Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Investment in Paragon Waste Solutions LLC

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Investment in Paragon Waste Solutions LLC
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Business Combinations [Abstract]  
Investment in Paragon Waste Solutions LLC

NOTE 9 – INVESTMENT IN PARAGON WASTE SOLUTIONS LLC

 

In 2010, the Company and Black Stone Management Services, LLC (“Black Stone”) formed PWS, whereby a total of 1,000,000 membership units were issued, 600,000 membership units to the Company and 400,000 membership units to Black Stone. Fortunato Villamagna, who serves as President of our PWS subsidiary, is a managing member and Chairman of Black Stone. In June 2012, the Company and Blackstone each allocated 10% of their respective membership units in PWS to Mr. J John Combs III, an officer and shareholder of the Company and Mr. Michael Cardillo, a shareholder of the Company and an officer of a subsidiary. There was no value attributable to the units at the time of the allocation. At December 31, 2019 and 2018 the Company owned 54% of the membership units, Black Stone owned 36% of the membership units, and two related parties (as noted above), each owned 5% of the membership units.

 

In August 2011, the Company acquired certain intellectual property in regard to waste destruction technology (the “IP”) from Black Stone in exchange for 1,000,000 shares of our common stock valued at $100,000. We estimated the useful life of the IP at ten years, which was consistent with the useful life of other technology included in our intangible assets, and management’s initial assessment of the potential marketability of the IP. In March 2012, the Company entered into an Irrevocable License & Royalty Agreement with PWS that grants PWS an irrevocable world-wide license to the IP in exchange for a 5% royalty on all revenues from the sale or lease of all CoronaLux™ units from PWS and its affiliates. The term commenced as of the date of the Agreement and shall continue for a period not to exceed the life of the patent or patents filed by the Company. PWS may sub license the IP and any revenue derived from sub licensing shall be included in the calculation of Gross Revenue for purposes of determining royalty payments due the Company. Royalty payments are due 30 days after the end of each calendar quarter. PWS generated licensing and unit sales revenues of approximately $49,900 and $134,800 for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively, as such, royalties of $2,500 and $120,300 were due at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

 

Since its inception through December 31, 2019, we have provided approximately $6.8 million in funding to PWS for working capital and the further development and construction of various prototypes and commercial waste destruction units. No members of PWS have made capital contributions or other funding to PWS other than SEER. The intent of the operating agreement is that we will provide the funding as an advance against future earnings distributions made by PWS.

 

Licensing Agreements

 

On November 17, 2014, PWS entered into an Exclusive Licensing and Equipment Lease Agreement, for a limited license territory, with Medical Waste Services, LLC (“MWS”). The License Agreement grants to MWS the use of the PWS Technology and the CoronaLux™ waste destruction units for an initial term of seven years and required a payment of $225,000 as a non-refundable initial licensing fee and distributions of 50% of net operating profits, as defined in the agreement, in lieu of continuing royalty payments for the use of the licensed technology. PWS and Medical Waste Services, LLC (“MWS”) formed a contractual joint venture to exploit the PWS medical waste destruction technology. MWS has received approval from the California Department of Public Health and a restricted permit from the South Coast Air Quality Management District (“SCAQMD”) to operate the CoronaLux™ unit licensed by MWS at its facility in Southern California. Operations to date have included the destruction of medical waste under a temporary operating permit issued by SCAQMD since May 2015 and efforts to obtain a full operating permit from SCAQMD were successful and SCAQMD issued a ‘Notice of Intent to Issue Permit to Operate’ in March 2017. In November 2017, the full operating permit was issued by SCAQMD.

 

In December 2017, PWS and GulfWest Waste Solutions, LLC (“GWWS”) formed Paragon Southwest Medical Waste, LLC (“PSMW”) to exploit the PWS medical waste destruction technology. PSMW will have an exclusive license to the CoronaLux™ technology in a six-state area of the Southern United States. In addition to the equity position, PWS will be the operating partner for the business and sell a number of additional systems to the joint venture over the next five years. In 2017, PSMW purchased and installed three CoronaLux™ units for $600,000. PWS incurred costs of $525,700 to prepare the three units for sale. Operations in the form of medical waste destruction began in 2018.

 

Payments received for non-refundable licensing and placement fees have been recorded as deferred revenue in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets at December 31, 2019 and 2018 and are recognized as revenue ratably over the term of the contract.