Who are Bunge and ICM? | Bunge North America, Inc. (“Bunge”) is a subsidiary of Bunge Limited, a publicly-traded global agribusiness company. Bunge holds all of our Series B Units, which constitute about 25.4% of our outstanding equity, and we have a number of contracts with Bunge under which a majority of our operations are conducted. As the holder of our Series B Units, Bunge presently has the right to appoint two of our seven directors. ICM, Inc. (“ICM”), which constructed our plant, is a privately-held company which provides engineering, construction and operational support to ethanol producers. ICM holds all of our Series C Units, which constitute about 7.6% of our outstanding equity. As the holder of our Series C Units, ICM presently has the right to appoint one of our seven directors. ICM issued us a Negotiable Subordinated Term Loan Note (the “ICM Note”) with a principal balance of $10,061,472 (as of December 31, 2010), and ICM can convert the ICM Note into Series C Units at $3,000 per unit. Bunge N.A. Holdings, Inc. (“Holdings”), a Bunge affiliate, issued us a Subordinated Term Loan Note (the “Holdings Note,” together with the ICM Note, the “Convertible Debt”) with a principal balance of $29,220,130 (as of December 31, 2010), and can convert the Holdings Note into Series U Units at $3,000 per unit. |
Why would SIRE™ offer the Notes? | We believe that the Notes could offer our existing Members and others the ability to replace part of the Convertible Debt with the proceeds from the sale of the Notes, as well as the opportunity to limit the dilution they will experience when ICM or Holdings convert any of the Convertible Debt to equity. |
What will SIRE™ do with the proceeds of the Offering? | Under our agreements with ICM and Bunge made in connection with the Convertible Debt, we are required to reduce amounts we owe under the ICM Note and Holdings Note (24% and 76%, respectively) with the proceeds of the Offering. Depending on a number of factors and subject to ICM and Holdings’ consent, we may use some of the proceeds to pay down our existing subordinated debt, which would free up more borrowing capacity, or use it for general working capital purposes. |
Where would the Notes rank among SIRE’s debt holders? | The Notes would be unsecured and subordinated to our outstanding senior indebtedness and equal to our outstanding subordinated indebtedness. As of December 31, 2010, we had $115,705,468 of senior secured debt and $43,354,935 of subordinated and other debt. |
Will SIRE™ be able to redeem the Notes? | Under the Indenture’s projected terms, we will be able to redeem the Notes at any time by providing the Holder at least 30 but not more than 90 days advance notice. A Holder may then give us notice within 20 days indicating they desire to convert the Notes into Units. If we receive such a notice, then on the date of redemption, we will convert the Holder’s Note into Units at the conversion ratio of one Unit for every $3,000 in Note principal and PIK Interest converted, and we will redeem any remaining principal and interest that is insufficient for conversion. If we do not receive a notice, then we will automatically redeem the Note. Upon redemption, we would pay the Holder the outstanding principal balance (including any capitalized PIK Interest) of the Note being redeemed and any accrued but unpaid interest. |