17-July-2023: FY23-Trading-Update.PDF

Nice!!

Good work guys!! Keep it up!!!

Disclosure: I hold EGL shares both here and IRL.

30-June-2023: Strategic-Partnership-Agreement-with-374Water-Systems,-Inc.PDF

Strategic Partnership Agreement with 374Water Systems, Inc.

The Environmental Group Limited (ASX:EGL) is pleased to announce that it has executed a Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) with 374Water Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCWO) for the exclusive distribution of the AirSCWO technology in Australia and New Zealand. 

374Water Systems (374Water) is a global cleantech and social impact company founded in 2018. 374Water has developed and commercialised the novel AirSCWO™ system – a modular waste slurry destruction technology which destroys all organic compounds including PFAS and other persistent organic compounds. The technology utilises a physical-thermal process powered by water above its critical point (374°C and 221 bar) and air, that yields a highly effective oxidation reaction that completely eliminates organic compounds. At scale, the process generates energy and safe by-products which can be recovered and reused.

The technology has a broad range of applications including the processing of organic waste streams including:

• Biosolids & biosolid digestate
• Landfill leachates
• Commercial & domestic wastes (oils, fats, grease, plastic and food wastes)
• Liquids, sludges, and slurries contaminated with PFAS, 1,4-Dioxane
• Spent adsorption media like granulated activated carbon & ion exchange resins
• Animal and animal processing wastes
• Persistent organic pollutants.

EGL’s established network in the waste, utilities and industrial sectors provides the opportunity for the rapid uptake of the 374Water technology which will be complimented by EGL’s existing broad service network to provide effective after sales service and support. 

The AirSCWO™ technology successfully processes waste streams in a standalone manner or can be combined with EGL’s PFAS Concentration technology, making it possible to treat vast volumes of PFAS contaminated liquid waste streams and destroy PFAS – Removing the contaminant entirely from the environment.

EGL Chief Executive Officer Jason Dixon said, “We are delighted to announce our strategic partnership with 374Water, marking a significant milestone for EGL. This collaboration allows us to bring the world-class AirSCWO technology to Australia and New Zealand, revolutionising the destruction of organic compounds and addressing critical environmental challenges. With our own PFAS concentration technology, extensive customer base and robust service network, we are confident in the success and positive impact this partnership will achieve.”

374Water Chief Executive Officer Kobe Nagar adds, "Through our strategic partnership with EGL, we're excited to expand AirSCWO technology's reach to Australia and New Zealand, revolutionizing their waste treatment landscape with our innovative solution."

They key terms of the SPA include:

• EGL is granted the exclusive distribution rights of 374Water’s AirSCWO™ technology within Australia and New Zealand.
• Provisions for comprehensive training of EGL service technicians in the USA for installing, commissioning, and servicing AirSCWO™ systems operating in Australia and New Zealand by EGL.
• Opportunities to implement AirSCWO™ technology into EGL PFAS Concentration projects for PFAS destruction.
• Where requested by 374Water, the provision of Project Services which include project management, design, procurement, construction, installation, commissioning, and maintenance of AirSCWO™ systems within the territories of Australia, New Zealand and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as well as Pacific Ocean island countries and territories located west of the international date line.
• 2 years validity with an option to extend by a further 3 years.

Comment: I think this is another smart Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) that makes a heap of sense for EGL. And it's well within their wheelhouse, as usual.

Disclosure: I do hold EGL shares, both here and IRL. I note that the EGL SP rose +7.5% (or +1.5 cps) yesterday, and was up another half cent earlier today - although currently flat - at $0.215. Great potential! Looks signifcantly undervalued to me, based on regulatory and other tailwinds, and their market position. Also, as Jason Dixon said here recently (see Company Meetings page), they are virtually recession-proof. Most of their recurring revenue generating business units are anyway. Lots to like. Right place(/space), right time!

Now I wait for the market to catch up...

I dont know this company but in reading their reports was struck by a certain deja vu, then i found this on wikipedia...lets hope history doesnt repeat for s/h's

By 2018 the RCR brand had a reputation for delivering high quality mining technologies, innovation and services to both national and international markets and by the end of Financial year 2018 the company had grown to $2Billion in Revenue and was net cash at June 30 2018, having paid down all debt facilities.^[31][32][33]

In late July 2018, cost overruns were discovered on a project. At the time the cost overruns were significant however, the company remained in profit and net cash. The Chairman, Roderick Brown, directed RCR into a protracted voluntary suspension for a period of 30 days which was had long term ramifications.^[33] The company completed a capital raising of $100 million by Macquarie Bank, paying $12.1M in fees, according to the 2018 Annual Report, and the company resumed normal activities.^[34] The Chairman, Roderick Brown and Directors called in Administrators when the Secured Creditors withdrew support for them on November 21, 2018.^[34][35] In the final report of the Liquidator, it was determined that the protracted Suspension and the loss of confidence in the Chairman, Roderick Brown and new CEO, Bruce James “had a significant adverse impact on the group and its ability to successfully tender for new projects”.^[35]

According to the Administrator's Report, McGrathNicol oversaw “a sale process that involved more than 300 interested parties on an 'accelerated sale process' timeline, seeking bids with minimal conditionality”.^[35] The Administrators admitted failure to sell the business as a whole “Ultimately, each bidder who had initially engaged in the 'whole of business' sale process concluded they would not submit final bids”.^[35] This was expected due to the accelerated due diligence process that was unsuitable for sale of such a large complex conglomerate as identified by KPMG in “Navigating Complex M&A”.^[36]

The Sell Off[edit]

In 2018, RCR Boilers was sold to The Environmental Group Limited

08-June-2023: EGL-Water-PFAS-Separation-Plant-Sale.PDF

Positive. I hold EGL shares both here and IRL.

I have regarded their EGL Water division as the "powerball" upside that would be great if it happens, but I didn't factor the successful commercialisation of their PFAS separation and removal tech (i.e. EGL Water) as part of my investment thesis. I believed they were a good investment without it. And if it works, at scale, and in an economically viable way, then great! For clarity, they knew what they had worked; the tricky part was getting it to work at scale for a price that would be marketable. Their PFAS tech is good, and unique, however there are alternative PFAS removal technologies being worked on by other companies, so it's far from clear who is going to end up with the lion's share of the market.

The market is of course huge. Here is a recent news article which demonstrates what a problem PFAS has been just on Australian defence sites: Commonwealth settles $132.7 million class action over PFAS contamination across Australia - ABC News [15 May 2023]

See also: Mick Tisbury's 12-year fight to protect firefighters from PFAS toxic foam contamination - ABC News [04 Oct 2022]

Like I said, EGL has plenty of upside aside from their EGL Water division, but this announcement of their first commercial sale of a PFAS Separation Plant (which is what EGL Water is all about) is very positive news.

18-April-2023: EGL-Acquisition-of-Airtight-and-Capital-Raising.PDF

Plus: EGL-Investor-Presentation---Acquisition-of-Airtight--Raise.PDF

EGL to acquire Airtight Solutions funded through a $8.0 million institutional placement 

Highlights:

• EGL to acquire leading Australian air pollution services provider Airtight Pty Ltd (“Airtight”) for $7.0 million plus up to $5.0 million earnout based on FY24 earnings [The earnout payable will be equal to the amount by which Airtight’s FY24; EBITDA (calculated on a pre-AASB 16 basis, noting that cash rent is expected to be $0.3 million) exceeds $1.35 million, multiplied by 5, up to a maximum of $5.0 million];
• Acquisition represents a major expansion of EGL’s presence in the air pollution control market;
• Airtight focuses on smaller low-risk projects with recurring cash flow in the light industrials sector, diversifying EGL’s revenue and expanding EGL’s client base;
• Revenue synergies from cross-selling with EGL’s TAPC and Waste Services divisions, and the opportunity to grow service revenue through Tomlinson personnel and experience;
• Highly experienced and capable leadership team and excellent cultural fit;
• Acquisition of Airtight is expected to be more than 15% EPS accretive to EGL shareholders on forecast FY24 pro forma earnings (before any synergies);
• EGL will undertake an equity capital raising of up to $9.0 million, comprising a placement to raise $8.0 million (“Placement”) and a subsequent Share Purchase Plan to raise up to a further $1.0 million (“SPP”); and
• Proceeds from the Placement and SPP will be used to support the acquisition and growth of Airtight.

Strategic Acquisition and Capital Raising

The Environmental Group Limited (ASX: EGL) today announced that it has signed a binding agreement to acquire 100% of the shares in Airtight for $7.0 million plus earnout. Airtight is a leading Australian air pollution services provider in the mid-tier market. Airtight was established in 2002 and operates under the name Airtight Solutions. 

Background on Airtight

Airtight is one of the largest specialist air pollution control companies operating in Australia, with an extensive track record and a focus on reliability, premium service and safety. Established in 2002, Airtight was formed by senior air pollution control engineers who recognised a gap in the mid-tier market for air pollution control in Australia.

The key divisions include:

• Dust & Fume Control – specialises in designing, installing and maintaining air pollution control equipment;
• Engineered Solutions – offers engineering resources required to deliver pollution control projects;
• Aftercare Servicing – offers preventative maintenance & servicing packages; and
• Waste-to-Energy – offers extensive range of waste reduction technologies.

Airtight serves several key client industries including automotive, agriculture, manufacturing, joinery, metal & polishing, food & pharmaceutical, paper & printing and recycling & waste recovery.

Airtight is headquartered in Wetherill Park, NSW and operates in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Airtight has approximately 40 staff across these offices.

Strategic rationale

The acquisition represents a major expansion of EGL’s presence in the air pollution control market.

• The acquisition expands EGL’s solutions offering to include small and medium size airborne dust collection solutions and associated services and products;
• The acquisition captures sections of the market outside of TAPC’s existing target network, as well as providing industry diversification;
• Significant cross-sell opportunities with EGL’s TAPC and Waste Services divisions, plus opportunity to leverage Tomlinson personnel/experience to grow EGL’s service offering; and
• Airtight’s management team is highly experienced and culturally aligned to EGL, and is expected to add significant depth to EGL’s operations.

EGL’s Chief Executive Officer Jason Dixon (who has been interviewed here on Strawman by Andrew - see Meetings and scroll all the way down to Friday October 8, 2021, 12-2pm AEST) said: “Airtight represents a unique opportunity for EGL to expand significantly in the air pollution control market. Having high quality staff with great reputation in the market, Airtight’s strength lies within its focus on the lighter industrials market, which complements TAPC’s heavy industrials sector focus.”

“The acquisition will provide EGL with greater diversity in its business and service offerings, broadening our customer base and further improve the consistency of cash flow.”

See EGL-Acquisition-of-Airtight-and-Capital-Raising.PDF for the remainder of this announcement, which includes the Transaction Summary, Financial Impact, Placement details, SPP details, and the indicative timetable for all of that.

Sounds like a good fit to me. I hold EGL shares both here on SM and IRL, since shortly after that 2021 interview with Jason Dixon here.

24-Feb-2023: I'm off this morning to the Eyre Peninsula for a few days, so probably won't be active on SM during that time, so while I will add my usual Friday arvo/evening "CEO Insights" and "ASX Equity Reports" forum posts - they will be a few days late this time, like Sunday night or Monday perhaps.

But before I go, I note that nobody has commented on EGL's Results that were released yesterday (23-Feb-2023). I thought they were pretty good. And the PFAS update was too - EGL-Water---Successful-Commercial-PFAS-Results.PDF

Results: Half-Yearly-Report-and-Accounts.PDF

Presso: 1HF FY23 Results Investor Presentation

Maybe not many people here hold EGL - their CEO, Jason Dixon, did a Meeting with us last year (or was it the year before?) but it's here on the Meetings page - one of the earlier ones I reckon, and I bought shares in them the following week.

Pretty good little company!

Worth a look for those who like this sort of thing.

https://www.environmental.com.au/about-egl/about-egl

The market liked the results, coz EGL closed up +7.14%, which is up 1.5cps to 22.5cps. This company's market cap is still under $70m, so they're a microcap, but they have a lot of growing ahead of them in my opinion.

https://www.environmental.com.au/

Edit: I've just fixed one of the links - which went to a MAQ presso instead of the EGL presso. Fixed now. Have a great weekend everyone!

14-Feb-2023: EGL-MOU-with-374Water-Systems,-Inc.PDF

Sounds positive!

Disclosure: I hold EGL shares both here and IRL. PFAS elimination from water and other liquids, and also from soil and other solids, is going to become very important over the next few years, IMO.

One aspect of EGL that I have thought was quite exciting from a future revenue perspective was their PFAS treatment solution that they have been developing, and are just beginning to commercialise. However, it looks like they aren't as far ahead of the competiion as I had previously thought. I just noticed an announcement from SciDev (SDV) that they signed (22/12/22) an aggreement with Cleanaway to Build Own and Operate a water treatment plant to primarily treat PFAS, but also reduce TDS from a site in QLD. They say they are reducing TDS without reverse osmosis or membrane filtration so I am guessing they must be using some kind of chemical flocculant. Not sure if the EGL solution can be customisable or is more a pure PFAS treatment solution. The SciDev on-site build should begin in Feb 23 and run through to the end of CY23 for a minimum value of $2.15m for a fixed, but undisclosed volume of leachate, with revenue upside potential if they can treat a higher volume.

From LinkedIn I saw that they also completed a PFAS treatment late last year using their mobile treatment unit (400KL/day)-

Earlier this month, SciDev completed the treatment of per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) impacted surface water run-off at the future Woolworths Moorebank Regional Distribution Centre (MoRDC). The future distribution centre, scheduled to open in 2024, is a $175M project being delivered by Richard Crookes Constructions.

 Due to the historical land use at Moorebank, trace PFAS contamination was present in the subgrade throughout the MoRDC Stage 2 Site. Stormwater run-off from rain events became contaminated with PFAS and required capture and treatment to avoid contaminating surrounding rivers/creeks. During the construction of the MoRDC, Moorebank experienced long periods of heavy rain. As a result, on-site water storage was at risk of uncontrolled discharge. To mitigate against this, the water treatment plant (WTP) was mobilised and fully operational within four business days.

 The water treatment plant, with a nameplate capacity of 400 kL/day, treated 14.1ML of surface water run-off and enabled the safe discharge of treated water, meeting strict environmental regulations. The quick mobilisation of the water treatment plant provided a reactive response and maintained the construction program despite heavy rainfalls throughout the construction period. A cost-effective and functional solution to treat what could have been a significant risk to the project.

There is a real demand for a viable and cost effective PFAS treatment option and it looks like SDV is getting the first mover advantage and building a reputation in this space. I am expecting that if they deliver well on the Cleanaway project then Cleanaway are more likely to use them at their other landfill sites. This could remove one potential large customer from EGL's PFAS solution. Likewise, I am aware of a lot of local councils that know they have a PFAS problem and are hungry to implement a viable solution, with cost being less important than outcome. So I think the market is ready and probably is large enough for both companies to be successful in the space, but the margins may not be as high with multiple competitiors bidding on tenders.

24-Nov-2022: FY23-Trading-Update.PDF

Also: FY22 AGM Chairman and CEO Addresses and Presentation

Here's that Trading Update:

That's a decent upgrade, from around +25% up (EBITDA increase) to now expected to be around +35% up (FY23 vs FY22).

That's on the back of excellent growth from their TAPC division, the first of the 5 divisions detailed above and the division that is clearly providing the bulk of their growth. I still regard "EGL Water" as being their "Powerball" upside. If they can succesfully commercialise that PFAS removal tech, as they expect to, the potential upside of that division is truly awe-inspiring, but that is of course a big "if" ! So I don't factor that into my valuation. If it happens, it would be great, but I'm happy to hold shares in the company regardless of whether that PFAS tech goes anywhere or is a flop. To be clear, we know it works, it's just a matter of whether they can roll it out at a cheap enough price point to make it an attractive enough option to sell like hot cakes. Just because something works does not nescesarily mean it will be a commercial success.

They also have the Tomlinson Energy Service (TES) business that looks after (services and repairs) hundreds of boilers around the country year after year, and they also clip the ticket on all Turmec sales in Australia via their 2% commission agreement that is part of their Turmec Agency Agreement for Australia which sits within their EGL Waste Services division. That division focusses on large state-of-the-art recycling plants, and there is a fair amount of cross-selling involved there as well (TES + TAPC).

I hold shares in EGL both here on SM and IRL, and what I like most about them are:

1. Their core offering is all about cleaning up the environment, removing contaminants (such as PFAS), controlling pollution, making gas turbines more efficient, keeping boilers operating efficiently, developing a "bio/waste to energy" platform, and then there's building and providing consumables to state-of-the-art recycling plants (the Turmec agency agreement). That stuff is not only doing good, i.e. doing the right thing, it's also going to have a lot of tailwinds behind it, including regulatory tailwinds in some cases. There's a switch on. Many people are after clean and green investments. This is definitely one of those. The hint is in the name of the company.
2. They are not widely followed or well known, and that's often where the most value can often be found, in my experience. The larger companies that everyone is watching tend to be more accurately priced, but companies like EGL, ...not so much.

I think I could also add a third one now, that they tend to underpromise and overdeliver. I like companies that upgrade guidance, rather than downgrade it. The market liked it to. EGL finished the day up +10.53% or up 2c to 21c/share, i.e. back to where they were trading in mid-September (9 weeks ago).

Onwards and Upwards.

The Environmental Group Limited - Home [ https://www.environmental.com.au/ ]

EGL announced its annual results last week.

In essence, revenue was up 22% to $57M, EBITDA up 34% to $4.4M and NPAT was $1.6M. Management had predicted that EBITDA would increase at least 15%, upgrading that to 30% as discussed in my last post. The main drivers for revenue were Tomlinson (boilers, autoclaves and energy services) $27.9, Baltec $19.3M and TAPC $7.9M. The most profitable segments of the 'One EGL' Group were Waste (90% margin) and TAPC (16%). The most anticipated profit driver- EGL Water (PFAS extraction) has yet to contribute. As I have said repeatedly, EGL is an engineering company and should be viewed as such. Margins in engineering are characteristically low. Worley Parsons had a margin of profit of less than 3%.

However, there are several reasons why I continue to hold shares in EGL and why I am still recommending it to members as an investment:

1. The Company has moved towards an entrepreneur-driven, management-focused business under Jason Dixon while retaining its quality engineering business.
2. It is rapidly expanding into areas that broaden its environmental credentials and which complement each other. For example, its waste management division (Turmec) has allowed on-selling by other divisions like asbestos detection, dust extraction, boilers, and extraction of water contaminants. EGL receives a 2% commission for the commissioning of new Turmec recycling centers and derives further income from ongoing parts and service contracts.
3. The interests of management are aligned with shareholders. Jason Dixon (CEO) and Paul Gaskett (National Sales Manager) both have significant shareholdings
4. EGL Water seems to have technology that may ameliorate or solve a major water and ground contamination problem (PFAS). EGL raised $4.5M in a private share placement last December and has sufficient funds to fabricate more than 10 PFAS Extraction plants. The first plant is soon to be placed into operation. There are orders for 8 or 9 more. It is likely that the technology will be licensed to Turmec. Turmec has a strong presence in Northern Europe. EGL will then derive a loyalty stream that will diversify it from the traditional engineering model. Entrance into the American market is not expected for another year. A lot will depend on the success of these early plants and therein lies the skill and versatility of the engineers at EGL. For that reason, I consider profits from EGL water to be speculative but potentially transformative to the Company.

I retain my prediction of revenue exceeding $100M in 2 years with improving margins, provided that inflation and supply chain problems can be kept under control. The company has shortened its valid pricing times to 30 days for new work but unconstrained inflation and recession are risks for this Company, as for all companies in the engineering and manufacturing sector.

disc: I own shares

20-July-2022: EGL-Water-PFAS-progress-update.PDF

EGL are a decent business, and growing, and if they can successfully commercialise this PFAS separation and removal process at scale, there is a LOT of upside. That success would mean that it would be a cost-effective option for clients and that EGL Water would be making a decent profit margin on it. That's the success we would like to see occur. I imagine that if they get to that point they could well be also looking at licensing their IP to other companies overseas, so allowing other companies globally to use their tech, which would mean ongoing passive revenue as well.

Plenty of "IFs" there, but that's the Powerball upside with EGL. They're a decent company without that additional success, but if EGL Water is ultimately successful in addition to their other 4 divisions, that would elevate the investment upside to a whole new level. This update from EGL is another positive in that it keeps us informed about their progress, and reassures us that there IS progress.

Disclosure: I hold a moderate position in EGL in real life, and also in my Strawman portfolio. It's not one of my smallest positions and certainly not one of my largest either, but I have exposure. I bought in to EGL the week that their CEO, Jason Dixon, was interviewed here by Andrew. Impressive opportunity IMO, and I'm already well up from my purchase price (14.5c/share in October), and they have run as high as 38c/share (in January) in intraday trading and they've closed as high as 34c/share (on Jan 1st). Today EGL are up +10% (+2c) to 22c/share at midday on the back of this update.

One week ago, they provided a trading update regarding their FY22 results and outlook: EGL-Trading-Update.PDF

That was also positive.

I admire what Jason Dixon and Paul Gaskett did with Tox Free Solutions, building that company up until it was acquired by Cleanaway (CWY). I'm onboard with EGL to see what they can do with this company now.

The Environmental Group Limited - Executive Team

The Environmental Group Limited - Home

The Turmec ("clip the ticket") exclusive agency agreement is also a big positive for EGL. There's a lot to like about this company. They don't have a huge number of runs on the board yet, but they are starting to build a good innings. I think they can go with it.

EGL offered a trading update on Wednesday, advising that EBITDA for 2022 would be approximately 30% up on last year. Management had predicted 15% increase in EBITDA yoy and a higher number was expected by the market (see my previous straws on this Company). Drivers of revenue are TAPC, Tomlinson and some flow-on of business from their involvement as an intermediary in Turmec waste management in Australia. They have also purchased an additional business (Ignite) which is complementary to Tomlinson. Ignite Services install, service, and maintains gas-fired equipment across a range of industries including mining, waste management, production facilities, and industrial food processing plants. I can't say how this business will grow profit because I don't know much about it. My feeling is that it will not make a material impact.

My underlying thesis with EGL, and the reason I recommended it to SM members, was because it had the foundations to be a profitable engineering business but had suffered from a legacy of inept management with a focus more on engineering than profit. This changed when Jason Dixon took over as CEO in January 2021. Jason has correctly perceived that EGL offers quality engineering services but has not been run efficiently for shareholders. Revenue was lumpy, margins were low and services were constrained in scope and location. There was also a disasterous foray into industries that were not core to the Company, like water management and Mining Assist. Company overheads were also excessive. Ellis Richardson, the previous owner of Baltec and then CEO of EGL, did not run the Company with public shareholders in mind and sentiment towards the Company was poor. It has taken time to re-orient the Company and to work through the less profitable engineering projects.

If EGL is well run, I expect that revenue can grow to $100M in 2 years, perhaps double that in 4 years. At a profit margin of 4%, I expect EBITDA of $4-8M in 2 years with NPAT of $2.2-$4.5M and EPS 0.7-2c. At P/E 12-14 this equates with a share price range of $0.8-$0.28. This would suggest that EGL is relatively overvalued at the moment. I am willing to buy at the present price because the Company is pushing forward into new markets like PFAS removal from groundwater which could be transformative to the Company and Jason Dixon has significant shareholding which will incentivize him to achieve growth towards the higher-end of his previous estimates.

Discl: shares held

EGL has given a strong update this morning with the headline being an over 30% increase in EBITDA vs FY21, well above their stated goal of 15% growth in EBITDA. The growth appears to be relatively widespread across their business units. Other recent announcements lend weight to the thesis that their growth is likely to continue and not just a one off. CEO Jason Dixon spoke to Strawman members last year and you'll find his preso on the Meetings page. This is one I'm happy to ride for the time being.

EGL announced they have secured a $17.8m contract in their TAPC business. It's a big deal given it represents almost 40% of the total revenue for EGL in FY21 alone - TAPC being just one of five divisions they run. Difficult to know what they'll make on it, although the current CEO has been at pains to emphasize bids going forward would be at higher margins than before he took over.

EGL presented its half yearly results on Friday

On a profitability basis, the results were underwhelming. EBITDA was $1.7 M, contributed entirely by the Tomlinson boiler division which saw orders increase substantially with the recession of Covid. TAPC was hampered by restricted site access in Western Australia where it has large contracts with Lithium mines. Baltec has been a drain on the working capital of the Company and is still working through a legacy of poorly priced, low margin jobs- a legacy of the former management. Shipping delays and increased costs also hampered profitability.

Turmec's arrival in Australia is timely because it has technology that substantially reduces landfill from recyclable waste. EPA has imposed levies on waste disposal facilities and the price of landfill has gone up 30-40%. I have written before about the urgency to improve recycling in Australia. Australia has lagged behind in recycling because of cheap landfill and a ready market for its plastic waste in China and Southeast Asia. This has changed quickly. Both domestic and industrial waste is affected. Turmec recently signed an agreement to provide recycling for a large construction and demolition plant in Brisbane.

EGL, as the sole agent for Turmec in Australia, has already tendered for $100 M in projects, an increase of 100% in 3 months. While the 2% commission flows directly to EGL's bottom line, it is the service revenue, spare parts and cross-selling of its vapour control, boilers, engineering and water treatment solutions that are the true prize for EGL. Turmec provides EGL with an entree to a lucrative sector to which it can offer many of its environmental solutions.

I have also written about the new PFAS water treatment technology, in particular about the decision to proceed with commercialization in December last year. I feel that the Board was not upfront with shareholders when they covertly raised $4.5M from 'high value' investors before making any market announcements. Notwithstanding, the Company is now designing a commercial plant with a new configuration to upscale its technology. The plant should be operational towards the end of this year. If successful, it will open the door for similar projects, some of which may be outsourced to engineering companies overseas. The Company has desisted from making any financial projections from this employment of this technology and without their guidance, I'm not willing to make any guesses.

In summary, while I have concerns about the conduct of the Board as regards its transparency with shareholders, and I disapprove of the way it has favoured privileged institutional shareholders over others, I have no argument with Management in the way they are trying to open new markets for their services and exploit the synergies among its divisions. They are also more aware of realistic pricing. New engineering projects priced at 26% margin vs 15% previously. EGL has always offered excellent engineering services but the business has not been run for the benefit of shareholders. As a very long-suffering shareholder, I have chaffed under the management of one incompetent manager after another but I am more hopeful now than ever that this is about to change.

I expect EBITDA to rise to $4.5M for FY22, with an increase of 15-30% per year for the next 3-5 years

Dear Members,

You may be interested in a core holding of mine- The Environmental Group (ASX:EGL). EGL is fundamentally an engineering company. It specialises in the design, application and servicing of gas and vapour emission control systems for industry and mining. It also designs and installs equipment that improves the efficiency of gas turbines, supporting the renewable energy industry by contributing to peak load electricity supply.  

In January 2019 EGL acquired Tomlinson Energy Services from RCR Tomlinson administrators. Tomlinson Energy replaces, services and maintains commercial boilers for a variety of industries.

There is also a fourth division to EGL. This is a water services division which uses a patented technology to remove PFAS from groundwater and potentially contaminated soils. The technology is yet to become commercialised but pilot tests were successful in removing more than 99.4% of PFAS. Commercial trials will be underway this half.

In February this year, EGL acquired Active Environmental Solutions (AES), an Australian Company with an agency agreement with Turmec Pty Ltd (Ireland). Turmec designs and manufactures waste recycling plants. Their expertise involves recycling of municipal, construction-and-demolition, glass, rubber, plastic and other waste. Waste material is diverted to re-manufacture as a substitute for raw materials, and as an alternative fuel source. The acquisition of AES was timely. In 2018 China banned 24 types of waste and enacted anti-dumping legislation that prevented developed countries from sending their unprocessed waste to the country. Exports of some waste materials, particularly mixed polymer plastics, are now stockpiling in Australia or being diverted to landfill. The Recycling and Waste Reduction Act 2020 will prevent export of plastics after July 2022 that have not been sorted into a single resin or polymer type or processed with other materials into engineered fuel. State and local governments have agreed to targets set by the Australian Packaging Covenant to recycle or compost more than 70% of plastics by 2025. Currently, Australia recycles less than 20% of plastics. The task is daunting and the expertise and technology of companies like Turmec will be invaluable. Turmec’s plant designs use optical and magnetic elements and robotics and have a recovery rate of 99% with minimal labour requirements and reduced need for landfill.

The Agency agreement with Turmec provides for a retainer to promote and raise brand awareness, success-based commissions for sales in Australia and a cost-plus pricing model for all engineering, maintenance and services provided in Australia.

Perhaps more importantly this acquisition signifies a turning point for EGL- from an engineering contract-based enterprise to a fully-integrated recycling, waste management and environmental-focused company. There is the opportunity for EGL to cross-sell its other environmental services, such as water management and air pollution technologies that prevent harmful gases, particulate matter and odours from being released into the environment. It provides synergies for all of its divisions, sets up a platform for growth and, by servicing its customer base, creates recurring revenues.

EGL has a market cap of $28.1M and a book value of $17.9M

Based on the latest company results for FY’21:

Revenue          $46.6 M (2020: $37.5M)

EBITDA            $3.1M

NPAT               $1.7M

Cash                $0.6M

Debt                $1.95M

EGL trades on a P/E of 17.2, which compares favourably with competitors: Pact Group 14.2 and Cleanaway 34.4

EGL has been a poor investment over the past 10 years due to a legacy of poor management, low-margin engineering contracts, and a lack of clear strategy and business focus. With the new management team (Jason Dixon CEO) and the relinquishment of control of the company by the dominant shareholder- Ellis Richardson- who recently retired from the Board and is selling down his 41% stake, the path is clear for expansion of the Company and fully realising its potential as ‘The Environmental Group’. Management has confidently predicted an increase in EBITDA YOY of 15% (subject to the impact of ongoing Covid lockdowns) but this ignores the potential for big contract wins by Turmec, and successful commercialisation of PFAS extraction by EGL water. PFAS contamination is a growing environmental problem with carcinogenic and other potential health effects and no commercially successful solution.

The Company is set to ride the groundswell of public opinion regarding environmental sustainability and protection and would therefore be of interest to ESG-focused investors. Its small size has eluded cover by analysts and small cap. managers and may be about to change, which could build momentum in the share price.