542 | 1.9 | % | ||||||||
Custom Processing and Storage |
$ | 208,229 | 1.8 | % | $ | 71,102 | 0.1 | % | ||||||||
Total Revenues |
$ | 11,601,444 | 100.00 | % | $ | 50,109,924 | 100.0 | % | ||||||||
Revenues from operations for the twelve months ended December 31, 2010 decreased by
approximately 76.8% compared to revenues from operations for the twelve months ended December 31,
2009. Revenue from sales of biodiesel decreased by approximately 78.5% for the twelve months ended
December 31, 2010, 2010 compared to the twelve months ended December 31, 2009. This decrease in
revenues is due primarily to a decrease in our number of gallons of biodiesel sold. During the
twelve months ended December 31, 2010, we sold approximately 80.3% fewer gallons of biodiesel as
compared to the same period in 2009. This decrease in number of gallons sold is a direct result of
the expiration of the blenders tax credit for biodiesel mixtures. Although this tax credit was
reinstated in December 2010 and made retroactive for the 2010 calendar year, the absence of the
credit during 2010 caused many biodiesel plants to significantly reduce production or halt
production altogether. Our decrease in quantity of gallons sold was offset slightly by an increase
in biodiesel prices. The average price per gallon we received for our biodiesel during the twelve
months ended December 31, 2010 increased approximately 7.7% compared to the same period from the
prior year.
Revenue from sales of glycerin decreased by approximately 57.6% for the twelve months ended
December 31, 2010 compared to the twelve months ended December 31, 2009. This decrease in revenue
is the net result of a decrease in quantity sold, offset by an increase in glycerin prices. The
average sales price for our glycerin increased by approximately 65.8% during the twelve months
ended December 31, 2010 compared to the same period the prior year. However, our quantity of
glycerin sold decreased by approximately 74.5% during the twelve months ended December 31, 2010
compared to the same period the prior year due to decreased production. Revenue
from sales of fatty acids and soapstock decreased approximately 28.5% for the twelve months
ended December 31, 2010 compared to the twelve months ended December 31, 2009. The average sales
price for our fatty acids increased by approximately 28.3% during the twelve months ended December
31, 2010 compared to the same period the prior year. However, our quantity of fatty acids sold
decreased by approximately 66.7% during the twelve months ended December 31, 2010 compared to the
same period the prior year due to decreased production.
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During the twelve months ended December 31, 2010, we received $210,509 in incentive funds from
the federal government related to the USDA Bioenergy Program, compared to the same period the prior
year when we received $298,476 in incentive funds related to the federal blenders tax credit. The
incentive funds we received during the twelve months ended December 31, 2010 and 2009 are included
in our biodiesel sales revenue in the table above.
For the twelve months ended December 31, 2010 and 2009, we also derived revenues from custom
processing and storage. Our revenues from custom processing are attributable to experimental
processing that we conducted on behalf of another company. Our revenues from storage are
attributable to storing product sold by us until the time the purchaser took possession of the
product. We do not expect to derive substantial revenues from custom processing or storage in the
future.
During the twelve month period ended December 31, 2010, we produced a small quantity of
biodiesel and sold additional amounts of our existing biodiesel inventory. During the first quarter
of 2010, we rebuilt our in-house biodiesel inventories to establish our typical working inventory
of approximately one million gallons. Prior to the first quarter of 2010 our inventory levels had
been reduced to near zero in order for us to take advantage of the blenders credit as much as we
could in 2009 prior to the expiration of the credit at year-end. More recently, we started
producing biodiesel again at our plant. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2010, we
operated at an average of approximately 11.9% of our nameplate capacity, compared to the same
period the prior year when we operated at an average of approximately 52.8% of our capacity.
Cost of Sales
While our absolute cost of sales for our products decreased during the twelve months ended
December 31, 2010 compared to the twelve month period from the prior year, our cost of sales as a
percentage of our revenues increased from 92.75% of our revenues for the twelve months ended
December 31, 2009, to 106.35% of our revenues for the twelve months ended December 31, 2010. This
percentage increase is primarily due to price increases for our raw materials and energy compared
to the previous year, and due to the fact that we had lower production rates compared to the
previous year while fixed costs remained relatively consistent.
The primary components of cost of sales from the production of biodiesel are feedstock
(primarily soybean oil and animal fats) and other raw materials (methanol and other chemicals),
energy (natural gas and electricity), labor, and depreciation on process equipment. During the
twelve months ended December 31, 2010, approximately 75.8% of our total feedstock usage consisted
of choice white grease, which is an increase from the same period in 2009, when 68.8% of our total
feedstock usage was choice white grease. Animal fat prices remain less than soybean oil prices. The
average price we paid for feedstock for the twelve months ended December 31, 2010 was approximately
8.0% higher than our feedstock prices for the same period in 2009. Our average price paid for
methanol, another input into the biodiesel production process, increased by approximately 36.1%
during the twelve months ended December 31, 2010 compared to the same period in the prior year.
Finally, our average price paid for natural gas increased by approximately 36.0% during the twelve
months ended December 31, 2010 compared to the same period in the prior year.
Operating Expenses
Although our absolute operating expenses decreased during the twelve months ended December 31,
2010 compared to the same twelve month period from the prior year, our operating expenses as a
percentage of revenues were higher for the twelve months ended December 31, 2010 than they were for
the twelve months ended December 31, 2009. The decrease in our absolute operating expenses was due
to the fact that we had increased consulting and professional fees during the twelve months ended
December 31, 2009 in connection with our proposed consolidation with REG. The decrease in our
absolute operating costs is also attributable to decreased office and administrative
expenses. Our decreased office and administrative expenses are a result of decreased
management fees, association dues, and the elimination of our bad debt reserve.
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In mid-April 2010 we warm-idled our plant due to limited sales and reduced sales forecasts
related to the failure of Congress to extend the blenders tax credit for biodiesel mixtures, which
expired on December 31, 2009. In connection with our plant warm-idling, we laid off 15 full-time
employees to reduce operating expenses, although we agreed to pay the health and dental insurance
policy premiums for these individuals through mid-August 2010. Effective August 13, 2010, we laid
off seven additional full-time employees, leaving us with six full-time employees. We also agreed
to temporarily pay a portion of the health and dental insurance premiums of these laid-off
employees. Since these most recent layoffs, and in connection with the reinstatement of the
blenders tax credit, we have hired additional employees as we have once again started producing
biodiesel.
Other Income (Expenses)
Our other income (expenses) decreased from a net other income of $39,307, or 0.08% of
revenues, for the twelve months ended December 31, 2009, to a net other expense of $29,012, or
(0.25%) of revenues, for the twelve months ended December 31, 2010. This change resulted primarily
from the net result of a decrease in interest expense related to our credit facilities, a decrease
in grant income, and a decrease in patronage dividends received from our lender. During the twelve
months ended December 31, 2009, we received grant income in the amount of $131,525 from the Iowa
Department of Economic Developments New Jobs Training Program and the forgiveness of our $100,000
forgivable loan with the Iowa Department of Economic Development.
Comparison of Fiscal Years Ended December 31, 2009 and 2008.
The following table shows the results of our operations and the percentage of revenues, cost
of goods sold, operating expenses and other items to total revenues in our statement of operations
for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2009 and December 31, 2008.
Fiscal Year Ended | Fiscal Year Ended | |||||||||||||||
December 31, 2009 | December 31, 2008 | |||||||||||||||
Income Statement Data | Amount | Percent | Amount | Percent | ||||||||||||
Revenues |
$ | 50,109,924 | 100.00 | % | $ | 79,782,833 | 100.00 | % | ||||||||
Cost of Sales |
$ | 46,475,116 | 92.75 | % | $ | 75,431,492 | 94.55 | % | ||||||||
Gross Profit |
$ | 3,634,808 | 7.25 | % | $ | 4,351,341 | 5.45 | % | ||||||||
Operating Expenses |
$ | 2,052,040 | 4.10 | % | $ | 1,915,675 | 2.40 | % | ||||||||
Operating Income |
$ | 1,582,768 | 3.16 | % | $ | 2,435,666 | 3.05 | % | ||||||||
Other Income (Expense) |
$ | 39,307 | 0.08 | % | $ | (592,957 | ) | (0.74 | )% | |||||||
Net Income (Loss) |
$ | 1,622,075 | 3.24 | % | $ | 1,842,709 | 2.31 | % | ||||||||
Revenues
The following table shows the sources of our revenues for the fiscal years ended December 31,
2009 and December 31, 2008:
Fiscal Year Ended | Fiscal Year Ended | |||||||||||||||
December 31, 2009 | December 31, 2008 | |||||||||||||||
Revenue Source | Amount | % of Revenues | Amount | % of Revenues | ||||||||||||
Biodiesel Sales |
$ | 48,396,111 | 96.6 | % | $ | 76,970,163 | 96.5 | % | ||||||||
Glycerin Sales |
$ | 703,169 | 1.4 | % | $ | 1,766,579 | 2.2 | % | ||||||||
Fatty Acid and Soapstock Sales |
$ | 939,542 | 1.9 | % | $ | 1,046,091 | 1.3 | % | ||||||||
Custom Processing and Storage |
$ | 71,102 | 0.1 | % | $ | | | % | ||||||||
Total Revenues |
$ | 50,109,924 | 100.00 | % | $ | 79,782,833 | 100.0 | % | ||||||||
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Revenues from operations for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009 totaled $50,109,924
compared with $79,782,833 for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008. Included within our total
revenues for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009 and 2008 are approximately $6,986,655 and
$10,068,612 respectively, in incentives we received or which were receivable from certain federal
government incentive programs for the sale of our biodiesel. Revenues in fiscal year 2009 were
approximately 37% lower than revenues in fiscal year 2008. The decrease in revenues was due
primarily to decreased production and sales volume of biodiesel and its co-products, and lower
per-unit sales prices for our biodiesel and its co-products.
Cost of Sales
Although our sales volume decreased 38% from fiscal 2008 to fiscal 2009, our cost of goods
sold as a percentage of our revenues decreased approximately 1.8% from fiscal 2008 to fiscal 2009.
Cost of sales for our products for the year ended December 31, 2009 was $46,475,116, compared to
$75,431,492 for the year ended December 31, 2008. This is primarily due to the combination of the
historically high biodiesel prices that were experienced during a large part of fiscal year 2008
and our utilization of lower-cost feedstocks during fiscal 2008. Average biodiesel sales prices in
2009 were significantly lower than in 2008. In order to minimize our cost of sales, in 2008, we
began to increase our use of lower-cost feedstocks, such as animal fats and used cooking oils, in
place of higher-cost feedstocks, such as soybean oil. We continued this practice throughout the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2009. In fiscal year 2009, approximately 91.5% of the feedstock used
in our biodiesel production was animal fats and 8.5% was soybean oil. In particular, approximately
68.8% of our total feedstock usage in 2009 was choice white grease.
Operating Expenses
Operating expenses for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009 totaled $2,052,040, which is
7.1% higher than operating expenses of $1,915,675 for the same period in 2008. Our operating
expenses as a percentage of revenues were 1.7% higher for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009
than they were for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008. Our operating expenses for the fiscal
year ended December 31, 2009, include approximately $450,000 in expenses that we incurred in
connection with the proposed consolidation with REG, which includes legal fees, audit fees,
accounting fees, and consulting fees.
Other Income (Expenses)
Our other income and expenses for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009 increased from a net
other expense of $592,957, or 0.74% of revenues, during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008 to
a net other income of $39,307, or 0.08% of revenues, during the fiscal year ended December 31,
2009. This change resulted primarily from the reduction in our interest expense from $759,243
during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008 to $322,698 during the fiscal year ended December
31, 2009. The reduction in our interest expense resulted primarily from reducing the outstanding
balance under our revolving line of credit by $1,720,000 and paying down our term loan by
$1,800,000. The change from a net other expense to a net other income also resulted from our
receipt of grant income in the amount of $231,525, which includes grant income in the amount of
$131,525 from the Iowa Department of Economic Developments (IDED) New Jobs Training Program and
IDEDs forgiveness of a forgivable loan in the amount of $100,000.
Changes in Financial Condition for Fiscal Years Ended December 31, 2010 and 2009
The following table highlights the changes in our financial condition from December 31, 2009
to December 31, 2010:
December 31, 2010 | December 31, 2009 | |||||||
Current Assets |
$ | 3,821,367 | $ | 7,424,221 | ||||
Current Liabilities |
$ | 1,579,346 | $ | 3,991,982 | ||||
Long-Term Debt |
$ | 2,195,000 | $ | 3,262,222 | ||||
Members Equity |
$ | 26,355,372 | $ | 28,550,785 |
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Current Assets
Current assets totaled $3,821,367 at December 31, 2010, a decrease from $7,424,221 at December
31, 2009. The decrease of $3,602,854 during this period is a net result of a decrease in accounts
receivable and incentive receivables, partially offset by an increase in inventory. Our
receivables were relatively high at December 31, 2009 due to our continued production through that
date in order to take advantage of the federal blenders tax credit as much as we could in 2009
prior to the expiration of the credit at year-end. Since this tax credit expired, our production
has been limited. For similar reasons, our inventory was relatively low at December 31, 2009, but
has since increased again. During the year ended December 31, 2010, we made principal payments on
our term note totaling $2,350,000 and reduced the amount outstanding under our revolving credit
loan by $805,000.
Current Liabilities
Current liabilities totaled $1,579,346 at December 31, 2010, down from $3,991,982 at December
31, 2009. The decrease of $2,412,636 during this period was due primarily to a decrease in the
current portion of our long-term debt related to our free cash flow payment and regular quarterly
payments on our term note and a decrease in checks issued in excess of our bank balance, partially
offset by an increase in accounts payable.
Long-Term Debt
The decrease in our long-term debt, net of current maturities, at December 31, 2010, as
compared to December 31, 2009, was due to a decrease in the balance under our term note and our
reducing revolving credit note with Farm Credit Services. During the year ended December 31, 2010,
we made principal payments totaling $2,350,000 to Farm Credit Services under our term note and net
payments totaling $805,000 under our revolving credit note.
Members Equity
Members contributions at December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2009 are $23,516,376. Retained
earnings as of December 31, 2010 are $2,838,996 compared to $5,034,409 at December 31, 2009 due to
our net loss during the year ended December 31, 2010.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Comparison of Cash Flows for Fiscal Years Ended December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2009
2010 | 2009 | |||||||
Net cash provided by operating activities |
$ | 3,822,100 | $ | 3,394,861 | ||||
Net cash used in investing activities |
$ | (161,092 | ) | $ | (161,747 | ) | ||
Net cash used in financing activities |
$ | (3,600,230 | ) | $ | (3,299,214 | ) | ||
Net increase (decrease) in cash and equivalents |
$ | 60,778 | $ | (66,100 | ) | |||
Operating Cash Flows
For the twelve months ended December 31, 2010, net cash provided by operating activities
increased by $427,239 compared to the twelve months ended December 31, 2009. This increase was
primarily the result of changes in our receivables, including accounts receivable, incentive
receivables and other receivables, prepaid expenses and other assets, accounts payable and non-cash
forgiveness of debt, netted against our net loss for the year ended December 31, 2010 compared to
the net gain during the same period the prior year and changes in our inventory, margin deposits,
and accrued wages and benefits. Most of the changes in operating cash flows for the year ended
December 31, 2010 compared to the year ended December 31, 2009 are directly attributable to our
decreased production during the year ended December 31, 2010.
Although our capital needs are currently being adequately met through cash from operations and
our credit facilities, any further reductions in the amount available for advancement under our
revolving credit loan beyond the
current reduction may cause us to be unable to meet our capital needs. See Liquidity and
Capital Resources Indebtedness.
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Investing Cash Flows
For the twelve months ended December 31, 2010, cash used in investing activities decreased by
$655 compared to the twelve months ended December 31, 2009. Our cash used in investing activities
consists of expenditures for property, plant and equipment.
Financing Cash Flows
For the twelve months ended December 31, 2010, cash used in financing activities increased by
$301,016 compared to the twelve months ended December 31, 2009. This change was largely due to a
reduction in net payments on our revolving line of credit in 2009 compared to 2008 and an increase
in payments on our long-term debt. This decrease is a result of a net decrease in checks issued in
excess of our bank balance, offset by payments on our long-term debt exceeding proceeds from our
long-term debt by approximately $365,000 more during the twelve months ended December 31, 2009
compared to the twelve months ended December 31, 2010.
Comparison of Cash Flows for Fiscal Years Ended December 31, 2009 and December 31, 2008
2009 | 2008 | |||||||
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities |
$ | 3,394,861 | $ | 9,050,603 | ||||
Net cash used in investing activities |
$ | (161,747 | ) | $ | (394,028 | ) | ||
Net cash used in financing activities |
$ | (3,299,214 | ) | $ | (8,622,223 | ) | ||
Net increase (decrease) in cash and equivalents |
$ | (66,100 | ) | $ | 34,352 | |||
Operating Cash Flows
For the twelve months ended December 31, 2009, cash provided by operating activities decreased
by $5,655,742 compared to the twelve months ended December 31, 2008. This decrease was the result
of lower net income and changes in operating assets and liabilities.
Investing Cash Flows
For the twelve months ended December 31, 2009, cash used in investing activities decreased by
$232,281 compared to the twelve months ended December 31, 2008. This decrease in cash used resulted
from a decrease in expenditures for property, plant and equipment from the twelve months ended
December 31, 2008.
Financing Cash Flows
For the twelve months ended December 31, 2009, cash used in financing activities decreased by
$5,323,009 compared to the twelve months ended December 31, 2008. This change was largely due to a
reduction in net payments on our revolving line of credit in 2009 compared to 2008 and an increase
in payments on our long-term debt.
Indebtedness
Short-Term Debt Sources
We obtained a $570,000 declining balance standby irrevocable letter of credit from Farm Credit
in favor of Glidden Rural Electric Cooperative (Glidden REC) as security for our loan with
Glidden REC (discussed below under Long-Term Debt Sources). The letter of credit was was extended
in July 2010 at the lower amount of $490,000. The letter of credit will now expire on June 30,
2011.
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Long-Term Debt Sources
On June 6, 2005, we closed on $18,000,000 of long-term debt financing with Farm Credit
pursuant to a Master Loan Agreement (MLA). CoBank, ACB is the administrative agent of Farm Credit
pursuant to an Administrative Agency Agreement dated June 6, 2005. Pursuant to supplements to the
MLA, the loan commitments from Farm Credit consisted of a $10,000,000 term loan and an $8,000,000
reduced revolving credit loan. In December 2010 we paid off the remaining balance on our term loan
and therefore at December 31, 2010 had no balance outstanding on the term loan, as compared to
December 31, 2009 when our outstanding balance on the term loan was $2,350,000. Our term loan
required quarterly payments of principal in the amount of $450,000, with a final payment due no
later than December 20, 2011. We were also required to make annual payments of 50% of our free
cash flow, as defined in our term loan agreement. Although we paid off our term loan in full in
December 2010, our term loan agreement provides that in the event our term loan is paid in full
prior to the end of fiscal year 2012, we must continue to make 50% free cash flow payments for
each fiscal year through fiscal year 2012 in the form of early reductions to the amount of our
revolving credit loan commitment.
The expiration of the blenders tax credit on December 31, 2009 and our subsequent decision to
warm-idle our plant led to discussions with CoBank, as administrative agent of Farm Credit,
regarding certain changes to our credit facilities. In particular, on May 14, 2010, we agreed with
Farm Credit to reduce the amount available under our revolving credit loan from $8,000,000 to
$6,000,000 (inclusive of our $490,000 irrevocable letter of credit in favor of Glidden Rural
Electric Cooperative, discussed above under Short-Term Debt Sources). The term of this agreement
was subsequently extended through March 31, 2011. On March 28, 2011, we agreed with Farm Credit to
increase the amount available under this loan to $7,000,000 through September 30, 2011. Our March
28, 2011 agreement also reduced the minimum net worth we are required to maintain pursuant to our
loan covenants from $26,000,000 to $24,000,000 for the period from February 1, 2011 through
September 30, 2011. The May 14, 2010 agreement to reduce the amount available under our revolving
credit loan amended our loan covenant pertaining to minimum working capital so that the reduction
of the amount available for advancement under the revolving credit loan did not cause us to fall
out of compliance with the minimum working capital covenant in our loan agreement. Our prior
minimum working capital requirement was $6,000,000 and our amended minimum working capital
requirement is $4,000,000. Our March 28, 2011 agreement with Farm Credit extended this reduction in
required working capital through September 30, 2011. As of December 31, 2010, the balance
outstanding under the revolving credit loan was $1,825,000, as compared to December 31, 2009, when
the balance outstanding under the revolving credit loan was $2,630,000.
Subject to our May 14, 2010 agreement with Farm Credit, as extended and amended, advances
under the revolving credit loan are available throughout the life of the commitment, although the
amount of the commitment reduces by $900,000 semi-annually beginning upon the earlier of: (i) July
1, 2012, or (ii) the first day of the month that is six months after the first day of the month
following the repayment of our term loan. Because we paid off the term loan in full in December
2010, our revolving credit loan commitment will be reduced by $900,000 every six months beginning
July 1, 2011. As discussed above, the revolving credit loan commitment may also be reduced in the
amount of any free cash flow payment we would otherwise be required to make on our term loan
through 2012. Any outstanding balance on our revolving credit loan is due and payable in full on
July 1, 2016. At December 31, 2010, we had $3,685,000 of available borrowings under the revolving
credit loan.
The revolving credit loan bears interest at one of three rates, to be determined by us in our
discretion: (1) at a rate equal to the rate of interest established by the agent as its agent base
rate; (2) at a fixed rate per annum to be quoted by the agent in its sole discretion; or (3) at a
fixed rate per annum equal to LIBOR. Each of the rates is subject to certain performance pricing
adjustments. While our term loan had an outstanding balance, it was subject to the same terms with
respect to interest rates. At December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2009, the applicable interest
rate with respect to our credit facilities with Farm Credit was 3.25% and 3.50%, respectively. Our
credit facilities with Farm Credit are secured by substantially all of our assets.
The MLA, as amended, contains covenants pertaining to minimum levels of working capital and
net worth, as well a minimum debt service coverage ratio. As of December 31, 2010, we were not in
compliance with our debt service coverage ratio covenant, which requires us to maintain a debt
service coverage ratio, defined as (i) net income (after taxes), plus depreciation and
amortization; divided by (ii) all current portion of long term debt for the
prior period, of 1.50 to 1.00. At December 31, 2010, our debt service coverage ratio was
approximately 0.21 to 1.00. Although we were in violation of this covenant, we have received a
waiver for this violation.
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The working capital
covenant set forth in the MLA, as amended, (including the amendment pursuant to our May 14,
2010 agreement with Farm Credit, discussed above), requires us to maintain
minimum working capital of $4,000,000. As of December 31, 2010, we were in
compliance with our working capital covenant.
Additionally, the net
worth covenant set forth in the MLA, as amended, required us to maintain a minimum net worth
of $26,000,000 through January 31, 2011, and requires us to maintain a
minimum net worth of $24,000,000 from February 1, 2011 through
September 30, 2011. As of December 31, 2010, we were in compliance
with our net worth covenant. We were not in compliance with our net worth
covenant as of February 28, 2011 because our net worth at that time was
less than $26,000,000. However, under our March 28, 2011 agreement with
Farm Credit, our minimum net worth covenant was reduced to $24,000,000
retroactive to February 1, 2011. Therefore, pursuant to our March 28,
2011 agreement with Farm Credit, we are now in compliance with our net worth
covenant.
Although we were either in compliance with, or received a waiver for non-compliance for, our
loan covenants as of December 31, 2010, we could fail to comply with one or more of our loan
covenants in the future. A failure to comply with our covenants in the future may constitute an
event of default under our loan agreements which, at the election of Farm Credit, could result in
the acceleration of the unpaid principal loan balance and accrued interest owed to Farm Credit, or
the loss of our assets securing the loan in the event Farm Credit elected to foreclose its lien or
security interest in such assets. While Farm Credit granted us a waiver for failing to comply with
our debt service coverage ratio at December 31, 2010, Farm Credit might not grant a waiver for
future covenant violations. Additionally, while Farm Credit agreed to amend our loan documents to
retroactively modify our net worth requirement from February 1, 2011 so that we would not be
in violation of our net worth covenant at February 28, 2011, Farm Credit might not be willing
to amend our loan documents in the future. If an event of default occurs and Farm Credit elects to
accelerate the amounts due to it or foreclose on our assets, this may have a material adverse
effect on our ability to operate the plant and may cause our members to lose some or all of their
investment.
The MLA, as amended, prohibits us from distributing any profits to our members unless the
proposed distribution is agreed to in writing by CoBank. As a result, we may be unable to make
future distributions to our members, including for income tax purposes.
On July 13, 2006, we entered into a Rural Development Loan Agreement with the Glidden REC for
a $740,000 no-interest loan to fund operating expenses for the plant. Pursuant to the terms of the
agreement and an associated Promissory Note, the loan is to be repaid in monthly installments of
$6,851 beginning on July 31, 2007, and continuing on the last day of each month thereafter until
the principal sum has been paid in full or before the final maturity date of the promissory note
which shall be on the tenth anniversary of the first advance of funds. The outstanding balance of
the loan as of December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2009 was $452,222 and $534,444, respectively.
The loan is secured by the declining balance standby irrevocable letter of credit from Farm Credit
discussed above under Short-Term Debt Sources.
We have obtained subordinated debt financing of approximately $400,000 from the Iowa
Department of Economic Development (IDED). The subordinated debt financing included a $300,000
zero-interest deferred loan and a $100,000 forgivable loan. On April 30, 2009, IDED notified us
that we had satisfied all conditions of the forgivable loan and that IDED had forgiven the balance
outstanding under the forgivable loan. The zero-interest deferred loan requires monthly
installments of $2,500 beginning January 2008 with the remaining unpaid principal due in December
2012. The balance outstanding on the zero-interest deferred loan at December 31, 2010 and December
31, 2009 was $177,500 and 207,500, respectively.
Contractual Obligations
The following table provides information regarding our contractual obligations and commitments
as of December 31, 2010.
Payments Due by Period | ||||||||||||||||||||
Total | 2011 | 2012-2013 | 2014-2015 | After 2015 | ||||||||||||||||
Long-Term Debt Obligations |
$ | 2,454,722 | $ | 259,722 | $ | 1,389,444 | $ | 764,444 | $ | 41,112 | ||||||||||
Operating Lease Obligations |
$ | 17,814 | $ | 17,814 | | | | |||||||||||||
Total |
$ | 2,472,536 | $ | 277,536 | $ | 1,389,444 | $ | 764,444 | $ | 41,112 | ||||||||||
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Subsequent Events
We previously agreed with Farm Credit to reduce the amount available under our revolving
credit loan, inclusive of our irrevocable letter of credit in favor of Glidden Rural Electric
Cooperative, from $8,000,000 to $6,000,000 through January 31, 2010. We also amended the covenant
in our loan agreement with Farm Credit pertaining to minimum working capital so that the reduction
of the amount available for advancement under the revolving credit loan did not cause us to fall
out of compliance with the minimum working capital covenant in our loan agreement with Farm Credit.
Our prior minimum working capital requirement was $6,000,000 and our amended minimum working
capital requirement is $4,000,000. On January 28, 2011, we extended the term of this agreement
through February 28, 2011, and on February 28, 2011, we finalized an extension of the term of this
agreement through March 31, 2011.
On March 28, 2011, we agreed with Farm Credit to increase the amount available under our
revolving credit loan to $7,000,000 through September 30, 2011. This agreement also extended the
reduction in our minimum working capital covenant described above through September 30, 2011 and
reduced the minimum net worth we are required to maintain pursuant to our loan covenants from
$26,000,000 to $24,000,000 for the period from February 1, 2011 through September 30, 2011.
We were not in compliance with our net worth covenant as of February 28, 2011 because our net
worth at that time was less than $26,000,000. However, under our March 28, 2011 agreement
with Farm Credit, our minimum net worth covenant was reduced to $24,000,000
retroactive to February 1, 2011. Therefore, pursuant to our March 28,
2011 agreement with Farm Credit, we are now in compliance with our net worth
covenant.
Application of Critical Accounting Estimates
Management uses estimates and assumptions in preparing our financial statements in accordance
with generally accepted accounting principles. These estimates and assumptions affect the reported
amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities, and the
reported revenues and expenses. The following is a discussion of what we believe to be the most
critical of these policies and methods.
Inventories. Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market value. Costs are
determined using the first-in, first-out method.
Long-Lived Assets. Depreciation and amortization of our property, plant, and equipment
is provided on the straight-line method by charges to operations at rates based upon the expected
useful lives of individual or groups of assets. Economic circumstances or other factors may cause
managements estimates of expected useful lives to differ from actual useful lives.
Long-lived assets, including property, plant and equipment, and investments are evaluated for
impairment on the basis of undiscounted cash flows whenever events or changes in circumstances
indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. An impaired asset is written
down to our estimated fair market value based on the best information available. Considerable
management judgment is necessary to estimate discounted future cash flows and may differ from
actual cash flows.
Recently Adopted Accounting Standards. In January 2010, the FASB issued ASU 2010-06,
Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures (Topic 820), Improving Disclosures about Fair Value
Measurements, amending ASC 820. ASU 2010-06 requires entities to provide new disclosures and
clarify existing disclosures relating to fair value measurements. The new disclosures and
clarifications of existing disclosures are effective for interim and annual reporting periods
beginning after December 15, 2009, except for the disclosures about purchases, sales, issuances,
and settlements in Level 3 fair value measurements, which are effective for fiscal years beginning
after December 15, 2010 and for interim periods within those fiscal years. The adoption of ASU
2010-06 did not have a material impact on the Companys financial position or results of
operations.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
We do not have any off-balance sheet arrangements.
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Item 7A. | Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk. |
We are exposed to the impact of market fluctuations associated with interest rates and
commodity prices as discussed below. We have no exposure to foreign currency risk as we conduct all
of our business in U.S. Dollars. We use derivative financial instruments as part of an overall
strategy to manage market risk. We consider market risk to be the potential loss arising from
adverse changes in market rates and prices. We do not enter into these contracts as hedges for
accounting purposes pursuant to the requirements of the FASB Accounting Standards Codification
(ASC) Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging.
Our risk management committee oversees our risk management practices and provides open
communication among management and the board of directors regarding market risk. The risk
management committee takes an active role in the risk management process and has developed policies
and procedures that require specific administrative and business functions to assist in the
identification, assessment, and control of various risks.
Interest Rate Risk
We are exposed to market risk from changes in interest rates. Exposure to interest rate risk
results primarily from our credit facilities with Farm Credit. Specifically, we have $1,825,000
outstanding in variable rate debt as of December 31, 2010. The specifics of our credit facilities
are discussed in detail in Item 7 MANAGEMENTS DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS Liquidity and Capital Resources, Indebtedness.
Below is a sensitivity analysis we prepared regarding our income exposure to changes in
interest rates. The sensitivity analysis below shows the anticipated effect on our income from a
10% adverse change in interest rates for a one year period.
Outstanding Variable Rate | Adverse 10% Change in | Annual Adverse Change to | ||||||||||||||
Debt at 12/31/10 | Interest Rate at 12/31/10 | Interest Rates | Income | |||||||||||||
$1,825,000 |
3.25 | % | 3.58 | % | $ | 5,931 |
Commodity Price Risk
We are also exposed to market risk from commodity prices. Exposure to commodity price risk
results from our dependence on animal fats, soybean oil, and natural gas in the biodiesel
production process. We are also exposed to biodiesel and co-products price risks as our revenues
consist primarily of biodiesel sales and co-products sales. In 2009 and 2010, we sought to minimize
the risks from fluctuations in the price of biodiesel by using derivative instruments such as cash,
futures, and option contracts for home heating oil. There is currently no futures market for
biodiesel. Instead, we used home heating oil derivatives. Home heating oil is high sulfur diesel,
which is the closest commodity to biodiesel for which there is a futures market. More recently, we
have entered into flat price future sales contracts with our product marketer, ADM, to limit our
exposure to decreases in the price of biodiesel. These flat price sales contracts allow us to lock
in a margin at the time that we purchase the feedstock utilized to produce the biodiesel that we
have contracted for future sale. We are currently unable to manage our price risk for animal fats
as there are no futures contracts available for animal fats, and animal fats suppliers are, to
date, unwilling to enter into long-term contracts for animal fats.
In practice, as markets move, we actively manage our risk and adjust hedging strategies as
appropriate. The extent to which we enter into cash, futures, or option contracts varies
substantially from time to time based on a number of factors, including supply and demand factors
affecting the needs of customers or suppliers to purchase biodiesel or co-products or to sell us
raw materials on a fixed basis, our views as to future market trends, seasonal factors and the
costs of futures contracts.
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Although we believe our hedge positions accomplish an economic hedge against our future sales,
they are not designated as such for hedge accounting purposes, which would match the gain or loss
on our hedge positions to the specific commodity being hedged. As the current market price of our
hedge positions changes, the gains and losses are immediately recognized in our cost of sales. The
immediate recognition of hedging gains and losses can cause net income to be volatile from quarter
to quarter due to the timing of the change in value of the derivative instruments relative to the
cost and use of the commodity being hedged. At December 31, 2010 and December 31,
2009, we recorded a net liability for derivative instruments of $0 and $2,587, respectively.
During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010, we recognized a net gain in earnings on derivative
activities of $95,704, which is included in our cost of sales in our statements of operations.
Several variables could affect the extent to which biodiesel price fluctuations impact our
derivative instruments. However, it is likely that commodity cash prices will have the greatest
impact on the derivative instruments with delivery dates nearest the current cash price. As we move
forward, additional protection may be necessary. As the prices of hedged commodities move in
reaction to market trends and information, our statement of operations will be affected depending
on the impact such market movements have on the value of our derivative instruments. Depending on
market movements, these price protection positions may cause immediate adverse effects, but are
expected to produce long-term growth for us.
A sensitivity analysis has been prepared to estimate our exposure to commodity price risk. The
table presents the net fair value of our derivative instruments as of December 31, 2010 and
December 31, 2009, and the potential loss in fair value resulting from a hypothetical 10% adverse
change in such prices. The fair value of the positions is a summation of the fair values calculated
by valuing each net position at quoted market prices as of the applicable date. The results of this
analysis, which may differ from actual results, are as follows:
Effect of Hypothetical | ||||||||
Adverse Change | ||||||||
Fair Value | Market Risk | |||||||
December 31, 2010 |
$ | 0 | $ | 0 | ||||
December 31, 2009 |
$ | 533,131 | $ | 53,313 |
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Item 8. | Financial Statements and Supplementary Data. |
INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
PAGE | ||||
44 | ||||
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS |
||||
45 | ||||
46 | ||||
47 | ||||
48 | ||||
49 | ||||
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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the Board of Directors and Members
Western Iowa Energy, LLC
Wall Lake, Iowa
Western Iowa Energy, LLC
Wall Lake, Iowa
We have audited the accompanying balance
sheets of Western Iowa Energy, LLC as of December 31, 2010 and 2009, and the related
statements of operations, changes in members equity, and cash flows for each of the
years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2010. Western Iowa Energy, LLCs
management is responsible for these financial statements. Our responsibility is to express an
opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight
Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. The
Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control
over financial reporting. Our audit included consideration of internal control over financial
reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but
not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Companys internal control
over financial reporting. Accordingly, we do not express such an opinion. An audit also includes
examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated
financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by
management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our
audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material
respects, the financial position of Western Iowa Energy, LLC as of December 31, 2010 and 2009, and
the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period
ended December 31, 2010 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United
States of America.
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared assuming the Company will continue as a
going concern. As discussed in Note 14 to the financial statements, the federal blenders tax
credit expires on December 31, 2011. This condition raises substantial doubt about the Companys
ability to continue as a going concern. Managements plans regarding those matters also are
described in Note 14. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result
from the outcome of this uncertainty.
/s/ Eide Bailly LLP
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
March 29, 2011
March 29, 2011
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WESTERN IOWA ENERGY, LLC
BALANCE SHEETS
December 31, 2010 and 2009
2010 | 2009 | |||||||
ASSETS |
||||||||
CURRENT ASSETS |
||||||||
Cash and cash equivalents |
$ | 61,078 | $ | 300 | ||||
Margin deposits |
| 58,445 | ||||||
Accounts receivable: |
||||||||
Trade |
248,928 | | ||||||
Related parties |
| 3,106,676 | ||||||
Other receivables |
295,650 | 387,883 | ||||||
Incentive receivables |
231,949 | 2,946,499 | ||||||
Inventory |
2,612,016 | 383,528 | ||||||
Prepaid expenses and other assets |
371,746 | 540,890 | ||||||
Total current assets |
3,821,367 | 7,424,221 | ||||||
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT |
||||||||
Land and land improvements |
1,435,928 | 1,364,842 | ||||||
Office building and equipment |
659,840 | 645,542 | ||||||
Plant and process equipment |
33,938,749 | 33,854,309 | ||||||
Construction in progress |
| 8,136 | ||||||
Total, at cost |
36,034,517 | 35,872,829 | ||||||
Less accumulated depreciation |
9,901,503 | 7,669,210 | ||||||
Total property, plant and equipment |
26,133,014 | 28,203,619 | ||||||
OTHER ASSETS |
||||||||
Land options |
| 596 | ||||||
Other investments |
124,078 | 107,198 | ||||||
Loan origination fees, net of amortization |
51,259 | 69,355 | ||||||
Total other assets |
175,337 | 177,149 | ||||||
TOTAL ASSETS |
$ | 30,129,718 | $ | 35,804,989 | ||||
LIABILITIES AND MEMBERS EQUITY |
||||||||
CURRENT LIABILITIES |
||||||||
Checks issued in excess of bank balance |
$ | | $ | 333,008 | ||||
Accounts payable: |
||||||||
Trade |
1,209,965 | 824,979 | ||||||
Related party |
13,838 | 88,277 | ||||||
Current portion of long-term debt |
259,722 | 2,459,722 | ||||||
Derivative instruments |
| 2,587 | ||||||
Accrued interest |
6,079 | 22,226 | ||||||
Accrued wages and benefits |
61,651 | 107,664 | ||||||
Accrued payroll taxes |
2,657 | 3,678 | ||||||
Accrued expenses related party |
| 103,537 | ||||||
Other current liabilities |
25,434 | 46,304 | ||||||
Total current liabilities |
1,579,346 | 3,991,982 | ||||||
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES |
||||||||
Long-term debt, less current portion above |
2,195,000 | 3,262,222 | ||||||
Total liabilities |
3,774,346 | 7,254,204 | ||||||
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Note 9 & Note 15) |
||||||||
MEMBERS EQUITY |
||||||||
Contributed capital |
23,516,376 | 23,516,376 | ||||||
Retained earnings |
2,838,996 | 5,034,409 | ||||||
Total members equity |
26,355,372 | 28,550,785 | ||||||
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND MEMBERS EQUITY |
$ | 30,129,718 | $ | 35,804,989 | ||||
See accompanying notes.
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WESTERN IOWA ENERGY, LLC
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
Years Ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008
2010 | 2009 | 2008 | ||||||||||
REVENUES |
||||||||||||
Related parties |
$ | 8,452,526 | $ | 43,123,269 | $ | 69,714,221 | ||||||
Unrelated parties |
2,706,459 | | | |||||||||
Incentive funds |
442,459 | 6,986,655 | 10,068,612 | |||||||||
Total revenues |
11,601,444 | 50,109,924 | 79,782,833 | |||||||||
COST OF SALES |
12,338,018 | 46,475,116 | 75,431,492 | |||||||||
Gross profit (loss) |
(736,574 | ) | 3,634,808 | 4,351,341 | ||||||||
OPERATING EXPENSES |
||||||||||||
Consulting and professional fees |
446,302 | 622,584 | 289,544 | |||||||||
Office and administrative expenses |
983,525 | 1,429,456 | 1,626,131 | |||||||||
Total operating expenses |
1,429,827 | 2,052,040 | 1,915,675 | |||||||||
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE) |
||||||||||||
Interest income |
3,733 | 13,746 | 9,882 | |||||||||
Interest expense |
(98,997 | ) | (322,698 | ) | (759,243 | ) | ||||||
Grant income |
| 231,525 | | |||||||||
Patronage dividends |
66,252 | 116,734 | 156,404 | |||||||||
Total other income (expense) |
(29,012 | ) | 39,307 | (592,957 | ) | |||||||
NET INCOME (LOSS) |
$ | (2,195,413 | ) | $ | 1,622,075 | $ | 1,842,709 | |||||
BASIC AND DILUTED EARNINGS
(LOSS) PER UNIT |
$ | (83.01 | ) | $ | 61.33 | $ | 69.68 | |||||
WEIGHTED AVERAGE UNITS OUTSTANDING,
BASIC AND DILUTED |
26,447 | 26,447 | 26,447 | |||||||||
See accompanying notes.
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WESTERN IOWA ENERGY, LLC
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN MEMBERS EQUITY
Years Ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008
Contributed | Retained | |||||||||||||||
Units | Capital | Earnings | Total | |||||||||||||
BALANCE, DECEMBER 31, 2007 |
26,447 | $ | 23,516,376 | $ | 1,569,625 | $ | 25,086,001 | |||||||||
Net income for the year ended December 31, 2008 |
| | 1,842,709 | 1,842,709 | ||||||||||||
BALANCE, DECEMBER 31, 2008 |
26,447 | 23,516,376 | 3,412,334 | 26,928,710 | ||||||||||||
Net income for the year ended December 31, 2009 |
| | 1,622,075 | 1,622,075 | ||||||||||||
BALANCE, DECEMBER 31, 2009 |
26,447 | 23,516,376 | 5,034,409 | 28,550,785 | ||||||||||||
Net loss for the year ended December 31, 2010 |
| | (2,195,413 | ) | (2,195,413 | ) | ||||||||||
BALANCE, DECEMBER 31, 2010 |
26,447 | $ | 23,516,376 | $ | 2,838,996 | $ | 26,355,372 | |||||||||
See accompanying notes
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WESTERN IOWA ENERGY, LLC
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
Years Ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008
2010 | 2009 | 2008 | ||||||||||
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES |
||||||||||||
Net income (loss) |
$ | (2,195,413 | ) | $ | 1,622,075 | $ | 1,842,709 | |||||
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities: |
||||||||||||
Depreciation and amortization |
2,250,389 | 2,235,685 | 2,208,288 | |||||||||
Non cash portion of patronage dividends |
(16,880 | ) | (26,303 | ) | (47,085 | ) | ||||||
Non cash forgiveness of debt |
| (100,000 | ) | | ||||||||
Effects of changes in operating assets and liabilities: |
||||||||||||
Margin deposits |
58,445 | 226,850 | 1,141,923 | |||||||||
Accounts receivable |
2,857,748 | (1,678,155 | ) | 4,387,564 | ||||||||
Other receivables |
92,233 | (224,413 | ) | (157,473 | ) | |||||||
Incentive receivables |
2,714,550 | (2,634,480 | ) | 5,206 | ||||||||
Inventory |
(2,228,488 | ) | 4,126,929 | 4,587,894 | ||||||||
Derivative instruments |
(2,587 | ) | 63,947 | (1,997,735 | ) | |||||||
Prepaid expenses and other assets |
169,144 | (318,414 | ) | (34,114 | ) | |||||||
Accounts payable |
310,547 | 90,431 | (2,985,924 | ) | ||||||||
Accrued interest |
(16,147 | ) | (11,146 | ) | (67,170 | ) | ||||||
Accrued wages and benefits |
(46,013 | ) | 36,094 | 14,881 | ||||||||
Accrued payroll taxes |
(1,021 | ) | (381 | ) | 804 | |||||||
Accrued expenses related party |
(103,537 | ) | (14,083 | ) | 117,620 | |||||||
Other current liabilities |
(20,870 | ) | 225 | 33,215 | ||||||||
Net cash provided by operating activities |
3,822,100 | 3,394,861 | 9,050,603 | |||||||||
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES |
||||||||||||
Purchase of property, plant and equipment, including
construction in progress |
(161,092 | ) | (161,747 | ) | (394,028 | ) | ||||||
Net cash used in investing activities |
(161,092 | ) | (161,747 | ) | (394,028 | ) | ||||||
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES |
||||||||||||
Net increase (decrease) in checks issued
in excess of bank balance |
(333,008 | ) | 333,008 | | ||||||||
Net payments on revolving line of credit |
| | (3,800,000 | ) | ||||||||
Proceeds from long-term debt |
5,175,000 | 12,627,000 | 8,082,566 | |||||||||
Payments on long-term debt |
(8,442,222 | ) | (16,259,222 | ) | (12,904,789 | ) | ||||||
Net cash used in financing activities |
(3,600,230 | ) | (3,299,214 | ) | (8,622,223 | ) | ||||||
NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS |
60,778 | (66,100 | ) | 34,352 | ||||||||
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, BEGINNING OF PERIOD |
300 | 66,400 | 32,048 | |||||||||
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, END OF PERIOD |
$ | 61,078 | $ | 300 | $ | 66,400 | ||||||
See accompanying notes.
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WESTERN IOWA ENERGY, LLC
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December 31, 2010 and 2009
NOTE 1 SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Western Iowa Energy, LLC located in Wall Lake, Iowa was organized on September 21, 2004 to own and
operate a 30 million gallon biodiesel plant for the production of fuel grade biodiesel. The
Companys fiscal year ends on December 31. Significant accounting policies followed by the Company
are presented below.
Use of Estimates in Preparing Financial Statements
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles
requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets
and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial
statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual
results could differ from those estimates.
Basis of Accounting
The Company uses the accrual basis of accounting in accordance with accounting principles generally
accepted in the United States of America. This method recognizes revenues as earned and expenses
as incurred.
Revenue Recognition
Revenue from the production of biodiesel and related products is recorded upon transfer of the
risks and rewards of ownership which generally occurs upon shipment. The Company recognizes
revenue on biodiesel sales under bill and store relationships when certain criteria are met
including, but not limited to the following; the buyer requests such transactions, terms are
documented in written contracts, risk of ownership and title has passed to the buyer, the seller
requests a schedule for delivery, the product is complete and ready to ship and the product is
segregated from the Companys inventory. For the year ended December 31, 2009 the Company
recognized revenue of $1,750,458 under bill and store transactions with a related party.
Interest income is recognized as earned. Patronage dividends are recognized when received.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
For purposes of the statement of cash flows, the Company considers all highly liquid debt
instruments purchased with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents.
The Company maintains its accounts primarily at one financial institution. At times throughout the
year, the Companys cash and equivalents balances may exceed amounts insured by the Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation.
Accounts Receivable
Accounts receivable are presented at face value, net of the allowance for doubtful accounts. The
allowance for doubtful accounts is established through provisions charged against income and is
maintained at a level believed adequate by management to absorb estimated bad debts based on
historical experience and current economic conditions. Management has established an allowance for
doubtful accounts of $-0- and $105,712 at December 31, 2010 and 2009, respectively.
The Companys policy is to charge simple interest on trade receivables past due balances; accrual
of interest is discontinued when management believes collection is doubtful. Receivables are
considered past due based upon payment terms set forth at the date of the related sale. The
Company has no receivables accruing interest at December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2009.
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Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities
Topic 815 of the Accounting Standards Codification (ASC), Derivatives and Hedging, requires a
company to evaluate its contracts to determine whether the contracts are derivatives. Certain
contracts that literally meet the definition of a derivative may be exempted from ASC 815 as normal
purchases or normal sales. Normal purchases and normal sales are contracts that provide for the
purchase or sale of something other than a financial instrument or derivative instrument that will
be delivered in quantities expected to be used or sold over a reasonable period in the normal
course of business. Contracts that meet the requirements of normal purchase or normal sales are
documented as such, and exempted from the accounting and reporting requirements of ASC 815. The
Company does enter into agreements to purchase soybean oil for anticipated production needs. These
contracts are considered normal purchase contracts and exempted from ASC 815.
Inventories
Inventory is stated at the lower of cost, determined on a first in, first out basis, or market
value.
Property, Plant, and Equipment
Property and equipment are stated at cost. Significant additions are capitalized, while
expenditures for maintenance, repairs and minor renewals are charged to operations when incurred.
Depreciation and amortization are computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful
lives of the assets determined as follows:
Years | ||||
Land improvements |
20-40 | |||
Office building |
5-40 | |||
Office equipment |
5-20 | |||
Plant and process equipment |
10-40 |
Depreciation expense for the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009, and 2008 was $2,232,293,
$2,217,589, and $2,190,192, respectively.
The Company reviews its property and equipment for impairment whenever events indicate that the
carrying amount of the asset may not be recoverable. An impairment loss is recorded when the sum
of the future cash flows is less than the carrying amount of the asset. The amount of the loss is
determined by comparing the fair market values of the asset to the carrying amount of the asset.
Loan Origination Fees
Loan origination fees are stated at cost and are amortized on the straight-line method over the
life of the loan agreements. Amortization commenced as the Company borrowed funds on the loans.
Amortization for the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009, and 2008 was $18,096.
Other Investments
Other investments consist of investments in the capital stock and patron equities of the Companys
primary lenders. The investments are stated at cost and adjusted for non cash patronage equities
received.
Grant Income
Grant income consists of amounts received from unaffiliated organizations to assist in the
organization and development of the Company. Amounts are recorded as other income when there is no
obligation to repay the organization.
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Income Taxes
The Company is organized as a limited liability company under state law and is treated as a
partnership for income tax purposes. Under this type of organization, the Companys earnings pass
through to the partners and are taxed at the partner level. Accordingly, no income tax provision
has been calculated. Differences between financial statement basis of assets and tax basis of
assets is related to capitalization and amortization of organization and start-up costs for tax
purposes, whereas these costs are expensed for financial statement purposes. Differences also
exist in the treatment of expenses capitalized for inventory for tax purposes, prepaid expenses,
and differences between depreciable lives and methods used for book and tax purposes.
Earnings (Loss) Per Unit
Losses per unit are calculated based on the period of time units have been issued and outstanding.
For purposes of calculating diluted earnings per capital unit, units subscribed for but not issued
are included in the computation of outstanding capital units based on the treasury stock method.
As of December 31, 2010, 2009, and 2008, there was not a difference between basic and diluted
earnings per unit as there were no units subscribed.
Cost of Sales
The primary components of cost of sales from the production of biodiesel products are raw materials
(soybean oil, animal fats, hydrochloric acid, methanol, and sodium methylate), energy (natural gas
and electricity), labor and depreciation on process equipment.
Fixed costs during the periods when the plant is idle are classified in cost of sales. Cost of
sales during these periods primarily consists of labor, depreciation on process equipment, and
other indirect costs.
Shipping and Handling Costs
Shipping and handling costs are expensed as incurred and are included in the cost of sales.
Environmental Liabilities
The Companys operations are subject to federal, state and local environmental laws and
regulations. These laws require the Company to investigate and remediate the effects of the
release or disposal of materials at its location. Accordingly, the Company has adopted policies,
practices and procedures in the areas of pollution control, occupational health, and the
production, handling, storage and use of hazardous materials to prevent material environmental or
other damage; and to limit the financial liability which could result from such events.
Environmental liabilities are recorded when the liability is probable and the costs can be
reasonably estimated.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The following methods and assumptions were used to estimate the fair value of each class of
financial instrument held by the Company:
Current assets and current liabilities The carrying value approximates fair value due to
the short maturity of these items.
Long-term debt The carrying amount of long-term obligations approximated fair value based
on estimated interest rates for comparable debt.
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New Accounting Standards
In January 2010, the FASB issued ASU 2010-06, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures (Topic 820),
Improving Disclosures about Fair Value Measurements, amending ASC 820. ASU 2010-06 requires
entities to provide new disclosures and clarify existing disclosures relating to fair value
measurements. The new disclosures and clarifications of existing disclosures are effective for
interim and annual reporting periods beginning after
December 15, 2009, except for the disclosures about purchases, sales, issuances, and settlements in
Level 3 fair value measurements, which are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15,
2010 and for interim periods within those fiscal years. The adoption of ASU 2010-06 did not have a
material impact on the Companys financial position or results of operations.
NOTE 2 INCENTIVE PAYMENTS AND RECEIVABLE
Revenue from federal incentive programs is recorded when the Company has sold blended biodiesel and
satisfied the reporting requirements under the applicable program. When it is uncertain that the
Company will receive full allocation and payment due under the federal incentive program, it
derives an estimate of the incentive revenue for the relevant period based on various factors
including the most recently used payment factor applied to the program. The estimate is subject to
change as management becomes aware of increases or decreases in the amount of funding available
under the incentive programs or other factors that affect funding or allocation of funds under such
programs.
The Company receives federal incentive revenues from the Volumetric Ethanol Tax Credit (VEETC)
and Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Bioenergy Programs. The VEETC expired on December 31, 2009
and was reinstated in December 2010 and made retroactive for 2010. The amount of incentives
receivable was $231,949 and $2,946,499 as of December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2009 respectively.
NOTE 3 INVENTORY
Inventory consists of the following:
2010 | 2009 | |||||||
Raw material |
$ | 1,976,460 | $ | 273,791 | ||||
Work in process |
31,278 | 49,398 | ||||||
Finished goods |
604,278 | 60,339 | ||||||
Total |
$ | 2,612,016 | $ | 383,528 | ||||
NOTE 4 DEBT AND FINANCING
Long-Term Debt
Long-term obligations of the Company are summarized as follows:
2010 | 2009 | |||||||
Note payable to Farm Credit Services of America and
CoBank under term note agreement see details
below |
$ | | $ | 2,350,000 | ||||
Note payable to Farm Credit Services of America and
CoBank under reducing revolving credit note see
details below |
1,825,000 | 2,630,000 | ||||||
Note payable to the Iowa Department of Economic Development see details below |
177,500 | 207,500 | ||||||
Note payable to Glidden Rural Electric Cooperative see details below |
452,222 | 534,444 | ||||||
Total |
2,454,722 | 5,721,944 | ||||||
Less current portion |
259,722 | 2,459,722 | ||||||
Long-term portion |
$ | 2,195,000 | $ | 3,262,222 | ||||
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The estimated future maturities of long-term debt at December, 2010 are as follows:
2011 |
$ | 259,722 | ||
2012 |
82,222 | |||
2013 |
1,307,222 | |||
2014 |
682,222 | |||
2015 |
82,222 | |||
Thereafter |
41,112 | |||
Total |
$ | 2,454,722 | ||
The Company has available loan commitments from Farm Credit Services of America and CoBank. The
commitments consisted of a $10,000,000 term note, a $5,510,000 reducing revolving credit note and a
$490,000 letter of credit. The commitment under the reducing revolving credit note reflects a
$2,000,000 reduction which is effective until March 31, 2011. On March 28, 2011, the reducing
revolving credit note was amended to increase the commitment to $7,000,000 effective until
September 28, 2011. As of December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2009, the balance outstanding under
the term note was $-0- and $2,350,000, respectively. As of December 31, 2010 and December 31,
2009, the balance outstanding under the reducing revolving credit note was $1,825,000 and
$2,630,000, respectively. Advances under the reducing revolving credit note are available through
the life of the commitment. The commitment reduces by $900,000 semi-annually beginning either July
1, 2012 or six months after the repayment of the term loan, whichever is earlier, and continues
through January 1, 2016, with a final reduction at the expiration of the commitment on July 1,
2016, at which time any outstanding balance shall be due and payable in full. The notes require
interest payments based on unpaid principal. The agreements also include a provision for
additional payments for the fiscal years ending 2006 through 2012 based on the free cash flows of
the Company. The agreements provide for several different interest rate options including variable
and fixed options (3.25% and 3.50% variable on the revolving credit note, as of December 31, 2010
and December 31, 2009, respectively). The variable interest rate options are based on Libor or the
agents base rate and include adjustments for performance which is based on the Companys debt to
net worth ratio, measured quarterly. The Company has issued a $490,000 irrevocable letter of
credit through CoBank in favor of Glidden Rural Electric Cooperative. The notes are secured by
essentially all of the Companys assets. At December 31, 2010, the Company had $3,685,000 of
available borrowings under the reducing revolving credit note.
The loan agreements with Farm Credit and CoBank contain various covenants pertaining to minimum
working capital, minimum net worth requirements, and debt service coverage ratio requirements. As
of December 31, 2010, the Company was not in compliance with the debt service coverage ratio
requirement and obtained waiver for said violation.
The Company was awarded $400,000 from the Iowa Department of Economic Development (IDED) consisting
of a $300,000 zero interest deferred loan and a $100,000 forgivable loan, the balance of which was
$177,500 and $207,500 at December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2009, respectively. The zero interest
deferred loan requires monthly installments of $2,500 beginning January 2008, with remaining unpaid
principal due at maturity, December, 2011. The Company was required to satisfy the terms of the
agreement to receive a permanent waiver of the forgivable loan. In April 2009, the Company
received notice from the IDED that the Company had satisfied the terms of the agreement and had
forgiven the forgivable loan. The forgiveness of the loan is reflected in other income in the
accompanying statement of operations for the year ended December 31, 2009. The loan is secured by
a security agreement including essentially all of the Companys assets.
In July 2006, the Company entered into a rural development loan agreement under the Rural
Electrification Act of 1936 with Glidden Rural Electric Cooperative. The original loan amount was
$740,000 and requires monthly installments of $6,851, requiring no interest and commencing July 31,
2007. The loan is to be paid in full on or before the tenth anniversary date of the first advance
of funds. The Company has issued an irrevocable letter of credit through CoBank in favor of
Glidden Rural Electric Cooperative as security for the note.
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NOTE 5 MEMBERS EQUITY
The Companys operating agreement provides that the net profits or losses of the Company will be
allocated to the members in proportion to the membership units held. Members will not have any
right to take part in the
management or control of the Company. Each membership unit entitles the member to one vote on any
matter which the member is entitled to vote. Transfers of membership units are prohibited except
as provided in the operating agreement.
NOTE 6 INCOME TAXES
As of December 31, 2010 and 2009, the book basis of assets exceeded the tax basis of assets by
approximately $21,400,000 and $19,500,000, respectively.
The Company files income tax returns in the U.S. Federal jurisdiction and various states.
Generally, the Company is no longer subject to examination by tax authorities within these
jurisdictions for years before 2006. The Companys policy is to recognize interest and penalties
related to uncertain tax benefits in income tax expense. The Company has no accrued interest or
penalties related to uncertain tax positions as of December 31, 2010 or 2009.
NOTE 7 CASH FLOW DISCLOSURES
Supplemental disclosure for interest paid:
2010 | 2009 | 2008 | ||||||||||
Cash paid for interest |
$ | 115,118 | $ | 333,845 | $ | 826,413 | ||||||
NOTE 8 RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
The Companys general contractor (Renewable Energy Group, LLC) originally used to construct the
plant is an entity related to West Central Coop who was originally contracted to provide the
management and operational services for the Company. Renewable Energy Group, LLC was also issued
member units in July 2006 and December 2006 in exchange for a reduction in the construction
payable. In July 2006, West Central Coop and Renewable Energy Group, LLC joined forces and created
Renewable Energy Group, Inc. (REG, Inc.). On September 21, 2006, the Company consented to the
assignment of the contract to construct the facility and the management and operational services
agreement to REG, Inc.
The Company incurred management and operational service fees, feed stock procurement fees and
marketing fees with REG, Inc. For the Years ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008, the Company
incurred service fees of $116,233, $572,995 and $634,040 respectively. The Company also purchases
feed stock from West Central Coop and Bunge North America, Inc. an entity related by common
ownership in REG, Inc. For the Years ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008, the Company purchased
feed stocks of $-0-, $2,839,352 and $12,679,380 respectively, from these related parties. The
amount payable to related parties as of December 31, 2010 and 2009 and was $13,838 and $88,277,
respectively.
On April 3, 2009, the Company received from REG, Inc., a notice of termination of its management
and operational services agreement. The notification from REG, Inc. states that it shall
constitute such twelve month advance termination notice required by the terms of the agreement.
The agreement expired in 2010.
NOTE 9 MAJOR CUSTOMER AND COMMITMENTS
On September 24, 2010, the Company entered into three agreements with Archer-Daniels-Midland (ADM)
for product marketing, feedstock procurement and other services. The marketing agreement provides
that ADM will purchase from the Company and the Company will sell to ADM all of the biodiesel and
related products produced by the Company. The feedstock agreement provides that ADM will procure
feedstock for the Companys production plant. The services agreement provides that ADM will
provide certain services to the Company such as; safety, regulatory and environmental compliance,
operations assistance and quality control and lab testing. The agreements include a provision for
fees based on a percentage of the net profits of the Company. The agreements are effective for one
year commencing on the first day of the month in which the Company commences production of
biodiesel. The agreements may also be terminated by either party upon thirty days written notice.
Revenues from
this customer for the year ended December 31, 2010 were $2,457,958. Trade accounts receivable due
from this customer as of December 31, 2010 were $248,928.
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NOTE 10 LEASE COMMITMENTS
During July 2006, the Company entered into an operating lease agreement for rail equipment which
expires in 2011. The lease agreement has a monthly payment amount of $2,969. The following is a
schedule of future minimum lease payments under a non-cancelable lease at December 31, 2010:
2011 |
$ | 17,814 | ||
Lease expense for the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008 was $35,627.
NOTE 11 RETIREMENT AND SAVINGS PLAN
The Company has a 401(k) retirement and savings plan, which is available to substantially all
employees. The participants may contribute up to 18% of their compensation. The Companys
matching contribution is discretionary for each plan year. The Company contributions for the year
ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008 were $18,255, $21,883, and $22,855, respectively.
NOTE 12 FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS
The Company follows the guidance set forth in ASC Topic 820 for assets and liabilities recognized
at fair value on a recurring basis. This guidance provides a comprehensive framework for measuring
fair value and expands disclosures which are required about fair value measurements. Specifically,
the guidance sets forth a definition of fair value and establishes a hierarchy prioritizing the
inputs to valuation techniques, giving the highest priority to quoted prices in active markets for
identical assets and liabilities and the lowest priority to unobservable value inputs. The
adoption of this guidance had an immaterial impact on the companys financial statements. The
guidance defines levels within the hierarchy as follows:
| Level 1Unadjusted quoted prices for identical assets and liabilities in active markets; | ||
| Level 2Quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets (other than those included in Level 1) which are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly; and | ||
| Level 3Valuations derived from valuation techniques in which one or more significant inputs or significant value drivers are unobservable. |
The following table sets forth financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value in the
consolidated statement of financial position and the respective levels to which the fair value
measurements are classified within the fair value hierarchy as of December 31, 2009:
Significant | ||||||||||||||||
Quoted Prices in | Other | Significant | ||||||||||||||
Carrying Amount | Active Markets for | Observable | Unobservable | |||||||||||||
on | Identical Assets | Inputs | Inputs | |||||||||||||
Balance Sheet | (Level 1) | (Level 2) | (Level 3) | |||||||||||||
Financial liabilities: |
||||||||||||||||
Commodity derivatives |
$ | (2,587 | ) | $ | (2,587 | ) | $ | | $ | | ||||||
The Company enters into various commodity derivative instruments, including forward contracts,
futures, options and swaps. The fair value of the Companys derivatives are determined using
unadjusted quoted prices for identical instruments on the applicable exchange in which the Company
transacts. When quoted prices for identical instruments are not available, the Company uses forward
price curves derived from market price quotations. Market price quotations are obtained from
independent brokers, exchanges, direct communication with market participants and actual
transactions executed by the Company.
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NOTE 13 DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS AND HEDGING ACTIVITIES
The Company adopted ASC Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging, on January 1, 2009. This guidance was
intended to improve financial reporting about derivative instruments and hedging activities by
requiring enhanced disclosures to enable investors to better understand their effects on an
entitys financial position, financial performance, and cash flows.
Objectives and Strategies for Holding Derivative Instruments
In the ordinary course of business, the Company enters into contractual arrangements (derivatives)
as a means of managing exposure to changes in biodiesel prices and feedstock costs under
established procedures and controls. The Company has established a variety of approved derivative
instruments to be utilized in each risk management program, as well as varying levels of exposure
coverage and time horizons based on an assessment of risk factors related to each hedging program.
As part of its trading activity, the Company uses futures, option and swap contracts offered
through regulated commodity exchanges to reduce risk and is exposed to risk of loss in the market
value of biodiesel inventories and input costs.
Commodity Risk Management
Commodity price risk management programs serve to reduce exposure to price fluctuations on
purchases of feedstocks and biodiesel prices. The Company enters into over-the-counter and
exchange-traded derivative commodity instruments to hedge the commodity price risk associated with
feedstocks and commodity exposures. There were no derivative commodity instruments open at
December 31, 2010.
Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities
All derivatives are designated as non-hedge derivatives. Although the contracts may be effective
economic hedges of specified risks, they do not meet the hedge accounting criteria of ASC 815. At
December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2009, the Company had net derivative liabilities of $-0- and
$(2,587), respectively, related to these instruments, with the related mark-to-market effects
included in Cost of sales in the statements operations.
The following table sets forth the fair value of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments
as of December 31, 2009:
Liability Derivatives | ||||||||
Balance Sheet | ||||||||
Location | Fair Value | |||||||
Commodity contracts
Heat oil swaps |
Current liabilities | $ | (2,587 | ) | ||||
During the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009, net realized and unrealized losses on derivative
transactions were recognized in the statement of operations as follows:
Derivative (Gain) Loss | Derivative (Gain) Loss | |||||||||||||||
Year Ended | Year Ended | |||||||||||||||
December 31, 2010 | December 31, 2009 | |||||||||||||||
Statement of | Statement of | |||||||||||||||
Operations Location | (Gain) Loss | Operations Location | (Gain) Loss | |||||||||||||
Commodity contracts
Heat oil swaps |
Cost of sales | $ | (95,704 | ) | Cost of sales | $ | 1,054,297 | |||||||||
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NOTE 14 UNCERTAINTIES
The Company has produced biodiesel for sale to customers since September of 2006. During that
time, crude oil has ranged in price from the mid-$30 per barrel to a high of $147 per barrel on the
NYMEX. We also have experienced
a wide swing in the price of soybean oil: between 25¢ per pound and 70¢ per pound. Because the
Company is able to process multiple feed stocks, they have been able to process less expensive
animal fats and vegetable oils into biodiesel that meets ASTM D 6751 standards. As a result, for
the year ended December 31, 2009, the Companys net income was $1,622,075 and incurred a loss of
$2,195,413 for the year ended December 31, 2010. In addition, during 2009 and the year ended
December 31, 2010, the Company repaid approximately $7.0 million of its long-term obligations.
During the Companys short history, it has dealt with the lack of a direct correlation between the
cost of its inputs and the selling price of the products that it produces. On the input side, it
has to work within the Agricultural market; and on the output side, it has to work within the
Energy market. Historically, there has been no consistent relationship between those two markets.
Because of the relationship of its business within differing markets, it is necessary that
management stay abreast of the varying market conditions to determine the economic relationship
that exists at any given time and under certain market conditions. Because of the subjectivity
involved with the determination and relationships of market conditions, the uncertainties are
exacerbated. The flexibility of the production facilities to process varying feed stocks adds to
the Companys ability to respond to the varying market conditions and to reduce some of the market
uncertainties. The Federal blenders tax credit expired on December 31, 2009 until December 2010,
when it was reinstated retroactively for 2010. The credit is set to expire on December 31, 2011.
The elimination or reduction in the credit may materially impair the Companys ability to
profitably produce and sell biodiesel. As a result of these factors, the Company warm idled its
facility in April 2010 and has had reduced production during 2010.
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared assuming the Company will continue as a
going concern. Due to certain items discussed above, our ability to continue to generate positive
cash flow is uncertain.
NOTE 15 GAIN CONTINGENCIES
The Companys former primary customer and marketer (REG, Inc.) has agreed to an arbitration hearing
with a European customer. The Company and REG, Inc. allege breach of contract as the customer
failed to take delivery of the Companys product. The Companys portion of damages associated with
arbitration hearing is $1,054,488. At this time, no estimate can be made as to the time or the
amount, if any, of the ultimate recovery. As such no revenues have been recorded to date in the
accompanying statement of operations relating to estimated damages recoverable. Revenues will be
recorded at which time the actual damages are determinable, which will likely occur upon receipt.
NOTE 16 SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
On March 28, 2011, the Companys reducing revolving credit note with Farm Credit Services of
America and CoBank was amended to increase the commitment to $7,000,000, which is effective until
September 28, 2011 (See Note 4).
Management evaluated subsequent events through the date the financial statements were issued.
NOTE 17 QUARTERLY FINANCIAL DATA
(UNAUDITED)
Summary quarterly results are as follows:
Year ended December 31, 2010:
First | Second | Third | Fourth | |||||||||||||
Quarter | Quarter | Quarter | Quarter | |||||||||||||
Revenues |
$ | 3,539,041 | $ | 2,995,789 | $ | 2,898,239 | $ | 2,168,375 | ||||||||
Gross profit (loss) |
(457,172 | ) | 18,776 | (456,099 | ) | 157,921 | ||||||||||
Operating income (loss) |
(967,250 | ) | (366,305 | ) | (733,000 | ) | (99,846 | ) | ||||||||
Net income (loss) |
(930,802 | ) | (392,955 | ) | (755,132 | ) | (116,524 | ) | ||||||||
Basic and diluted
earnings (loss) per unit |
(35.19 | ) | (14.86 | ) | (28.55 | ) | (4.41 | ) |
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Year ended December 31, 2009:
First | Second | Third | Fourth | |||||||||||||
Quarter | Quarter | Quarter | Quarter | |||||||||||||
Revenues |
$ | 3,966,137 | $ | 10,899,985 | $ | 17,037,884 | $ | 18,134,816 | ||||||||
Gross profit (loss) |
(294,631 | ) | 369,129 | 1,606,965 | 1,882,243 | |||||||||||
Operating income (loss) |
(754,741 | ) | (175,824 | ) | 1,065,530 | 1,379,701 | ||||||||||
Net income (loss) |
(629,492 | ) | (259,934 | ) | 1,119,037 | 1,392,464 | ||||||||||
Basic and diluted
earnings (loss) per unit |
(23.80 | ) | (9.83 | ) | 42.31 | 52.65 |
Year ended December 31, 2008:
First | Second | Third | Fourth | |||||||||||||
Quarter | Quarter | Quarter | Quarter | |||||||||||||
Revenues |
$ | 18,029,542 | $ | 27,601,282 | $ | 26,238,615 | $ | 7,913,394 | ||||||||
Gross profit (loss) |
1,784,314 | 2,467,747 | 2,093,569 | (1,993,289 | ) | |||||||||||
Operating income (loss) |
1,246,255 | 1,896,946 | 1,515,203 | (2,222,738 | ) | |||||||||||
Net income (loss) |
1,127,993 | 1,675,218 | 1,377,779 | (2,338,281 | ) | |||||||||||
Basic and diluted
earnings (loss) per unit |
42.65 | 63.34 | 52.10 | (88.41 | ) |
The above quarterly data is unaudited, but in the opinion of management, all adjustments necessary
for a fair presentation of the selected data for these periods presented have been included.
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Item 9. | Changes in and Disagreements With Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure. |
Eide Bailly LLP is our independent auditor at the present time. The Company has had
no disagreements with its auditors.
Item 9A. | Controls and Procedures. |
Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Our management, including our Principal Executive Officer, William J. Horan, and our Principal
Financial and Accounting Officer, Joe Neppl, have reviewed and evaluated the effectiveness of our
disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) and Rule 15d-15(e) under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) as of December 31, 2010. Based on this review and
evaluation, these officers have concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures are effective
to ensure that information required to be disclosed in the reports that we file or submit under the
Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in
the forms and rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission; and to ensure that the information
required to be disclosed by an issuer in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange
Act is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our principal executive and
principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow
timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
Managements Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting
Our management, including our Principal Executive Officer, William J. Horan, and our Principal
Financial and Accounting Officer, Joe Neppl, is responsible for establishing and maintaining
adequate internal control over financial reporting for the Company. Internal control over financial
reporting is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) or 15d-15(f) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934 as a process designed by, or under the supervision of, the Companys principal executive
and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, and effected by the
Companys board of directors, management and other personnel, to provide reasonable assurance
regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for
external purposes in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and includes those
policies and procedures that:
| Pertain to the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the Company; |
| Provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the Company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the Company; and |
| Provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of the Companys assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements. |
Our management assessed the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as
of December 31, 2010. In making this assessment, the Companys management used the criteria set
forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) in Internal
Control-Integrated Framework. Based on this assessment, our management concluded that, as of
December 31, 2010, our integrated controls over financial reporting was effective based on those
criteria.
Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
Our management, including our Principal Executive Officer, William J. Horan, and our Principal
Financial and Accounting Officer, Joe Neppl, have reviewed and evaluated any changes in our
internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the fiscal quarter ended December
31, 2010 and there has been no change that has materially affected or is reasonably likely to
materially affect our internal control over financial reporting.
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Item 9B. | Other Information. |
None.
PART III
Item 10. | Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance. |
The information required by Item 10 is incorporated by reference from our definitive proxy
statement relating to our 2011 annual meeting of members. In accordance with Regulation 14A, we
intend to file such proxy statement no later than 120 days after the end of the last fiscal year.
Item 11. | Executive Compensation. |
The information required by Item 11 is incorporated by reference from our definitive proxy
statement relating to our 2011 annual meeting of members. In accordance with Regulation 14A, we
intend to file such proxy statement no later than 120 days after the end of the last fiscal year.
Item 12. | Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters. |
The information required by Item 12 is incorporated by reference from our definitive proxy
statement relating to our 2011 annual meeting of members. In accordance with Regulation 14A, we
intend to file such proxy statement no later than 120 days after the end of the last fiscal year.
Item 13. | Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence. |
The information required by Item 13 is incorporated by reference from our definitive proxy
statement relating to our 2011 annual meeting of members. In accordance with Regulation 14A, we
intend to file such proxy statement no later than 120 days after the end of the last fiscal year.
Item 14. | Principal Accounting Fees and Services. |
The information required by Item 14 is incorporated by reference from our definitive proxy
statement relating to our 2011 annual meeting of members. In accordance with Regulation 14A, we
intend to file such proxy statement no later than 120 days after the end of the last fiscal year.
PART IV
Item 15. | Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules. |
The following exhibits and financial statements are filed as part of, or are incorporated by
reference into, this report:
(1) | Financial Statements |
The financial statements appear beginning at page 44 of this report. |
(2) | Financial Statement Schedules |
All supplemental schedules are omitted as the required information is inapplicable or the information is presented in the financial statements or related notes. |
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(3) | Exhibits |
Exhibit No. | Exhibit | Method of Filing | ||||||
3.1 | Articles of Organization of Western Iowa Energy, LLC.
|
1 | ||||||
3.2 | Amended and Restated Operating Agreement of Western Iowa Energy, LLC
|
1 | ||||||
3.3 | First Amendment to Amended and Restated Operating Agreement of
Western Iowa Energy, LLC.
|
6 | ||||||
10.1 | Water Supply and Storage Agreement between the Incorporated City of
Wall Lake, Iowa and Western Iowa Energy, LLC, undated.
|
1 | ||||||
10.2 | Master Loan Agreement between Farm Credit Services of America, FLCA
and Western Iowa Energy, LLC, dated June 6, 2005.
|
1 | ||||||
10.3 | Construction and Revolving Term Loan Supplement between Farm Credit
Services of America, FLCA and Western Iowa Energy, LLC, dated June
6, 2005.
|
1 | ||||||
10.4 | Administrative Agency Agreement between Farm Credit Services of
America, FLCA, CoBank, ACB and Western Iowa Energy, LLC, dated June
6, 2005.
|
1 | ||||||
10.5 | Iowa Department of Economic Development VAAPFAP Loan/Forgivable
Loan Agreement and Promissory Note, dated December 16, 2004.
|
1 | ||||||
10.6 | Industry Track Agreement between Chicago Central and Pacific
Railroad Company and Western Iowa Energy, LLC, dated June 5, 2006.
|
2 | ||||||
10.7 | Assignment and Pledge Agreement by Western Iowa Energy, LLC in
favor of Farm Credit Services of America, FLCA, dated June 15,
2006.
|
2 | ||||||
10.8 | Rural Development Loan Agreement between Glidden Rural Electric
Cooperative and Western Iowa Energy, LLC, dated July 13, 2006.
|
3 | ||||||
10.9 | Amendment to Master Loan Agreement between Farm Credit Services of
America, FLCA and Western Iowa Energy, LLC, dated June 21, 2007.
|
5 | ||||||
10.10 | Amendment to Master Loan Agreement between Farm Credit Services of
America, FLCA and Western Iowa Energy, LLC, dated June 5, 2008.
|
7 | ||||||
10.11 | Letter Agreement regarding Term Revolver between Farm Credit
Services of America, FLCA and Western Iowa Energy, LLC, dated May
14, 2010.
|
8 | ||||||
10.12 | Letter Agreement regarding Employment between Jeffrey J.
Johannesmeyer and Western Iowa Energy, LLC, dated August 31, 2010.
|
9 | ||||||
10.13 | Product Marketing Agreement between Archer-Daniels-Midland Company
and Western Iowa Energy, LLC, dated September 21, 2010. +
|
10 | ||||||
10.14 | Feedstock Agreement between Archer-Daniels-Midland Company and
Western Iowa Energy, LLC, dated September 21, 2010. +
|
10 | ||||||
10.15 | Services Agreement between Archer-Daniels-Midland Company and
Western Iowa Energy, LLC, dated September 21, 2010. +
|
10 | ||||||
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Exhibit No. | Exhibit | Method of Filing | ||||||
10.16 | Letter Agreement regarding Term Revolver between Farm Credit
Services of America, FLCA and Western Iowa Energy, LLC, dated
February 25, 2011.
|
11 | ||||||
14.1 | Code of Ethics.
|
4 | ||||||
31.1 | Certificate Pursuant to 17 CFR 240.15d-14(a).
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* | ||||||
31.2 | Certificate Pursuant to 17 CFR 240.15d-14(a).
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* | ||||||
32.1 | Certificate Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 1350.
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* | ||||||
32.2 | Certificate Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 1350.
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* |
(+) | Confidential Treatment Requested. | |
(1) | Incorporated by reference as filed on our Registration Statement on Form 10-SB, No. 000-51965, originally filed on May 2, 2006. | |
(2) | Incorporated by reference as filed on our Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB filed on August 18, 2006. | |
(3) | Incorporated by reference as filed on our Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB filed on November 14, 2006. | |
(4) | Incorporated by reference as filed on our Annual Report on Form 10-KSB filed on March 9, 2007. | |
(5) | Incorporated by reference as filed on our Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB filed on August 14, 2007. | |
(6) | Incorporated by reference as filed on our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed on May 15, 2008. | |
(7) | Incorporated by reference as filed on our Form 8-K filed on February 12, 2009. | |
(8) | Incorporated by reference as filed on our Form 8-K filed on May 19, 2010. | |
(9) | Incorporated by reference as filed on our Form 8-K filed on September 8, 2010. | |
(10) | Incorporated by reference as filed on our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed on November 15, 2010. | |
(11) | Incorporated by reference as filed on our Form 8-K filed on March 18, 2011. | |
(*) | Filed herewith. |
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Table of Contents
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized.
WESTERN IOWA ENERGY, LLC |
||||
Date: March 29, 2011 | /s/ William J. Horan | |||
William J. Horan | ||||
Chairman, President and Director (Principal Executive Officer) |
||||
Date: March 29, 2011 | /s/ Joe Neppl | |||
Joe Neppl | ||||
Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been
signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the
dates indicated.
Date: March 29, 2011
|
/s/ William J. Horan
|
|||
Date: March 29, 2011
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/s/ John Geake
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Date: March 29, 2011
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/s/ Kevin J. Ross
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Date: March 29, 2011
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/s/ Dennis Mauser
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|||
Date: March 29, 2011
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/s/ Warren L. Bush
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Date: March 29, 2011
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/s/ Brent Halling
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Date: March 29, 2011
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/s/ Virgil Harrison
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63