CHASE CORP - Annual Report: 2008 (Form 10-K)

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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 (d)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2008

Commission File Number: 1-9852

CHASE CORPORATION
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

26 Summer Street, Bridgewater, Massachusetts 02324
(Address of Principal Executive Offices, Including Zip Code)

(508) 279-1789
(Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

Securities registered pursuant to section 12(b) of the Act:

         Securities registered pursuant to section 12(g) of the Act: None

         Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer (as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act). YES o    NO ý

         Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. YES o    NO ý

         Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months, and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. YES ý    NO o

         Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. ý

         Indicate by checkmark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer. See the definitions of "large accelerated filer", "accelerated filer" and "smaller reporting company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

         Indicate by checkmark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). YES o    NO ý

         The aggregate market value of the common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant, as of February 29, 2008 (the last business day of the registrant's second quarter of fiscal 2008), was approximately $141,703,000.

         As of October 31, 2008, the Company had outstanding 8,532,033 shares of common stock, $.10 par value, which is its only class of common stock.

Documents Incorporated By Reference:

         Portions of the registrant's definitive proxy statement for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders, which is expected to be filed within 120 days after the registrant's fiscal year ended August 31, 2008, are incorporated by reference into Part III hereof.

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CHASE CORPORATION

INDEX TO ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K

For the Year Ended August 31, 2008

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PART I

ITEM 1—BUSINESS

Primary Operating Divisions and Facilities and Industry Segment

        Chase Corporation (the "Company" or "Chase") is a global manufacturer of tapes, laminates, sealants, coatings for high reliability applications, and provider of contract assembly services for the electronics industry. The Company's strategy is to maximize its core businesses and brands while seeking future opportunities through strategic acquisitions. The Company is organized into two operating segments with multiple facilities. All plant locations are part of the Company's Specialized Manufacturing segment with the exception of Chase EMS, which is part of the Company's Electronic Manufacturing Services segment. A summary of the Company's operating structure as of August 31, 2008 is as follows:

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Other Business Developments

Chase Protective Coatings Ltd.

        On September 1, 2007, Chase Corporation purchased certain product lines and a related manufacturing facility in Rye, East Sussex, England through its wholly owned subsidiary, Chase Protective Coatings Ltd. For over 35 years, this business has been a leading manufacturer of waterproofing and corrosion protection systems for oil, gas and water pipelines and has been a major supplier to Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. This new acquisition joins Chase's North American based Tapecoat® and Royston® brands to broaden the protective coatings product line and better address increasing global demand.

        The purchase price for this acquisition was £738,936 (US $1,489,769 at the time of the acquisition) and was financed out of cash flow from the Company's operations. The effective date for this acquisition was September 1, 2007 and the results of this acquisition have been included in the Company's financial statements since then.

Products and Markets

        The Company's principal products are specialty tapes, laminates, sealants and coatings that are sold by Company salespeople, manufacturers' representatives and distributors. In the Company's Specialized Manufacturing segment, these products consist of:

(i)

insulating and conducting materials for the manufacture of electrical and telephone wire and cable, electrical splicing, and terminating and repair tapes, which are marketed to wire and cable manufacturers;



(ii)

protective pipe coating tapes and other protectants for valves, regulators, casings, joints, metals, concrete and wood, which are sold to oil companies, gas utilities and pipeline companies;



(iii)

protectants for highway bridge deck metal supported surfaces, which are sold to municipal transportation authorities;



(iv)

moisture protective coatings, which are sold to the electronics industry;



(v)

laminated durable papers, including laminated paper with an inner security barrier used in personal and mail-stream privacy protection, which are sold primarily to the envelope converting and commercial printing industries;



(vi)

flexible composites and laminates for the wire & cable, aerospace, packaging and industrial laminate markets, and



(vii)

expansion and control joint systems designed for roads, bridges, stadiums and airport runways.

        In addition, the Company's Electronic Manufacturing Services segment provides circuit board assembly and contract manufacturing services to electronic goods manufacturers.

        There is some seasonality with the Company's product offerings sold into the construction market as increased demand is often experienced when temperatures are warmer (April through October) with less demand occurring when temperatures are colder (typically the second fiscal quarter). The Company has introduced no new products or segments requiring an investment of a material amount of the Company's assets during fiscal year 2008.

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Employees

        As of October 31, 2008, the Company employed approximately 381 people (including union employees). The Company believes that its relationship with its employees is good.

Backlog, Customers and Competition

        As of October 31, 2008, the backlog of orders believed to be firm was approximately $16,369,000 of which $7,476,000 was related to the Company's Electronic Manufacturing Services segment. This compared with a total of $16,647,000 as of October 31, 2007 of which $7,468,000 was associated with the Company's Electronic Manufacturing Services segment. The backlog of orders in the Specialized Manufacturing segment has some seasonality due to the construction season. During fiscal 2008, 2007 and 2006, no customer accounted for more than 10% of sales. No material portion of the Company's business is subject to renegotiation or termination of profits or contracts at the election of the United States Federal Government.

        There are other companies that manufacture or sell products and services similar to those made and sold by the Company. Many of those companies are larger and have greater financial resources than the Company. The Company competes principally on the basis of technical performance, service reliability, quality and price.

Raw Materials

        The Company obtains raw materials from a wide variety of suppliers with alternative sources of most essential materials available within reasonable lead times.

Patents, Trademarks, Licenses, Franchises and Concessions

        The Company owns the following trademarks: HumiSeal®, a trademark for moisture protective coatings sold to the electronics industry; Chase & Sons® and Chase Facile®, trademarks for barrier and insulating tapes sold to the wire and cable industry; Chase BLH₂OCK®, a trademark for a water blocking compound sold to the wire and cable industry; Rosphalt 50®, a trademark for an asphalt additive used predominantly on bridge decks for waterproofing protection; Insulfab®, a trademark for insulation material used in the aerospace industry; PaperTyger®, a trademark for laminated durable papers sold to the envelope converting and commercial printing industries, Tapecoat®, a trademark for corrosion preventative surface coatings and primers; Royston®, a trademark for corrosion inhibiting coating composition for use on pipes; and Eva-Pox® and Ceva®, trademarks for epoxy pastes/gels/mortars and elastomeric concrete used in the construction industry. The Company has no other material trademarks, licenses, franchises, or concessions. The Company holds various patents but believes that, at this time, they are not material to the success of the business.

Working Capital and Research and Development

        There are no special practices followed by the Company relating to working capital. Approximately $1,698,000, $1,965,000, and $1,860,000 was spent for Company-sponsored research and development during fiscal 2008, 2007 and 2006, respectively. Research and development decreased by approximately $267,000 in fiscal 2008 compared to 2007 primarily due to diligent cost management practices and efficiency improvements.

Available Information

        The Company maintains a website at www.chasecorp.com. The Company makes available, free of charge, on its website its Annual Report on Form 10-K, as soon as reasonably practicable after

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such report is electronically filed with the SEC. Additionally, the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports, filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, are available free of charge at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Information contained on the Company's website is not part of, or incorporated by reference into, this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Financial Information About Segments and Geographic Areas

        Please see Notes 11 and 12 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements for financial information about the Company's industry segments and domestic and foreign operations for each of the last three fiscal years.

ITEM 1A—RISK FACTORS

        The following risk factors should be read carefully in connection with evaluating the Company's business and the forward-looking information contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Any of the following risks could materially adversely affect the Company's business, operations, industry or financial position or its future financial performance. While the Company believes it has identified and discussed below the key risk factors affecting its business, there may be additional risks and uncertainties that are not presently known or that are not currently believed to be significant that may adversely affect its business, operations, industry, financial position and financial performance in the future.

The Company currently operates in a mature market where increases or decreases in market share could be significant.

        The Company's sales and net income are largely dependent on recurring sales from a consistent and established customer base. Organic growth opportunities are minimal; however, the Company has and will continue to use strategic acquisitions as a means to build and grow the business. In this business environment, increases or decreases in market share could have a material effect on the Company's business condition or results of operation. The Company faces intense competition from a diverse range of competitors, including operating divisions of companies much larger and with far greater resources than the Company. If the Company is unable to maintain its market share, its business could suffer.

The Company's business strategy includes the pursuit of strategic acquisitions, which may not be successful if they happen at all.

        From time to time, the Company engages in discussions with potential target companies concerning potential acquisitions. In executing its acquisition strategy, the Company may be unable to identify suitable acquisition candidates. In addition, the Company may face competition from other companies for acquisition candidates, making it more difficult to acquire suitable companies on favorable terms.

        Even if the Company does identify a suitable acquisition target and is able to negotiate and close a transaction, the integration of an acquired business into the Company's operations involves numerous risks, including potential difficulties in integrating an acquired company's product line with the Company's own; the diversion of the Company's resources and management's attention from other business concerns; the potential loss of key employees; risks associated with entering a new geographical or product market; and the day-to-day management of a larger and more diverse combined company.

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        The Company may not realize the synergies, operating efficiencies, market position or revenue growth it anticipates from acquisitions and its failure to effectively manage the above risks and other problems associated with acquisitions could have a material adverse effect on its business, growth prospects and financial performance.

General economic factors, domestically and internationally, may adversely affect the Company's financial performance through increased raw material costs or other expenses and by making access to capital more difficult.

        The cumulative effect of higher interest rates, energy costs, inflation, levels of unemployment, healthcare costs, unsettled financial markets, and other economic factors could adversely affect the Company's financial condition by increasing its manufacturing costs and other expenses at the same time that its customers may be scaling back demand for the Company's products. Prices of certain commodity products, including oil and petroleum-based products, are historically volatile and are subject to fluctuations arising from changes in domestic and international supply and demand, labor costs, competition, market speculation, government regulations and periodic delays in delivery. Rapid and significant changes in commodity prices may affect the Company's sales and profit margins. These factors can also increase the Company's merchandise costs and/or selling, general and administrative expenses, and otherwise adversely affect the Company's operations and results. Recent turmoil in the credit markets may limit the Company's ability to access debt capital for use in acquisitions or other purposes on advantageous terms or at all. If the Company is unable to manage its expenses in response to general economic conditions and margin pressures, or if it is unable to obtain capital for strategic acquisitions or other needs, then its results of operations would be negatively affected.

Fluctuations in the supply and prices of raw materials may negatively impact the Company's financial results.

        The Company obtains the raw materials needed to manufacture its products from a number of suppliers. Many of these raw materials are petroleum-based derivatives. Under normal market conditions, these materials are generally available on the open market and from a variety of producers. From time to time, however, the prices and availability of these raw materials fluctuate, which could impair the Company's ability to procure necessary materials, or increase the cost of manufacturing its products. If the prices of raw materials increase, and the Company is unable to pass these increases on to its customers, the Company could experience reduced profit margins.

The Company is dependent on key personnel.

        The Company depends significantly on its executive officers including Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Peter R. Chase, and on other key employees. The loss of the services of any of these key employees could have a material impact on the Company's business and results of operations. In addition, the Company's acquisition strategy will require that it attract, motivate and retain additional skilled and experienced personnel. The inability to satisfy such requirements could have a negative impact on the Company's ability to remain competitive in the future.

If the Company cannot successfully manage the unique challenges presented by international markets, it may not be successful in expanding its international operations.

        The Company's strategy includes expansion of its operations in existing and new international markets by selective acquisitions and strategic alliances. The Company's ability to successfully execute its strategy in international markets is affected by many of the same operational risks it faces in expanding its U.S. operations. In addition, the Company's international expansion may be adversely affected by its ability to identify and gain access to local suppliers as well as by local

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laws and customs, legal and regulatory constraints, political and economic conditions and currency regulations of the countries or regions in which it currently operates or intends to operate in the future. Risks inherent in its international operations also include, among others, the costs and difficulties of managing international operations, adverse tax consequences and greater difficulty in enforcing intellectual property rights. Additionally, foreign currency exchange rates and fluctuations may have an impact on the Company's future costs or on future cash flows from its international operations.

The Company's results of operations could be adversely affected by uncertain economic and political conditions and the effects of these conditions on its customers' businesses and levels of business activity.

        Global economic and political conditions can affect the businesses of the Company's customers and the markets they serve. A severe or prolonged economic downturn or a negative or uncertain political climate could adversely affect the levels of business activity of the Company's customers and the industries they serve, including the housing, construction, transportation infrastructure and electronics manufacturing industries. This may reduce demand for the Company's products or depress pricing of those products, either of which may have a material adverse effect on the Company's results of operations. Changes in global economic conditions could also shift demand to products for which the Company does not have competitive advantages, and this could negatively affect the amount of business that the Company is able to obtain. In addition, if the Company is unable to successfully anticipate changing economic and political conditions, it may be unable to effectively plan for and respond to those changes, and the Company's business could be negatively affected.

Changes in accounting standards and subjective assumptions, estimates and judgments by management related to complex accounting matters could significantly affect the Company's financial results.

        Generally accepted accounting principles and related accounting pronouncements, implementation guidelines and interpretations with regard to a wide range of matters that are relevant to the Company's business, such as revenue recognition, asset impairment, inventories, pensions valuation and tax matters, are highly complex and involve many subjective assumptions, estimates and judgments. Changes in these rules or their interpretation or changes in underlying assumptions, estimates or judgments could significantly change the Company's reported or expected financial performance or financial condition. In addition, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued SFAS No. 141R which will have an impact on the Company's accounting for future business combinations. The effect will be dependent upon acquisitions completed by the Company after August 31, 2009.

Failure of the Company's internal control over financial reporting could limit its ability to report financial results accurately and timely.

        The Company's management team is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting. Internal control over financial reporting is designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting for external purposes in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Internal control over financial reporting includes: maintaining records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the Company's transactions; providing reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary for preparation of the financial statements; providing reasonable assurance that the Company's receipts and expenditures of its assets are made in accordance with management authorization; and providing reasonable assurance that unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition

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of the Company's assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements would be prevented or detected on a timely basis. Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting is not intended to provide absolute assurance that a misstatement of the Company's financial statements would be prevented or detected. Any failure to maintain an effective system of internal control over financial reporting could limit the Company's ability to report its financial results accurately and timely or to detect and prevent fraud.

ITEM 1B—UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

None

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ITEM 2—PROPERTIES

        The Company owns office and manufacturing properties and leases office and manufacturing space as outlined in the table below. All properties are used by the Company's Specialized Manufacturing segment except for Corporate and the Chase EMS division. The Chase EMS property is used by the Company's Electronic Manufacturing Services segment.

*

The Company is currently renovating its facility in O'Hara Township in order to increase production capacity and improve efficiencies for existing product lines as well as provide space to integrate future acquisitions. It is expected that renovations will continue through fiscal 2009.

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        The above facilities range in age from new to about 100 years, are generally in good condition and, in the opinion of management, adequate and suitable for present operations. The Company also owns equipment and machinery that is in good repair and, in the opinion of management, adequate and suitable for present operations. The Company could significantly add to its capacity by increasing shift operations. Availability of machine hours through additional shifts would provide expansion of current product volume without significant additional capital investment.

ITEM 3—LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

        From time to time, the Company is involved in litigation incidental to the conduct of its business. The Company is not party to any lawsuit or proceeding that, in management's opinion, is likely to seriously harm the Company's business, results of operations, financial conditions or cash flows.

        The Company is one of over 100 defendants in a personal injury lawsuit, pending in Ohio, which alleges personal injury from exposure to asbestos contained in certain Chase products. The plaintiff in the case issued discovery requests to Chase in August 2005, to which Chase timely responded in September 2005. The trial had initially been scheduled to begin on April 30, 2007. However, that date was postponed and no new trial date has been set. As of October 2008, there have been no new developments as this Ohio lawsuit has been inactive with respect to Chase.

ITEM 4—SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS

        There were no matters submitted to a vote of the Company's security holders during the fourth quarter of the Company's fiscal year ended August 31, 2008.

ITEM 4A—EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT

        The following table sets forth information concerning the Company's Executive Officers as of August 31, 2008. Each officer of the Company is selected by the Company's Board of Directors and holds office until his successor is elected and qualified.

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        Effective September 1, 2008, Chase Corporation promoted Gregory A. Pelagio to the position of Vice President Engineering. Mr. Pelagio, age 64, has been with the company since 1990 and has most recently served as Vice President and General Manager of Pittsburgh operations since 1993. In his new position, Mr. Pelagio will lead the Engineering effort for the entire Company, as well as continue to oversee all Pittsburgh operations. He will report directly to the President and Chief Operating Officer, Adam P. Chase.

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PART II

ITEM 5—MARKET FOR THE REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES

        The Company's common stock is traded on the NYSE Alternext US (formerly the American Stock Exchange) under the symbol CCF. As of October 31, 2008, there were 457 shareholders of record of the Company's Common Stock and approximately 3,199 beneficial shareholders who held shares in nominee name and the closing price of Chase Corporation's common stock was $14.58 per share as reported by the NYSE Alternext US.

        The following table sets forth the high and low daily sales prices for the Company's common stock as reported by the NYSE Alternext US for each quarter in the fiscal years ended August 31, 2008 and 2007:

        The Company paid a cash dividend per common share of $0.35, $0.25, and $0.20 for the years ended August 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006, respectively. The cash dividend for each fiscal year is paid subsequent to year end. Certain of the Company's borrowing facilities contain financial covenants which may have the effect of limiting the amount of dividends that the Company can pay.

Comparative Stock Performance

        The following line graph compares the yearly percentage change in the Company's cumulative total shareholder return on the Common Stock for the last five fiscal years with the cumulative total return on the Standard & Poor's 500 Stock Index ("the S&P 500 Index"), and a composite peer index that is weighted by market equity capitalization (the "Peer Group Index"). The companies included in the Peer Group Index are American Biltrite Inc., Material Sciences Corporation, Intertape Polymer Group Inc., Quaker Chemical Corporation and Flamemaster Corp. Cumulative total returns are calculated assuming that $100 was invested on August 31, 2003 in each of the Common Stock, the S&P 500 Index and the Peer Group Index, and that all dividends were reinvested.

Comparison of 5 Year Cumulative Total Return
Assumes Initial Investment of $100

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ITEM 6—SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

        The following selected financial data should be read in conjunction with "Item7—Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and "Item 8—Financial Statements and Supplementary Data".

(1)

Single annual dividend payments declared and paid subsequent to fiscal year end.

Note: Information related to the Company's acquisitions and dispositions can be found in the Overview and Recent Developments sections of "Item 7—Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations."

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ITEM 7—MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

        The following discussion provides an analysis of the Company's financial condition and results of operations and should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and notes thereto included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Selected Relationships within the Consolidated Statements of Operations

Recent Developments

        In September 2007, Chase purchased certain product lines and a related manufacturing facility in Rye, East Sussex, England through its wholly owned subsidiary, Chase Protective Coatings Ltd. For over 35 years, this business has been a leading manufacturer of waterproofing and corrosion protection systems for oil, gas and water pipelines and has been a major supplier to Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. This new acquisition joins Chase's North American based Tapecoat® and Royston® brands to broaden the protective coatings product line and better address increasing global demand. Results from these acquired operations are reflected in the Company's consolidated fiscal 2008 financial statements and not in previous years.

Overview

        The continued strength of the Company's key brands, strategic acquisitions, favorable product mix and diligent cost management practices were the primary contributors to healthy revenue and increased profit in fiscal 2008 despite being faced with the ongoing challenges of the housing market decline and rising raw material costs. A strong finish to fiscal 2008 was highlighted by the record quarterly highs for revenues and net income in the fourth quarter. The Company's Specialized Manufacturing segment revenue growth was primarily attributable to the operations acquired by HumiSeal Europe SARL in March 2007 and Chase Protective Coatings Ltd. in September 2007. Increased sales of pipeline and conformal coatings products were offset by decreases seen in building wire and cable and construction products.

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        The Company's Electronic Manufacturing Services segment achieved record revenues in fiscal 2008 as the demand for contract manufacturing services from existing customers remained strong throughout the year. This segment continues to benefit from management's recent emphasis on expanding its customer base in order to utilize investments made in capital equipment over the past few years. Although the Company's operating results from this segment have been positive, rising manufacturing costs and ongoing pressure from key customers to keep sale prices low continue to negatively impact margins.

        In fiscal 2009, the Company will focus on addressing the future impacts of the uncertainties presented by the current global economy by paying close attention to the overall demand for its eight core product lines and continuing with its emphasis of maintaining a diversified product mix. The Company expects that the current housing market decline and continued pressure on gross margins, including uncertainties related to raw material costs, will be challenges during the upcoming fiscal year. Additionally, management will continue with its ongoing efforts to reduce costs through strategic consolidation within its own organization while at the same time providing capacity for growth. The Company is essentially debt-free with substantial borrowing capacity for expected acquisition opportunities and plant expansion needs.

        The Company has two reportable segments summarized below:

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Results of Operations

Revenues and Operating Profit by Segment are as follows (dollars in thousands)

Total Revenues

        Total revenues for fiscal 2008 increased $5.0 million or 4% to $132.5 million from $127.5 million in the prior year. Revenues in the Company's Specialized Manufacturing segment increased $4.0 million or 4% to $113.2 million for the year ended August 31, 2008 compared to $109.2 million for fiscal 2007. The increase in revenues from the Company's Specialized Manufacturing segment in fiscal 2008 is primarily due to increased sales related to the following: (a) the operations acquired by HumiSeal Europe SARL in March 2007 and Chase Protective Coatings Ltd. in September 2007 which combined have accounted for the majority of the $5,546,000 increased revenue from the Company's European Operations; (b) increased sales of $1,578,000 from the Pipeline product line; (c) increased sales of $1,616,000 from the Electronic Coatings product line; and (d) increased sales of $926,000 from a large, nonrecurring construction project that was completed in the fiscal year. These increases were partially offset by the following: (a) decreased sales of $2,477,000 in the Wire & Cable market primarily due to decreased demand for building wire, insulation and identification tapes; (b) decreased sales of $1,549,000 in the Transportation and Packaging & Industrial product lines; and (c) decreased sales of $945,000 in the Construction product line primarily due to the reduction in Rosphalt 50® project sales which experienced record levels in fiscal 2007.

        The Electronic Manufacturing Services segment achieved record revenues in fiscal 2008 which increased $1.0 million or 5% to $19.3 million compared to $18.3 million in fiscal 2007. This increase

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was primarily due to increased order activity from existing customers as well as several new customers added during the current fiscal year. This segment continues to face ongoing pressure as its key customers assess their inventory levels and closely monitor their own customer demands.

        Royalty and commissions in the Specialized Manufacturing segment remained relatively flat at $1.8 million for the years ended August 31, 2008 and 2007.

        Export sales from domestic operations to unaffiliated third parties were $15.8 million, $14.0 million, and $14.1 million for the years ended August 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006, respectively. The increase in export sales in fiscal 2008 was primarily due to strong demand for the Company's HumiSeal product offerings in Asia. The Company does not anticipate any material change to export sales during fiscal 2009.

        Total revenues for fiscal 2007 increased $19.1 million or 18% to $127.5 million from $108.4 million in fiscal 2006. Revenues in the Company's Specialized Manufacturing segment increased $13.8 million or 14% to $109.2 million for the year ended August 31, 2007 compared to $95.4 million for fiscal 2006. The increase in revenues from the Company's Specialized Manufacturing segment in fiscal 2007 was primarily due to increased sales in the following product markets: (a) $7.3 million from Construction products due to increased highway projects including Rosphalt 50® as well as sales from the Capital Services acquisition, (b) $2.9 million from the Company's European operations including $1.6 million related to the establishment of HumiSeal SARL, (c) $2.4 million from Pipeline products, and (d) $1.4 million from Electronic Coatings.

        The Company's Electronic Manufacturing Services segment revenues increased $5.3 million or 41% to $18.3 million for the year ended August 31, 2007 compared to $13.0 million for fiscal 2006. This increase was primarily due to increased order activity from existing customers as well as higher volume due to several new customers added in the latter half of fiscal 2006 that the Company began shipping to in fiscal 2007. Additionally, the softness in the assembly market seen in fiscal 2005 and the early part of fiscal 2006 rebounded contributing to overall demand.

        Royalty and commissions in the Specialized Manufacturing segment increased $510,000 or 40% for the year ended August 31, 2007 compared to fiscal 2006. Of this increase, $370,000 was attributable to increased activity during fiscal 2007 from the Company's Asian licensee.

Cost of Products and Services Sold

        Cost of products and services sold increased $1.8 million or 2% to $89.7 million for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2008 compared to $87.9 million in fiscal 2007. As a percentage of revenues, cost of products and services sold decreased to 68% in fiscal 2008 compared to 69% for fiscal 2007.

        The following table summarizes the relative percentages of revenues for costs of products and services sold for both of the Company's reporting segments:

        Cost of products and services sold in the Company's Specialized Manufacturing segment for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2008 were $73.8 million compared to $72.9 million in fiscal 2007. The dollar value increase in cost of products and services sold in this segment during fiscal 2008 was primarily attributable to increased revenues offset by management's emphasis on leveraging

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the Company's fixed costs and improving manufacturing efficiencies. The decrease in cost of products and services sold as a percentage of revenues in this segment during fiscal 2008 was a direct result of a favorable product mix coupled with continued focus and scrutiny on material purchases that have helped stabilize margins on many of the Company's key product lines.

        Cost of products and services sold in the Company's Electronic Manufacturing Services segment were $15.9 million for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2008 compared to $15.0 million in fiscal 2007. The increase in dollar value of cost of products and services sold in the Company's Electronic Manufacturing segment was a direct result of increased revenues and manufacturing costs in fiscal 2008. As a percentage of revenues, cost of products and services sold in this segment remained flat in fiscal 2008 and 2007. This reflects increasing manufacturing costs and competitive pricing pressures placed on this segment by many of its key customers in fiscal 2008, offset by the Company's ability to leverage its fixed overhead costs on a higher revenue base.

        In fiscal 2007, cost of products and services sold increased $10.3 million or 13% to $87.9 million compared to $77.6 million in the prior fiscal year. Cost of products and services sold in the Company's Specialized Manufacturing segment for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2007 were $72.9 million compared to $66.6 million in fiscal 2006. The dollar value increase in this segment was a direct result of increased revenues during 2007. As a percentage of revenues, cost of products and services sold in this segment decreased in fiscal 2007 as compared to fiscal 2006. In spite of increases and fluctuations in the price of raw materials, some changes in product mix, management's focus on improving manufacturing efficiencies and leveraging the Company's fixed costs coupled with an emphasis on strategic purchases helped maintain solid margins on most of the Company's key product lines.

        Cost of products and services sold in the Company's Electronic Manufacturing Services segment were $15.0 million in fiscal 2007 compared to $11.0 million in fiscal 2006. The dollar value increase in cost of products and services sold was also a direct result of higher revenues during fiscal 2007. The decrease in cost of products and services sold as a percentage of revenues in this segment reflects the Company's ability to leverage its fixed overhead costs on a higher revenue base and offset the increasing raw material costs experienced by this business segment.

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

        Selling, general and administrative expenses increased $1.5 million or 7% to $23.9 million during fiscal 2008 compared to $22.4 million in fiscal 2007. As a percentage of revenues, selling, general and administrative expenses remained flat at 18% for the years ended August 31, 2008 and 2007. The dollar increase in fiscal 2008 relates primarily to increased employee head count due to acquisitions along with rising employee-related benefits, including health care costs, and increased stock based compensation costs of approximately $778,000 related to the Company's long term incentive plan. These cost increases in fiscal 2008 were partially offset by a decrease of approximately $300,000 in costs related to professional services required for compliance with the internal control reporting requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act compared to fiscal 2007 which was the Company's initial year of compliance.

        Selling, general and administrative expenses increased $1.8 million or 9% to $22.4 million during fiscal 2007 compared to $20.6 million in fiscal 2006. As a percentage of revenues, selling, general and administrative expenses were 18% for the year ended August 31, 2007 compared to 19% for the year ended August 31, 2006. The dollar increase in fiscal 2007 included approximately $1 million of additional expenses incurred related to professional services required for compliance with the internal control reporting requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Due to the increased market value of the Company's publicly held common stock, the deadline for complying with the internal control provisions of Sarbanes-Oxley was accelerated as the Company

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became an accelerated filer under SEC regulations beginning with the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2007. The increase in selling, general and administrative expenses was also in part due to increased accrued incentive compensation for the management and employee incentive plan as well as increased sales commissions due to the Company's strong results. These selling, general and administrative expense increases observed during fiscal 2007 were partially offset by a decrease in the non-cash stock based compensation expense of $434,000 to $1,301,000 in fiscal 2007 compared to $1,735,000 in fiscal 2006. The percentage decrease in fiscal 2007 compared to fiscal 2006 can be attributed to the Company's increased revenue base and ongoing efforts to leverage its fixed costs wherever possible.

        Bad debt expense, net of recoveries, decreased $215,000 to $53,000 in fiscal 2008 compared to $268,000 in fiscal 2007 and $167,000 in fiscal 2006. The decrease in fiscal 2008 was a direct result of management's strict adherence to its established credit policies as well as closely monitoring the accounts receivable function and taking a proactive approach to the collections process. The increase in fiscal 2007 relates to a product dispute with a customer in the Company's Specialized Manufacturing segment and financial difficulties for two customers in the Company's Electronic Manufacturing Services segment.

Loss on Impairment of Goodwill

        In fiscal 2007, the Company concluded the carrying amount of goodwill for the NEQP division was not fully recoverable and an impairment charge of $311,000 was recorded as of May 31, 2007. Goodwill related to NEQP, having a pre-impairment book value of $660,000, was written down to its estimated fair value of $349,000. The Company continues to assess the realizability of this asset under appropriate generally accepted accounting principles, including the continued annual impairment test, which is completed each August in conjunction with the Company's fiscal year end.

Interest Expense

        Interest expense was $40,000 in fiscal 2008 compared to $900,000 and $1,018,000 in fiscal 2007 and 2006, respectively. The decrease in interest expense over the past two fiscal years is a direct result of a reduction in the Company's overall debt balances through principal payments from operating cash flow and an overall decrease in interest rates.

Other Income

        Other income increased $236,000 to $477,000 in fiscal 2008 compared to $241,000 and $183,000 in fiscal 2007 and 2006, respectively. Other income includes bank interest earned by the Company's HumiSeal Europe division and monthly rental income of $14,875 on property (building and land) owned by the Company and leased to Sunburst Electronic Manufacturing Solutions, Inc. under a thirty-six month rental agreement commencing on December 1, 2006 and expiring on November 30, 2009. The fiscal year 2008 increase over the prior year periods consists primarily of bank interest and exchange gains earned by the Company's HumiSeal Europe division. The fiscal year 2007 increase in other income consists primarily of a $3,000 increase in monthly rental fees per the new rental agreement and bank interest earned by the Company's HumiSeal Europe division.

Income Taxes

        The effective tax rate for fiscal 2008 was 35.8% compared to 37.0% and 32.0% in fiscal 2007 and 2006, respectively. In all three years, the Company has received the benefit of the domestic production deduction and foreign rate differential. The effective tax rate of 35.8% for fiscal 2008

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compares favorably to the prior year due to an increase in the applicable domestic production deduction for the year. The effective tax rate of 32% in fiscal 2006 reflects a benefit of $635,000. Excluding this tax benefit, the revised effective tax rate in fiscal 2006 would have been approximately 38.0% compared to 35.8% in fiscal year 2008 and 37.0% in fiscal year 2007. This tax benefit was the result of the Company's conclusion in fiscal 2006 that it was more likely than not that the deferred tax asset in the form of capital loss carryforwards totaling $1.7 million would be realized prior to its expiration beginning in fiscal 2009 as a result of the anticipated sale of real property currently owned by the Company. Accordingly, the valuation allowance previously recorded against this deferred tax asset was reversed in the quarter ending November 30, 2005 resulting in a tax benefit of $635,000 which was reflected in the fiscal 2006 results. The gain on the sale of this property will be recorded for both financial reporting and tax purposes in the period in which title is transferred from the Company to the buyer of the property.

Net Income

        Net income in fiscal 2008 increased $2.2 million or 22% to $12.4 million compared to $10.2 million in fiscal 2007. The increase in net income in the current year is primarily due to increased revenue growth in the Company's core product lines coupled with favorable product mix and the Company's ability to leverage its fixed costs and properly manage increasing raw material costs. As discussed previously, fiscal 2007 net income was negatively impacted by higher expenses incurred related to the Company's first year of compliance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the loss on impairment of goodwill from NEQP.

        Net income in fiscal 2007 increased $4.1 million or 67% to $10.2 million compared to $6.1 million in fiscal 2006. The increase in net income in fiscal 2007 was primarily due to increased revenue growth in the Company's core product lines coupled with the Company's ability to leverage its fixed costs. These increases in fiscal 2007 were partially offset by approximately $1 million of expenses incurred related to the Company's first year of compliance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Additionally, fiscal 2006 net income was lower as a result of charges recorded during that year related to the loss on impairment of goodwill from NEQP of $457,000, stock based compensation of $1,735,000 and deferred compensation expense of $814,000 compared to a loss on impairment of goodwill of $311,000 and stock based compensation of $1,301,000 in fiscal 2007.

Liquidity and Sources of Capital

        The Company's cash balance increased $1,473,000 to $3,917,000 at August 31, 2008 from $2,444,000 at August 31, 2007. The increased cash balance at August 31, 2008 was a result of cash flow generated during the year, after a portion was used to repay all outstanding balances on the Company's existing debt. Management continues to review its current cash balances denominated in foreign currency in light of current tax guidelines and potential acquisitions. The cash balances of $2,444,000 and $2,416,000 at August 31, 2007 and 2006, respectively were a result of cash flow generated during the year being held for pending acquisitions which closed subsequent to year end.

        Cash flow provided by operations was $15,546,000 for the year ended August 31, 2008 compared to $14,705,000 in fiscal 2007 and $10,348,000 in fiscal 2006. Cash provided by operations during fiscal 2008 was primarily due to operating income and increased accounts payable offset by purchases of raw materials. Cash provided by operations during fiscal 2007 was primarily due to operating income and decreased inventory balances offset by increased accounts receivable balances. Cash provided by operations during fiscal 2006 was primarily due to operating income offset by increased inventory and accounts receivable balances which were higher due to an increase in sales volume.

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        The ratio of current assets to current liabilities remained flat at 2.3 as of August 31, 2008 and 2007. Increases in the Company's cash balance, accounts receivable and inventory, due to increased demand and overall sales volume, along with a decrease in the current portion of long-term debt were offset by related increases in accounts payable and accrued expenses.

        Cash flow used in investing activities was $5,779,000 for the year ended August 31, 2008 compared to $7,750,000 in fiscal 2007 and $8,752,000 in fiscal 2006. During fiscal 2008, cash flow used in investing activities was primarily due to $1,490,000 paid for the assets acquired by Chase Protective Coatings Ltd., purchases related to the build out of the Company's manufacturing facility in Pittsburgh of approximately $934,000, contingent payments related to recent acquisitions of $1,041,000, and cash paid for purchases of machinery and equipment at the Company's other manufacturing locations. During fiscal 2007, cash flow used in investing activities was primarily due to the acquisition of Capital Services, the acquisition of certain assets from Metronelec SARL, and cash paid for purchases of property, plant and equipment. During fiscal 2006, cash flow used in investing activities was primarily due to purchases of property, plant and equipment and the acquisition of the Concoat business, offset by cash received from the settlement of cash surrender value life insurance policies.

        Cash flow used in financing activities was $7,909,000 for the year ended August 31, 2008 compared to $7,049,000 in fiscal 2007 and $159,000 in fiscal 2006. During fiscal 2008, cash flow used in financing activities reflected the annual dividend payment and the Company's ability to use excess cash generated from operating results to pay off existing long-term debt, including $4,033,000 to pay the total outstanding balances of the term notes used to finance the Company's acquisitions of Concoat Holdings Limited (acquired in October 2005) and Capital Services of New York, Inc. (acquired in September 2006). During fiscal 2007, cash flow used in financing activities was primarily due to the Company's ability to use excess cash generated from operating results to pay off existing long-term debt and the annual dividend payment, partially offset by the excess tax benefit from the exercise of employee stock options. During fiscal 2006, cash flow used in financing activities was primarily due to the new term loan used to fund the Company's acquisition of Concoat, offset by (a) payments made on the term loan and the Company's line of credit arrangement; (b) payments of minimum taxes on stock grants and stock options; and (c) payment of the annual dividend.

        On October 15, 2007, the Company announced a cash dividend of $0.25 per share (totaling $2,068,000) to shareholders of record on October 31, 2007 payable on December 3, 2007.

        On October 14, 2008, the Company announced a cash dividend of $0.35 per share (totaling approximately $2,900,000) to shareholders of record on October 31, 2008 and payable on December 4, 2008.

        The Company continues to have long-term unsecured credit available up to a maximum amount of $10 million at the bank's base lending rate or, at the option of the Company, at the effective 30-Day London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) plus 1.25 percent. As of August 31, 2008, the entire amount of $10 million was available for use under this credit facility. The Company plans to use this availability to help finance its cash needs, including acquisitions, in fiscal 2009 and future periods.

        As of October 31, 2008, the entire amount of $10 million available for use under this credit facility remained available.

        Under the terms of the Company's credit facility, the Company must comply with certain debt covenants related to (a) the ratio of total liabilities to tangible net worth and (b) the ratio of operating cash flow to debt service on a rolling twelve month basis. The Company was in

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compliance with its debt covenants as of August 31, 2008. The credit facility currently has a maturity date of March 31, 2011.

Contractual Obligations

        The following table summarizes the Company's contractual cash obligations at August 31, 2008 and the effect such obligations are expected to have on its liquidity and cash flow in future periods.

(1)

Other Long-Term Liabilities represent the expected payments for the Company's obligations for pension and other post-retirement benefits. See Note 9 "Benefits and Pension Plans" to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further information.

(2)

The Company may be required to make payments related to its unrecognized tax benefits. However, due to the uncertainty of the timing of future cash flows associated with these unrecognized tax benefits, the Company is unable to make reasonably reliable estimates of the period of cash settlement, if any, with the respective taxing authorities. Accordingly, unrecognized tax benefits of $752,000 as of August 31, 2008 have been excluded from the contractual obligations table above. See Note 7 "Income Taxes" to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further information.

        The Company currently has an ongoing capital project that is related to the build out of its new manufacturing facility in greater Pittsburgh, PA. It also plans on adding additional machinery and equipment as needed to increase capacity or to enhance operating efficiencies in its other manufacturing plants. Additionally, the Company may consider the acquisitions of companies or other assets in fiscal 2009 which are complementary to its business. The Company believes that its existing resources, including its primary credit facility, together with cash generated from operations and additional bank borrowings, will be sufficient to fund its cash flow requirements through at least the next twelve months. However, there can be no assurances that additional borrowings will be available at favorable terms, if at all.

        To the extent that interest rates increase in future periods, the Company will assess the impact of these higher interest rates on the financial and cash flow projections of its potential acquisitions.

        The Company does not have any significant off balance sheet arrangements.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

        In July 2006, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Interpretation No. 48, "Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes" ("FIN 48"). FIN 48 provides guidance regarding the recognition and measurement of tax positions and the related reporting and disclosure requirements. The Company adopted FIN 48 during the first quarter of fiscal 2008. See Note 7 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Report.

        In September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS No. 157, "Fair Value Measurements" ("FAS 157"). The provisions of FAS 157 define fair value, establish a framework for measuring fair value in generally accepted accounting principles, and expand disclosures about fair value measurements.

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The provisions of FAS 157 are effective for fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2007. In February 2008, the FASB issued FASB Staff Position 157-2 ("FSP 157-2") which defers the effective date of FAS 157 for non-financial assets and non-financial liabilities, except those that are recognized or disclosed at fair value in the financial statements on a recurring basis (at least annually). FSP 157-2 will apply to fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2008, and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company is currently evaluating the impact the provisions of FAS 157 will have on its consolidated financial statements.

        In September 2006, the FASB ratified Emerging Issues Task Force ("EITF") Issue 06-4, "Accounting for Deferred Compensation and Postretirement Benefit Aspects of Endorsement Split-Dollar Life Insurance Arrangements." In accordance with EITF Issue 06-4, an agreement by the employer to share a portion of the proceeds of a life insurance policy with the employee during the post retirement period is a postretirement benefit arrangement that must be accounted for under FASB Statement No. 106, Employers' Accounting for Postretirement Benefits Other Than Pensions (FAS 106), or APB Opinion No. 12, Omnibus Opinion—1967 (APB 12). EITF Issue 06-4 becomes effective in the first quarter of fiscal 2009 (fiscal year beginning September 1, 2008). The Company is currently evaluating the potential impact EITF Issue 06-4 will have on its consolidated financial statements.

        In February 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 159, "The Fair Value Option for Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities—including an amendment of FAS No. 115", ("FAS 159"). FAS 159 allows measurement at fair value of eligible financial assets and liabilities that are not otherwise measured at fair value. If the fair value option for an eligible item is elected, unrealized gains and losses on that item shall be reported in current earnings at each subsequent reporting date. FAS 159 also establishes presentation and disclosure requirements designed to draw comparison between the different measurements attributes a company elects for similar types of assets and liabilities. FAS 159 is effective for fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2007. The Company is assessing the impact, if any, the adoption of FAS 159 will have on its consolidated financial statements.

        In March 2007, the FASB ratified Emerging Issues Task Force ("EITF") Issue 06-10, "Accounting for the Deferred Compensation and Postretirement Benefits Aspects of Collateral Assignment Split-Dollar Life Insurance Arrangements." In accordance with EITF Issue 06-10, an employer should recognize a liability for the postretirement benefit related to a collateral assignment split-dollar life insurance arrangement in accordance with either FASB Statement No. 106, Employers' Accounting for Postretirement Benefits Other Than Pensions (FAS 106), or APB Opinion 12, Omnibus Opinion—1967 (APB 12). EITF Issue 06-10 becomes effective in the first quarter of fiscal 2009 (fiscal year beginning September 1, 2008). The Company is currently evaluating the potential impact EITF Issue 06-10 will have on its consolidated financial statements.

        In December 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 141 (revised 2007), "Business Combinations" ("FAS 141R"), which replaces FAS 141. FAS 141R establishes principles and requirements for how an acquirer in a business combination recognizes and measures in its financial statements the identifiable assets acquired, the liabilities assumed, and any controlling interest; recognizes and measures the goodwill acquired in the business combination or a gain from a bargain purchase; and determines what information to disclose to enable users of the financial statements to evaluate the nature and financial effects of the business combination. FAS 141R is to be applied prospectively to business combinations for which the acquisition date is on or after an entity's fiscal year that begins after December 15, 2008. Earlier adoption is prohibited. The Company expects that FAS 141R will have an impact on accounting for business combinations once adopted, but the effect is dependent upon acquisitions at that time.

        In December 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 160, Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Financial Statements—an amendment of Accounting Research Bulletin No. 51 ("FAS 160").

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FAS 160 establishes accounting and reporting standards that require the ownership interest in subsidiaries held by parties other than the parent be clearly identified and presented in the consolidated balance sheets within equity, but separate from the parent's equity; the amount of consolidated net income attributable to the parent and the noncontrolling interest be clearly identified and presented on the face of the consolidated statement of earnings; and changes in a parent's ownership interest while the parent retains its controlling financial interest in its subsidiary be accounted for consistently. This statement is effective for fiscal years beginning on or after December 15, 2008. Earlier adoption is prohibited. The Company does not expect the adoption of this standard to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

Critical Accounting Policies, Judgments, and Estimates

        The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") requires companies to provide additional disclosure and commentary on their most critical accounting policies. The SEC has defined the most critical accounting policies as the ones that are most important to the portrayal of a company's financial condition and operating results, and require management to make its most significant estimates and judgments in the preparation of its consolidated financial statements. The Company's critical accounting policies are described below.

Accounts Receivable

        The Company evaluates the collectibility of accounts receivable balances based on a combination of factors. In cases where the Company is aware of circumstances that may impair a specific customer's ability to meet its financial obligations to it, a specific allowance against amounts due to the Company is recorded, and thereby reduces the net recognized receivable to the amount the Company reasonably believes will be collected. For all other customers, the Company recognizes allowances for doubtful accounts based on the length of time the receivables are past due, industry and geographic concentrations, the current business environment and its historical experience. If the financial condition of the Company's customers deteriorates or if economic conditions worsen, additional allowances may be required in the future, which could have an adverse impact on the future operating results of the Company.

Inventories

        The Company values inventory at the lower of cost or market using the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method. Management assesses the recoverability of inventory based on types and levels of inventory held, forecasted demand and changes in technology. These assessments require management judgments and estimates, and valuation adjustments for excess and obsolete inventory may be recorded based on these assessments. The Company estimates excess and obsolescence exposures based upon assumptions about future demand, product transitions, and market conditions and records reserves to reduce inventories to their estimated net realizable value. The failure to accurately forecast demand may lead to additional excess and obsolete inventory and future charges.

Goodwill, Intangible Assets, and Other Long-Lived Assets

        Long-lived assets consist of goodwill, identifiable intangible assets, trademarks, patents and agreements and property, plant, and equipment. Intangible assets and property, plant, and equipment, excluding goodwill, are amortized using the straight-line method over their estimated useful life. The Company reviews long-lived assets and all intangible assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying amount of such assets may not be recoverable. Goodwill is also reviewed at least annually for impairment. Factors which the Company considers important and that could trigger an impairment review include significant

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underperformance relative to expected historical or projected future operating results, and significant negative industry or economic trends. The Company determines whether an impairment has occurred based on gross expected future cash flows, and measures the amount of the impairment based on the related future discounted cash flows. The cash flow estimates used to determine impairment, if any, contain management's best estimates, using appropriate and customary assumptions and projections at the time. (See notes to consolidated financial statements.)

        The estimates of expected cash flows require the Company to make significant judgments regarding future periods that are subject to some factors outside of the Company's control. Changes in these estimates can result in significant revisions to the carrying value of these assets and may result in material charges to the results of operations.

Revenue Recognition

        The Company recognizes revenue when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, performance of its obligation is complete, its price to the buyer is fixed or determinable, and the Company is reasonably assured of collecting. This is typically at the time of shipment. If a loss is anticipated on any contract, a provision for the entire loss is made immediately. Revenue recognition involves judgments and assessments of expected returns, and the likelihood of nonpayment due to insolvent customers. The Company analyzes various factors, including a review of specific customer contracts and shipment terms, historical experience, creditworthiness of customers and current market and economic conditions in determining when to recognize revenue. Changes in judgments on these factors could impact the timing and amount of revenue recognized with a resulting impact on the timing and amount of associated income. Commissions are recognized when earned and payments are received from the manufacturers represented. Royalty revenue is recognized based on licensee production statements received from the authorized manufacturers. Billed shipping and handling fees are recorded as sales revenue with the associated costs recorded as costs of products and services sold.

Contingent Income Tax Liabilities

        The Company is subject to routine income tax audits that occur periodically in the normal course of business. The Company's contingent income tax liabilities are estimated based on the methodology prescribed in FASB Interpretation No. 48, "Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes" ("FIN 48"), which was adopted as of the beginning of fiscal 2008. FIN 48 prescribes a minimum recognition threshold a tax position is required to meet before being recognized in the financial statements. The Company's liabilities related to uncertain tax positions require an assessment of the probability of the income-tax-related exposures and settlements and are influenced by its historical audit experiences with various state and federal taxing authorities as well as by current income tax trends. If circumstances change, the Company may be required to record adjustments that could be material to its reported financial condition and results of operations. See Note 7 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Report for more information on the adoption of FIN 48.

Deferred Income Taxes

        The Company evaluates the need for a valuation allowance to reduce its deferred tax assets to the amount that is more likely than not to be realized. The Company has considered future taxable income and ongoing prudent and feasible tax planning strategies in assessing the need for a valuation allowance. Should the Company determine that it would not be able to realize all or part of its net deferred tax asset in the future, an adjustment to the deferred tax asset would be charged to income in the period such determination was made.

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Pension Benefits

        The Company sponsors a non-contributory defined benefit pension plan covering substantially all employees of certain divisions of the Company. In calculating its retirement plan obligations and related expense, the Company makes various assumptions and estimates. These assumptions include discount rates, benefits earned, expected return on plan assets, mortality rates, and other factors. While management believes that the assumptions used are appropriate, differences in actual experience or changes in assumptions may affect the Company's pension obligations and future expense.

Impact of Inflation

        Inflation has not had a significant long-term impact on earnings. In the event of significant inflation, the Company's efforts to recover cost increases would be hampered as a result of the competitive nature of the industries in which it operates.

Forward-Looking Information

        From time to time, the Company may publish, verbally or in written form, forward-looking statements relating to such matters as anticipated financial performance, business prospects, technological developments, new products, research and development activities and similar matters. In fact, this Form 10-K (or any other periodic reporting documents required by the 1934 Act) may contain forward-looking statements reflecting the current views of the Company concerning potential or anticipated future events or developments. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Act") provides a "safe harbor" for forward-looking statements. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements made by the Company are not guarantees of future performance and that a variety of factors could cause the Company's actual results and experience to differ materially from the anticipated results or other expectations expressed in the Company's forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties which may affect the operations, performance, development and results of the Company's business include, but are not limited to, the following: uncertainties relating to economic conditions; uncertainties relating to customer plans and commitments; the pricing and availability of equipment, materials and inventories; the impact of acquisitions on the Company's business and results of operations; technological developments; performance issues with suppliers and subcontractors; the ability of the Company to renew its existing credit facilities or to obtain new or additional financing as needed; economic growth; delays in testing of new products; rapid technology changes and the highly competitive environment in which the Company operates. These risks and uncertainties also include those risks outlined under Item 1A (Risk Factors) of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date the statement was made.

ITEM 7A—QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

        The Company limits the amount of credit exposure to any one issuer. At August 31, 2008, other than the Company's restricted investments (which are restricted for use in a non-qualified retirement savings plan for certain key employees and members of the Board of Directors), all of the Company's funds were either in demand deposit accounts or investment instruments that meet high credit quality standards such as money market funds, government securities, or commercial paper.

        The Company's domestic operations have limited currency exposure since substantially all invoices are denominated in U.S. dollars. However, the Company's European operations are subject to currency exchange fluctuations. The Company continues to review its policies and procedures to reduce this exposure while maintaining the benefit from these operations and sales to other

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European customers. Historically, the Company has maintained minimal cash balances outside the U.S. As of August 31, 2008, the Company had cash balances in the United Kingdom for its HumiSeal Europe Ltd and Chase Protective Coatings divisions denominated primarily in pounds sterling and equal to US $1,109,000 and cash balances in France for its HumiSeal Europe SARL division denominated primarily in euros and equal to US $533,000. Management will continue to review its current cash balances denominated in foreign currency in light of current tax guidelines and potential acquisitions.

        The Company incurred a foreign currency translation loss, net of tax for the year ended August 31, 2008 in the amount of $1,357,000 related to its European operations which is recorded in other comprehensive income (loss) within the Company's Statement of Stockholders' Equity. The Company does not have or utilize any derivative financial instruments.

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ITEM 8—FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

        The following Consolidated Financial Statements of Chase Corporation are filed as part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K:

        Index to Consolidated Financial Statements:

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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Board of Directors and Shareholders of Chase Corporation:

        In our opinion, the accompanying consolidated balance sheets and the related consolidated statements of operations, stockholders' equity and cash flows present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Chase Corporation and its subsidiaries at August 31, 2008 and 2007, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended August 31, 2008 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Also in our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of August 31, 2008, based on criteria established in Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). The Company's management is responsible for these financial statements, for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in Item 9A, "Management's Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting." Our responsibility is to express opinions on these financial statements and on the Company's internal control over financial reporting based on our audits (which were integrated audits in 2008 and 2007). We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement and whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audits of the financial statements included examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, and evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. Our audit of internal control over financial reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audits also included performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions.

        As discussed in Note 7 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company changed the manner in which it accounts for uncertain tax positions effective August 31, 2008. In addition, as discussed in Note 9 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company changed the manner in which it accounts for its defined benefit pension plans effective August 31, 2007.

        A company's internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company's internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company's assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

        Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Boston, MA
November 13, 2008

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CHASE CORPORATION

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.

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CHASE CORPORATION

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.

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CHASE CORPORATION

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY