Statement of Qualifications

SSttaatteemmeenntt ooff QQuuaalliiffiiccaattiioonn

Company Profile

Welcome to Applied Chemical Technology (ACT) winner of the 2015 Governors Trade Excellence award and 2011 Alabama Small Manufacturer of the Year. Located in Florence Alabama, ACT is a one-stop facility providing research and development, engineering, design, automation, and fabrication services. ACT provides product design, process development, equipment design, automation, equipment modification, bench-scale and pilot-scale testing, plant design, and fabrication to industries both domestically and internationally.

ACT specializes in the design and fabrication of commercial production plants and equipment for a wide range of industries and processes. ACT maintains over 91,500 ft2 of research, development and fabrication facilities. Our facilities include laboratories, design facilities, fabrication shops, pilot plant facilities, greenhouses, and more. ACT's engineers and staff have the knowledge and experience to handle a vast array of process applications. Fabrication services include production equipment, skid-mounted systems, structural, and custom equipment.

Since 1981, ACT has worked with U.S. and International clientele to develop new equipment designs and processes making ACT known worldwide for expertise and craftsmanship. Clients from around the world utilize the ACT laboratory and pilot plant facilities for both development and test marketing. Recent industries utilizing ACT's facilities include fertilizer, catalyst, bio/renewables, pharmaceutical, mining, polymer, food, and specialty chemicals.

Company Overview

• Engineering Services • Research and Development • Pilot plant and Commercialization • Fabrication Services (Equipment, Structural, Electrical) • Automation and integration services • ASME Section 8 Div 1 pressure vessel certified • UL 508 panel Shop • Small Business certified • 2011 “ Alabama Small Manufacturer of the Year” • 2015 “ Governors Trade Excellence Award” • North American Industry Classification (NAICS):

541330, 541712, 332420, 335313 • SIC Codes: 8711, 8731, 3559 • DUNS: 10-209-00479 • Cage Codes:004VO

Confidentiality

In today's ever changing market, confidentiality is of utmost importance. The open exchange of information between Applied Chemical Technology and our client is critical to a project's success. Assurance that confidential information will be kept private is key to confidently sharing information and ideas relative to the project. ACT has a proven record of maintaining confidentiality. In ACT's 35 years of business, there has never been a breach of confidentiality. ACT maintains a policy that we own no patents or intellectual property which ensures that any technology developed while working for a client is the property of that client. ACT encourages the participation of clients in every phase of the development process, including preliminary discussions, bench scale tests, pilot plant tests and design of processing plants. H. J. Baker has worked with ACT on R&D projects for many years. We appreciate their confidentiality, professionalism, forward thinking, and ability to "think outside the box" on our projects. We look forward to continuing our relationship with ACT." Don Cherry, President , Crop Performance Division, H.J. Baker

"Applied Chemical Technology's solid reputation on confidentiality and the protection of client owned intellectual property is one reason when I worked for a previous employer, we selected ACT. I found the ACT team to be highly professional with a strong commitment to policies and procedures that safeguarded our confidential information and IP. " Don Lauweryssen, Vice President Business Development, Yargus Manufacturing Inc.

My company has had a long relationship with ACT. From time to time ACT has declined additional development opportunities to ensure they do not risk IP of any of their other clients. Any company can have the proper legal agreements in the file. The actions of the personnel at ACT demonstrate a commitment to integrity that keeps us coming back. Senior Manager, Premium Products

Services Offered

• Process & product evaluation

Engineering

Applied Chemical Technology provides complete engineering services from concept to completion. We offer innovative solutions for all engineering needs, including chemical, mechanical, electrical, civil, and structural engineering. Whether you require troubleshooting, new process development, product or equipment design, operation assistance, full-scale plant design, or project management, ACT has the expertise and ability to handle all of your engineering demands.

• Process & product development o Laboratory development o Pilot plant development

• Scale-up • Process modification

o Increased production capacity o De-bottlenecking & optimizing o Improved product efficiency

• Cost reduction • Pollution control • Safety enhancements • Raw material evaluation • Plant expansion • Commissioning and startup services • Operator training • Complete plant design

• Chemical, mechanical and civil engineering • Electrical and automation engineering • Plant modification • Plant evaluation

o Feasibility o Economic viability o Troubleshooting o Efficiency and optimization

• Site evaluation and development o Traffic flow o Utilities o Drainage and waste control requirements o Soil conditions and site preparation

requirements o Space requirements

• Equipment design and fabrication • Instrumentation and control design • Automation design and programming • On-site engineering supervision

o Assembly and erection o Plant management and operation

Research and Development

As a manufacturer of custom equipment and processing plants, every product created by ACT is uniquely based upon the process requirements of each client. Even our standard equipment designs are modified and manufactured to suit a client's needs. ACT's greatest strength is our unique ability to develop entirely new chemical products and processes, designing and fabricating specialty equipment to test and eventually commercially produce these same innovations. We are truly a "one-stop shop," capable of taking any product idea and developing the processes, systems and equipment necessary to bring that product to full-scale commercial production.

ACT offers 4000 ft2 of lab space and more than 30,000 ft2 of pilot plant facilities to support all Research and development efforts.

• Process development • Pilot plant testing/development • Bench scale to 2 ton/hour pilot plant • Agglomeration • Granulation • Coatings • Encapsulation • Reactions • Fluid bed testing • Drum testing • Solvent based testing • Fertilizer development • Bio based processing • Drying • Prilling • Chemical Analysis • Physical Properties testing • Custom analytical testing

ACT's in-house design group includes graduate mechanical engineers and highly-trained skilled draftsmen. Our experts take client information or internal process data and develop fabrication drawings for customized equipment, pilot plant design, or full-scale plant design. Design team members work closely with our craftsmen during the fabrication stage of all equipment to assure the highest quality at the lowest possible cost. ACT currently utilizes Auto-Cad and Solid Works.

Design Services

• Site development and plant design • On-site consulting and supervision • Special equipment and machine design • Structural steel detailing • ASME code vessel detailing • P&ID and Schematic As-Built • Design improvements for existing technology • Equipment refurbishment • Parts and equipment procurement • 3D modeling

• Build control panels to UL508A specifications

Process Automation/Integration

An automation system from Applied Chemical Technology gives you pinpoint control of all your process variables, eliminating human error and assuring a more consistent level of product quality. The advantages of ACT automation include: reduced production cost, increased production rate, improved product quality, increased safety, improved production consistency, centralized process control, uniform process operations, accurate process data collection and reporting, and reduced downtime. Applied Chemical Technology is a full-service engineering firm with a reputation for innovative process, product and equipment design. We back our automation services with extensive process engineering experience. No other systems integrator can offer our combination of process and system engineering expertise.

• Custom designed turnkey control systems o Designed for your unique process

requirements o Guaranteed to perform as specified

• Complete in-house electrical panel and automation shop

o Optimum cost control o Rapid fabrication o Tight quality control

o No subcontracting • Full on-site installation services • Full staff of chemical, mechanical, and electrical engineers, programmers, designers and

craftsmen • ACT can also upgrade or modify your existing system, even those from other suppliers

• Equipment design

Fabrication

Applied Chemical Technology, offers custom equipment and fabrication services to multiple industries worldwide. We know that in many ways, no project has truly begun until the steel is cut. Fortunately, Applied Chemical Technology offers complete equipment fabrication services to turn your ideas into reality. Since 1984, we've provided plants and process equipment for companies around the globe. Our custom equipment ranges in size from small lab-scale to large industrial plants. We can build virtually any piece of equipment to satisfy any process demand. Every ACT construction project also includes the rapid completion and cost control for which ACT is known. ACT's 35,000 square foot fabrication shop is an ASME Div 1 pressure vessel shop, providing custom pressure systems and reactors. We can handle all of your pressure, temperature and explosion-proofing needs implementing this capability in all of our equipment.

• Equipment fabrication and installation o Carbon steel o Stainless steel o Inconel o Hastelloy o Aluminum o Specialty metals and alloys o Fiberglass o Plastics o Wood

• Equipment testing and commissioning • Structural steel • Custom Equipment • Equipment modifications • Equipment refurbishing • Plant erection • On site assistance • Plant startups • Plant shut downs • Equipment maintenance • Scheduled preventive maintenance programs • ASME Section VIII Division I pressure vessels

History

Applied Chemical Technology, Inc. was founded in June 1981 by A. Ray Shirley, Jr. as an engineering firm providing consulting service to the chemical industry. Demand for ACT services immediately grew, and ACT now employs a team of professional engineers, designers, chemists, laboratory and computer technicians, and master craftsmen, as well as business and support staff. Applied Chemical Technology specializes in the design and construction of large and small scale production plants for innovative chemical products and processes. Fabrication services were added in 1984 and have since grown to include custom laboratory apparatus as well as production equipment. Today, Applied Chemical Technology occupies a complex located in the Florence-Lauderdale Industrial Park in Florence, Alabama, with 24,500 square feet of office and laboratory space and 60,000 square feet for fabrication, automation and pilot plant facilities.

ACT began with an office, an engineer, and a commitment to provide clients with innovative solutions at the lowest possible cost. That commitment paid off. From that one engineer, ACT has grown to over 70 employees; including engineers, designers, technicians, draftsmen, craftsmen, salesmen and support staff. Our facilities are more than a hundred times the size of that first office, with laboratories, an extensive CAD department, bench scale and pilot plant testing space and equipment, and a full-scale fabrication area. Our services include chemical, mechanical, structural, civil and electrical engineering. We can design and build anything from laboratory apparatus to commercial-scale production equipment, with capabilities for automation, computer control and programming. We are a recognized leader in fluid bed, rotary drum and custom specialty equipment design and construction. We are the world leader in the development of processes for controlled release coatings for materials and all types of granulation. We routinely work on projects for the industrial chemical, fertilizer, food, fine chemical, pharmaceutical, bio, renewable energy, and cosmetics industries. Our employees' expertise and dedication are unparalleled in the industry. We can develop a client's idea into a process, scale the process to production size, and then design and fabricate the commercial plant. We know of no other company that can match the scale and scope of what we can do or the way we can do it.

Significant change has occurred since that one engineer and his one office. But with all that change, one thing has never varied ACT's commitment to provide our clients with innovative solutions at the lowest possible cost. All of our experience and expertise is dedicated to that goal. It brought us to where we are today, and it will guide what we do tomorrow.

ACT Facilities Located in Florence Alabama

ACT’s Team

As founder of ACT, Ray Shirley is an active chemical engineer with more than 50 years of fertilizer and chemical experience with Monsanto, TVA, and Applied Chemical Technology (ACT). In 1981 Mr. Shirley formed ACT, an engineering ACT employs a team of professional engineers, designers, laboratory

technicians, master craftsmen, and business and support staff. Mr. Shirley is a graduate of Georgia Institute of Technology. He is a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and the American Chemical Society. Mr. Shirley is a registered professional engineer in Alabama, Ohio, Florida, Illinois, Missouri, Georgia and Washington. He is an expert in controlled release fertilizer and fluid bed technology and has invented multiple products, processes, and chemical equipment for multiple industries worldwide.

Curtis Lewey, President

Principals

Arthur Ray Shirley Jr. PE, Founder, CEO, Chairman

Currently acting as ACT’s President, Curtis Lewey has served ACT since 1995. With more than 20 years experience managing ACT’s personnel, Curtis has applied the necessary components to allow ACT to grow to over 70 employees including a 90,000 ft2 facility. Curtis is a native to the Shoals area and member to many organizations such as the TFI, National Association of Manufacturers, Shoals Manufacturers, OROD, United Way, and more. Curtis’s vision for the

company has expanded ACT’s capabilities and will continue to give ACT’s commitment to provide innovative solutions at the lowest possible cost. Curtis graduated from Samford University.

Ginger has worked over the past 20 years in various capacities for ACT. Currently Ginger heads ACT’s accounting department and acts as CFO for the company. Ginger oversees our financial opportunities providing our clients and engineers with a “go to” person involving our projects financial needs. Ginger attended Auburn University and Samford University with studies in business economics and nutrition.

Financial

Ginger Lewey, CFO/Accounting Manager

Alan Nix, Director of Marketing

Marketing

Alan Nix, Director of Marketing for Applied Chemical Technology (ACT) located in Florence, Alabama, United States, has worked in various sectors of the fertilizer industry for 38 years. In his current position as Director of Marketing for ACT, Mr. Nix interacts with clients to determine how ACT can provide assistance in process and product development and coordinates with

ACT’s technical staff of engineers. ACT works with industries ranging from fertilizer to pharmaceuticals. Before joining ACT, Mr. Nix worked for IFDC for 16 years serving in positions including pilot plant coordinator, senior research associate and specialist marketing/production. Mr. Nix has a B.S. in Business and Economics from Auburn University and a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from The University of North Alabama.

Brian Pace, Marketing Manager

Brian Pace is currently the Marketing Manager for Applied Chemical Technology, Inc. Brian has been a part of ACT's innovative team for more than 14 years providing solutions to various industries worldwide. Brian's background involves a Biology and Chemistry base with a college baseball career leaving him with a strong desire to succeed and compete in any capacity. Starting his career at ACT

as a lab chemist, he moved quickly to pilot plant manager and now marketing manager. Because of this experience, Brian currently provides a technical approach to Applied Chemical Technology's marketing team. Providing information and assistance from all industries to assist clients in finding solutions to process problems and helping them develop new processes and products. Brian's approach is transparent and backed by 10 years of pilot plant and laboratory experience dealing with processing problems and finding solutions to those problems. His experience includes fertilizer, waste to energy, bio, algae, coating, granulation, piloting, and process development. Brian received his B.S. of Science from Union University.

Keith Cochran is the Director of Engineering overseeing 12 chemical engineers, the laboratory team, and pilot plant personnel. Keith has served ACT for more than 30 years providing expertise in project planning, project cost control, plant engineering and design, and process development. Keith is also co-developer for

multiple patents for various processes. During his time at ACT Keith has worked in most industries such as fertilizer, fine chemical, pharmaceutical, bio, space, and more. Keith offers an innovative approach to engineering and has worked internationally on many projects. Keith received his B.S. Chemical Engineering from University of Alabama, Huntsville, Alabama.

Mike Huey, Director Special Development Engineer

Engineering

Keith Cochran, Director of Engineering

Mike Huey has served as the Director of Special Development and Engineering Projects at Applied Chemical Technology in Florence, Alabama for the last 29 years. Mike served as project manager for several major international projects involving product and process development, scale-up, design, cost estimating, engineering design, construction and start-up assistance in the chemical and

fertilizer industries. He has acted as a consultant for troubleshooting and de-bottlenecking chemical and fertilizer production plants around the world. Mike is cited as inventor on eight (8) U.S. patents. He is a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, and the American Chemical Society. Mike received his B.S. Chemical Engineering from Texas A&M University.

Josh McGill, Chemical Engineer/ Special Projects Manager

Josh McGill is a Special Projects Manager with Applied Chemical Technology (ACT), a process-development engineering firm located in Florence, AL. ACT works with customers to design and develop new products and processes in multiple industries including biomass, fertilizer, specialty chemical, mining, and others. In this role he leads teams of engineers, designers, technicians, and fabricators toward the successful implementation of projects. Some recent projects include

multiple downdraft gasification facilities, waste mineral recovery process, modular liquid fertilizer production unit, and a polymer production system. His expertise is in project and fiscal management, project estimating, scope development, business development, and strategy implementation. Josh holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from Auburn University and a MBA from The University of Alabama.

Matt Miller, Chemical Engineer/Special Projects Manager

Matt started with Applied Chemical Technology, Inc. (ACT) in March of 2001. He has experience in designing every aspect of urea granulation, nitrate prilling, FGD gypsum reaction processing, and other plants engaging in process design, equipment selection and design, instrumentation selection, and piping and ductwork design. Matt has managed projects ranging in scale from lab and pilot plant size to multi-million dollar full scale plants communicating with

clients to meet their needs and with ACT team members from electrical/automation and mechanical/fabrication groups to ensure the project is done on time, on budget, and in a quality manner. Matt graduated from the University of Alabama-Huntsville with a B.S.E. in chemical engineering.

Dennis Howe, Metallurgical/Process Engineer

Dennis Howe joined ACT in January of 2014. He has 40 years of diversified experience in extractive metallurgy and chemical process R&D and design. Mr. Howe has a variety of experience in extractive metallurgy and chemical processing with emphasis on hydrometallurgy, water treatment, solids-liquid separation and brine processing. His experience includes projects ranging from bench scale laboratory projects to the design of large commercial plants. He

has experience in processes such as leaching, solvent extraction, ion exchange, roasting, precipitation, and crystallization. He has experience in heavy brine and salt production by solar and multiple effect evaporation. Mr. Howe has also been responsible for implementing and managing ISO 9001 quality management systems. Mr. Howe graduated from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology with B.S. and MS degrees in Metallurgical Engineering

Micheal Rea, Process Engineer

Micheal joined ACT in July 2013 as a pilot plant and project engineer under the direction of Keith Cochran. Micheal specializes in product and process development, engineering, and plant design, covering a wide range of industries. Micheal has a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from The University of Alabama.

Jonathan Patterson PE, Process Engineer

Jonathan joined ACT in January 2015 after spending 5 years working as a process engineer with other engineering firms serving bio-energy, pulp and paper, chlor-alkali, and other industries. Prior to moving into private industry, Jonathan spent over 10 years working with various projects with the US Department of Energy and the US Department of Defense including clean and renewable energy technology development, pilot plant operation, handling and

disposition systems for waste nuclear material, and chemical weapon disposition systems. Jonathan received a BS in Chemical Engineering from Mississippi State University in 1999 and an MBA from the University of North Alabama in 2004. In 2004, Jonathan became a licensed professional engineer in the State of Alabama. Jonathan maintains memberships in the Technical Association of Pulp and Paper Industry (TAPPI) and the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) and is active in the local chapter of the Alabama Society of Professional Engineers (ASPE).

Adam Crosswhite, PE, Process Engineer

Adam Crosswhite, Process Engineer for Applied Chemical Technology (ACT) located in Florence, Alabama, United States, has worked as a Chemical Engineer in various capacities and companies, mostly within the fertilizer industry for 7 years. In his current position as Process Engineer for ACT, Mr. Crosswhite designs and executes process and product development pilot

plant activities of various scales utilizing ACT’s pilot facilities. He also provides process engineering design and project management for pilot and commercial scale plant design and fabrication projects. Projects include design, construction, and start-up of 60 ft2 and 120 ft2 commercial scale fluidized bed granulated fertilizer plants, Falling Curtain urea granulation plant, and fluidized bed urea granulation plant. Before joining ACT, Mr. Crosswhite briefly worked for YS, Inc. as Operations Supervisor. Prior to that, he worked for IFDC for 2.5 years as Associate Engineer-Phosphate Resource and Research Initiative. Mr. Crosswhite holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville (Huntsville, AL, USA), and is a Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) by the State of Alabama Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors.

Tim Holt, Lab Manager

With 25 years experience working for ACT, Tim Holt currently oversees the daily operations of five Chemical and R&D laboratories which include the management of six additional laboratory technicians. Tim’s accomplishments include design, estimating cost, construction and operation of over 500+ batch and continuous laboratory or pilot plant processes including falling-curtain granulation,

granulation by agglomeration, control-release coating application, and prilling. He has developed new laboratory procedures for testing new products from a product quality or performance standpoint. Tim is currently listed Co-Inventor for 14 United States Patents developed at Applied Chemical Technology for our clients. Tim received a B.S. degree in Chemistry and Industrial Hygiene from the University of North Alabama in 1991.

Andy McAlister, PE, Director of Mechanical Design and Manufacturing, Graduated from the University of Alabama. He Joined ACT May 1993 as Mechanical Engineer. During his time at ACT, Andy Developed a QC Plan and obtained ASME Authorization to fabricate “U” marked pressure vessels. Andy

progressed to Fabrication Manger, then Director of Manufacturing, later taking on roll as Director of Mechanical Design. Andy’s expertise includes design and fabrication of chemical process equipment and ASME pressure vessels. He currently oversees 27 employees and managers.

Shane Sutherland, Design Manager

Fabrication and Design

Andy McAlister PE, Director of Mechanical Design and Manufacturing

Shane joined ACT in December 1988 as an entry level designer. Through the years he has progressed within the design department to serve as the Design Coordinator and has more recently taken the role of design manager. Shane is responsible for scheduling, supervising, as well as participating in all of ACT’s design projects. Shane has expertise in chemical plant layouts and

arrangements, structural steel, piping and duct system designs. Shane has been responsible for design of multiple specialty fertilizer facilities, as well as granulation plants including urea and sulfur.

Mike began his career as an electrician and currently provides more than 27 years experience in control panels and installed wiring on industrial machines. Later, Mike worked in many industries providing his expertise for installing and commissioning equipment. Mike also has more than 20 years in PLC and HMI programs. Mike has been with Applied Chemical Technology for 16 years, and is currently the Automation Department manager. His expertise combines a total of 20 plus years in designing

industrial machinery, PLC/HMI programming, department management, motion control, and process control.

Electrical and Automation

Mike Willis, Automation Department Manager

Emily D. Beavers, In-House Counsel and Human Resources

Legal

Emily joined ACT in September 2012, having just completed law school at the University of Alabama, School of Law. Emily works with the marketing team and project managers to negotiate all of ACT’s confidentiality, service, and supply agreements. Emily is also a founding member of ACT’s Safety Committee and has served as the Human Resources Manager since April 2016.