May 21,
2008
VIA EDGAR AND OVERNIGHT
MAIL
Mr. John
Cash
Accounting
Branch Chief
United
States Securities and Exchange Commission
100 F
Street, NE
Washington,
D.C. 20549
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Re:
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Ameron International
Corporation
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Form
10-K for the Fiscal Year Ended November 30,
2007
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Form
10-Q for the Fiscal Quarter Ended March 2,
2008
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Dear Mr.
Cash:
On behalf
of Ameron International Corporation (the “Company”), this responds to your
letter of April 29, 2008. For ease of reference, the numbered paragraphs
below correspond to the numbered comments in your letter, with your comments
presented in bold followed by the related response.
We
confirm that we are responsible for the adequacy and accuracy of the disclosures
in our filings. Furthermore, we acknowledge that (i) neither your
comments nor changes in disclosure in response to your comments preclude the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) from taking any action
with respect to the filing, and (ii) we may not assert Staff comments as a
defense in any proceeding initiated by the Commission or any person under the
federal securities laws of the United Sates.
Form 10-K for the Fiscal
Year Ended November 30, 2007
General
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1.
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We
note the disclosure on page 4 that your technology is used in the Middle
East through affiliated companies. We also note the disclosure
on page 21 that the Fiberglass-Composite Pipe Group achieved record sales
and profits in 2006 in part as a result of increased shipments to the
Middle East from your Asian subsidiary operations. Your 10-K
does not indicate specifically whether you sell to persons in Iran, Syria,
or Sudan, countries identified as state sponsors of terrorism by the U.S.
Department of State and subject to U.S. economic sanctions and export
controls. However, your web site for Bondstrand, Ltd., a joint
venture in which you own a 40% interest, includes under the case history
section for Bondstrand Glassfiber Reinforced (GRE) pipe systems a list of
projects that includes projects in Iran and
Sudan.
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Please
describe for us any past, current and anticipated operations in, or other
contacts with, Iran, Syria, or Sudan. Your response should
include descriptions of contacts through subsidiaries, joint ventures or
distributors, or other indirect arrangements. Describe in
reasonable detail the nature and scope of any products, technologies,
equipment, components, and services you have provided in each of the three
countries, as well as any agreements, commercial arrangements or other
contacts with the government, or entities controlled by the government, of
any of the three countries.
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RESPONSE:
In
accordance with applicable United States laws, the Company does not have any
past, current or anticipated operations in, or other contacts with, Iran, Syria
or Sudan, including, but not limited to contacts through any joint ventures,
distributors and subsidiaries. The Company has no agreements,
commercial arrangements or other contacts with the government, or entities
controlled by the government, of Iran, Syria or Sudan.
Ameron
(Pte.) Ltd. (“APL”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company located in
Singapore, Ameron (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhn. (“AM”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of APL
located in Malaysia and Bondstrand Gulf FZE (“BFZE”), located in Dubai, a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Ameron B.V. (“ABV”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the
Company located in the Netherlands, have reported to us, in response to our
inquiry about their current operations following your directive in your letter
dated April 29, 2008, that APL, AM and BFZE do have limited contacts in these
countries. APL, AM and BFZE reported limited sales of non-United
States origin products into Iran, Syria or Sudan which are quantified in
response to question #2 below. These sales were reported to be
confined to sales of pipes and pipe-related products. These
activities of these subsidiaries were in no way controlled, assisted, directed
or coordinated by the Company or any United States person.
APL, AM,
ABV and BFZE are engaged in the manufacture and/or sale of fiberglass pipe
products. From time to time APL, AM, ABV and BFZE sell products to
Bondstrand Ltd. (“BL”) in Saudi Arabia, and to other customers in the Middle
East. BL is a Saudi-based company that is 40%-owned by ABV, but over
which ABV has no control. BL is 60%-owned and controlled by the Saudi
Arabian Amiantit Co. (“Amiantit”). Amiantit is not an affiliate of
the Company.
In the
late 1970's, ABV licensed its fiberglass pipe manufacturing technology to
BL. The fiberglass pipe manufacturing technology license was limited
to the territory of Saudi Arabia. Despite the fact that BL
unilaterally has taken the position that such license has expired, BL reportedly
continues to use the fiberglass pipe manufacturing technology in the Middle East
without ABV’s consent.
In the
late 1970's, the Company licensed its concrete pipe manufacturing technology to
Ameron Saudi Arabia Ltd. (“ASAL”). ASAL is a Saudi-based company that
is 30%-owned by the Company, but over which the Company has no
control. ASAL is 70%-owned and controlled by Amiantit. The
concrete pipe manufacturing technology license was limited to the territory of
Saudi Arabia. Despite the fact that ASAL unilaterally has taken the
position that such license has expired, ASAL reportedly continues to use the
concrete pipe manufacturing technology in the Middle East without the Company’s
consent.
In 1998,
the Company licensed certain of its concrete pipe manufacturing technology to
Ameron Egypt (“AE”). AE is an Egyptian-based company that is
minority-owned by ASAL and majority-owned by an unaffiliated Egyptian
company. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries controls
AE. The concrete pipe manufacturing technology license is limited to
the territory of Egypt.
As noted
above, BL, AE and ASAL are not controlled by ABV or the Company. To
the Company’s knowledge, BL’s operations, including its website, are controlled
solely by BL and its majority owner Amiantit. If BL, AE or ASAL are
directly or indirectly selling products or services to persons in Iran, Syria or
Sudan, they are doing so without the consent or knowledge of the
Company. All of the Company’s contacts with BL, ASAL and AE are
consistent with United States trade and other applicable laws.
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2.
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Please
discuss the materiality of any operations and other contacts described in
response to the foregoing comment, and whether they would constitute a
material investment risk for your security holders. You should
address materiality in quantitative terms, including the approximate
dollar amounts of any associated revenues, assets, and liabilities for the
past three fiscal years. Also, address materiality in terms of
qualitative factors that a reasonable investor would deem important in
making an investment decision, including the potential impact of corporate
activities upon a company’s reputation and share
value.
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We
note, for example, that Arizona and Louisiana have adopted legislation requiring
their state retirement systems to prepare reports regarding state pension fund
assets invested in, and/or permitting divestment of state pension fund assets
from, companies that do business with countries identified as state sponsors of
terrorism. Similar legislation relating specifically to investment in
companies that do business with Iran has been proposed by several other
states. The Missouri Investment Trust has established an equity fund
for the investment of certain state-held monies that screens out stocks of
companies that do business with U.S.-designated state sponsors of
terrorism. The Pennsylvania legislature has adopted a resolution
directing its Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to report annually to the
General Assembly regarding state funds invested in companies that have ties to
terrorist-sponsoring countries. Several states have adopted or are
considering legislation prohibiting the investment of certain state assets in,
and/or requiring the divestment of certain state assets from, companies that do
business with Sudan. Harvard University, Stanford University and
other academic institutions have adopted similar investment
policies. Your materiality analysis should address the potential
impact of the investor sentiment evidenced by such actions directed toward
companies that have operations associated with countries designated as state
sponsors of terrorism.
Your
qualitative materiality analysis also should address whether, and the extent to
which, the Iranian, Syrian, and Sudanese governments, or persons or entities
controlled by any of those governments, receive cash or act as intermediaries in
connection with your operations.
RESPONSE:
As
described above, the Company does not have any past, current or anticipated
operations in, or other contacts with, Iran, Syria or Sudan. ABV
reported in response to our inquiry about their current operations that they did
not have any sales into Iran, Syria or Sudan. APL, AM and BFZE
reported in response to our inquiry about their current operations that they did
have limited sales into Iran, Syria or Sudan. The following are the
reported combined direct sales of APL, AM and BFZE for the fiscal years ended
November 30, 2007, 2006 and 2005 in Iran, Syria and Sudan. (All amounts
represent the U.S. dollar equivalent of the Singapore dollar amounts reported by
APL, AM and BFZE.)
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FY
2007
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FY
2006
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FY
2005
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Iran
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$ |
151,485 |
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$ |
1,351,289 |
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$ |
3,528,298 |
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Syria
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0 |
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0 |
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0 |
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Sudan
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0 |
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0 |
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0 |
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$ |
151,485 |
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$ |
1,351,289 |
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$ |
3,528,298 |
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The
following are the combined reported sales of APL, AM and BFZE for fiscal years
ended November 30, 2007, 2006 and 2005 to third parties in countries located
outside Iran, Syria or Sudan, where APL, AM and BFZE reported they had knowledge
at the time of such sale that the products sold were to be used in Iran, Syria
or Sudan.
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Sales
FY 2007
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Iran
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Syria
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Sudan
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Japan
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$ |
59,466 |
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$ |
0 |
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$ |
0 |
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S.
Korea
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1,508,382 |
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0 |
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0 |
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$ |
1,567,848 |
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$ |
0 |
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$ |
0 |
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Sales
FY 2006
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Iran
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Syria
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Sudan
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Japan
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$ |
380,323 |
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$ |
0 |
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$ |
0 |
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S.
Korea
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1,754,259 |
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0 |
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0 |
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Malaysia
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0 |
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0 |
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400,889 |
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$ |
2,134,582 |
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$ |
0 |
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$ |
400,889 |
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Sales
FY 2005
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Iran
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Syria
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Sudan
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Japan
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$ |
690,863 |
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$ |
0 |
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$ |
0 |
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S.
Korea
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7,350,013 |
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0 |
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0 |
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UAE
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5,346 |
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0 |
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0 |
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Malaysia
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0 |
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0 |
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971,452 |
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$ |
8,046,222 |
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$ |
0 |
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$ |
971,452 |
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The
following details the reported combined accounts receivable of APL, AM and BFZE
as of March 2, 2008 from sales made directly into Iran, Syria or
Sudan.
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HB
Composite (Iran)
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$ |
40,621 |
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Toyo
Engineering (Iran)
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-13 |
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$ |
40,608 |
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The
following details the reported combined accounts payable of APL, AM and BFZE as
of March 2, 2008 in connection with sales made directly into Iran, Syria or
Sudan.
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HP
Composites
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$ |
27,846 |
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$ |
27,846 |
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The
following details the reported combined liabilities in the form of bank
guarantees of APL, AM and BFZE as of March 2, 2008 related to
Iran. There are no liabilities or bank guarantees related either to
Syria or Sudan.
Iran
International General
Contracting $22,635 30-Jun-08
(Maturity Date)
Neither
the Company nor, as reported, its subsidiaries, have (i) any oral or written
agreements with the governments or entities controlled by the government of
Iran, Syria or Sudan, or (ii) any anticipated future operations in or other
contacts with Iran, Syria or Sudan with either governmental entities or private
parties located in these countries. In addition, neither the Iranian, Syrian and
Sudanese governments, nor persons or entities controlled by these governments,
received cash or acted as intermediaries to the Company or, as reported, its
subsidiaries.
The
Company is in compliance with all applicable United States laws regarding
contact with or sales to Iran, Syria or Sudan, does not have any past, current
or anticipated operations in, or other contacts with, Iran, Syria or Sudan,
including, but not limited to contacts through any joint ventures, distributors
and subsidiaries. The limited contacts of the Company’s subsidiaries
described above are not material to the Company’s consolidated sales from
continuing operations, the Company’s consolidated balance sheets or the
Company’s consolidated cash flows. The limited contacts of the
Company’s subsidiaries described above are not quantitatively or qualitatively
material to the Company’s security holders and do not constitute a material
investment risk for the Company’s security holders. This is true
notwithstanding current or potential investors policies or existing and proposed
state legislation relating to investments in companies who conduct business in
these countries.
Item 9A – Controls and
Procedures, page 56
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3.
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We
note that your disclosure controls and procedures are
“effective.” However, your disclosure does not provide the
correct definition of “disclosure controls and procedures” as defined in
Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(e). Please confirm to us that your
disclosure controls and procedures are effective to ensure that
information required to be disclosed by you in the reports that you file
or submit are recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the
time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms and are also
effective with respect to controls and procedures designed to ensure that
information required to be disclosed by you in the reports that you file
or submit under the Act are accumulated and communicated to your
management, including your principal executive and principal financial
officers, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow
timely decisions regarding required disclosure. In addition,
please revise your future filings to state the full definition of
disclosure controls and procedures. Alternatively, you may
simply state that your disclosure controls and procedures are effective or
ineffective.
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RESPONSE:
We
confirm that the Company disclosure controls and procedures are effective to
ensure that information required to be disclosed in the reports we file or
submit are recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods
specified in the Commission’s rules and forms and are also effective with
respect to controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required
to be disclosed by the Company in the reports filed or submitted under the Act
are accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including
principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing
similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required
disclosure. We will revise future filings to state the full
definition of disclosure controls and procedures.
Exhibit 99.1 – TAMCO
Financial Statements, page 1
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4.
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We
note that the financial statements for TAMCO for the fiscal year ended
November 30, 2007 do not include a signed audit opinion from your
independent auditors. In this regard, please confirm to us that
you have received a signed audit opinion. Additionally, we
remind you to include a conformed signed audit report in future
filings.
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RESPONSE:
We
confirm that the Company received a signed audit opinion. A signed copy of
the opinion is attached. In the future, we will include a conformed signed
audit report in our filings.
* * * * *
If you
have any questions or comments regarding the foregoing, or have additional
questions or comments, please contact the undersigned at (626)
683-4000.
Sincerely,
/s/
James R. McLaughlin
James R.
McLaughlin
Senior
Vice President,
Chief
Financial Officer & Treasurer