Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3)

Registration File No. 333-170390

 

Subject to Completion, dated February 23, 2011

Preliminary Prospectus Supplement to Prospectus dated November 22, 2010

 

4,500,000 Common Units

 

Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P.

 

Representing Limited Partner Interests

 

 

 

 

Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P. is offering 4,500,000 common units representing limited partner interests.

 

The common units are traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “CLMT.” The last reported sale price of the common units on February 22, 2011 was $23.02 per common unit.

 

See “Risk Factors” on page S-11 of this prospectus supplement and page 5 of the accompanying prospectus to read about factors you should consider before buying the common units.

 

 

 

 

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

 

 

 

To the extent that the underwriters sell more than 4,500,000 common units, the underwriters have a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 675,000 common units from Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P. at the initial price to the public less the underwriting discount.

 

 

 

 

The underwriters expect to deliver the common units against payment in New York, New York on February   , 2011.

 

 

Credit Suisse

 

 

 

 

 

Prospectus Supplement dated February   , 2011.

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Prospectus Supplement

 

 

 

 

 

This document is in two parts. The first part is the prospectus supplement, which describes the specific terms of this offering of common units. The second part is the accompanying prospectus, which gives more general information, some of which may not apply to the common units. Generally, when we refer only to the “prospectus”, we are referring to both the prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus combined. If the information relating to the offering varies between the prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, you should rely on the information in this prospectus supplement.

 

Any statement made in this prospectus or in a document incorporated by reference into this prospectus will be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus or in any other subsequently filed document that is also incorporated by reference into this prospectus modifies or supersedes that statement. Any statement so modified or superseded will not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus. Please read “Incorporation of Documents by Reference” on page S-21 of this prospectus supplement.

 

You should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus or any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us relating to this offering of common units. We have not, and the underwriters have not, authorized anyone to provide you with additional or different

information. If anyone provides you with additional, different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We are not, and the underwriters are not, making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where an offer or sale is not permitted. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or any free writing prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the dates on the front of these documents or that any information we have incorporated by reference is accurate as of any date other than the date of the document incorporated by reference. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since such dates.

 

Please read “Forward-Looking Statements” on page S-23 of this prospectus supplement.

 

SUMMARY

	•	Princeton Refinery.  Our Princeton refinery, located in northwest Louisiana and acquired in 1990, produces specialty lubricating oils, including process oils, base oils, transformer oils and refrigeration oils that are used in a variety of industrial and automotive applications. The Princeton refinery has aggregate crude oil throughput capacity of approximately 10,000 barrels per day (bpd) and had average daily crude oil throughput of approximately 6,100 bpd in 2010.
	•	Cotton Valley Refinery.  Our Cotton Valley refinery, located in northwest Louisiana and acquired in 1995, produces specialty solvents that are used principally in the manufacture of paints, cleaners, automotive products and drilling fluids. The Cotton Valley refinery has aggregate crude oil throughput capacity of approximately 13,500 bpd and had average daily crude oil throughput of approximately 5,500 bpd in 2010.
	•	Shreveport Refinery.  Our Shreveport refinery, located in northwest Louisiana and acquired in 2001, produces specialty lubricating oils and waxes, as well as fuel products such as gasoline, diesel and jet fuel. The Shreveport refinery has aggregate crude oil throughput

		capacity of approximately 60,000 bpd and had an average daily crude oil throughput of approximately 36,000 bpd in 2010.

	•	Karns City Facility.  Our Karns City facility, located in western Pennsylvania and acquired in 2008, produces white mineral oils, petrolatums, solvents, gelled hydrocarbons, cable fillers, and natural petroleum sulfonates. The Karns City facility has aggregate feedstock throughput capacity of approximately 5,500 bpd.
	•	Dickinson Facility.  Our Dickinson facility, located in southeastern Texas and acquired in 2008, produces white mineral oils, compressor lubricants and natural petroleum sulfonates. The Dickinson facility currently has aggregate feedstock throughput capacity of approximately 1,300 bpd.
	•	Distribution and Logistics Assets.  We own and operate a terminal in Burnham, Illinois with a storage capacity of approximately 150,000 barrels that facilitates the distribution of products in the Upper Midwest and East Coast regions of the United States and in Canada. In addition, we use approximately 1,850 leased railcars to receive crude oil or distribute our products throughout the United States and Canada. We also have approximately 6.0 million barrels of aggregate storage capacity at our facilities and leased storage locations.
	•	LyondellBasell Agreements.  In November 2009, we entered into agreements with Houston Refining LP, a wholly-owned subsidiary of LyondellBasell (“Houston Refining”), to form a long-term specialty products affiliation. The initial term of the agreements expires on October 31, 2014, after which it is automatically extended for additional one-year terms until either party terminates with 24 months notice. Under the terms of the agreements, (i) we are required to purchase at least a minimum volume of 3,100 bpd of naphthenic lubricating oils produced at Houston Refining’s Houston, Texas refinery, and we have a right of first refusal to purchase any additional naphthenic lubricating oils produced at the refinery, and (ii) Houston Refining is required to process a minimum of 800 bpd of white mineral oil for us at its Houston, Texas refinery, which supplements the white mineral oil production at our Karns City and Dickinson facilities. LyondellBasell also granted us rights to use certain registered trademarks and tradenames, including Tufflo, Duoprime, Duotreat, Crystex, Ideal and Aquamarine.

	•	Concentrate on Stable Cash Flows.  We intend to continue to focus on businesses and assets that generate stable cash flows. Approximately 64.3% of our sales and 94.3% of our gross profit for 2010 were generated by the sale of specialty products, a segment of our business that is characterized by stable customer relationships due to our customers’ requirements for the highly specialized products that we provide. In addition, we manage our exposure to crude oil price fluctuations in this segment by passing on incremental feedstock costs to our specialty products customers and by maintaining a shorter-term crude oil hedging program. In our fuel products segment, which accounted for 35.7% of our sales and 5.7% of our gross profit in 2010, we seek to mitigate our exposure to fuel products margin volatility by maintaining a longer-term fuel products hedging program. In 2010, we realized $11.0 million in gains from this program. In summary, we believe the diversity of our products, our broad customer base and our hedging activities help contribute to the stability of our cash flows.
	•	Develop and Expand Our Customer Relationships.  Due to the specialized nature of, and the long lead-time associated with, the development and production of many of our specialty products, our customers are incentivized to continue their relationships with us. We believe that our larger competitors do not work with customers as we do from product design to delivery for smaller volume specialty products like ours. We intend to continue to assist our existing

		customers in their efforts to expand their product offerings as well as marketing specialty product formulations to new customers. By striving to maintain our long-term relationships with our broad base of existing customers and by adding new customers, we seek to limit our dependence on any one portion of our customer base.

	•	Enhance Profitability of Our Existing Assets.  We continue to evaluate opportunities to improve our existing asset base to increase our throughput, profitability and cash flows. Following each of our asset acquisitions, we have undertaken projects designed to maximize the profitability of our acquired assets. We intend to further increase the profitability of our existing asset base through various measures which may include changing the product mix of our processing units, debottlenecking and expanding units as necessary to increase throughput, restarting idle assets and reducing costs by improving operations. For example, in late 2004 at the Shreveport refinery we recommissioned certain of its previously idled fuels production units, refurbished existing fuels production units, converted existing units to improve gasoline blending profitability and expanded capacity to approximately 42,000 bpd to increase lubricating oil and fuels production. Also, in December 2006 we commenced construction of an expansion project at our Shreveport refinery that was completed and operational in May 2008, to increase its aggregate crude oil throughput capacity from 42,000 bpd to approximately 60,000 bpd. In 2009 and 2010, we focused on optimizing current operations through energy savings initiatives, product quality enhancements, and product yield improvements. We intend to continue this approach with our existing assets in 2011.
	•	Pursue Strategic and Complementary Acquisitions.  Since 1990, our management team has demonstrated the ability to identify opportunities to acquire assets and product lines where we can enhance operations and improve profitability. In the future, we intend to continue to consider strategic acquisitions of assets or agreements with third parties that offer the opportunity for operational efficiencies, the potential for increased utilization and expansion of facilities, or the expansion of product offerings in our specialty products segment. In addition, we may pursue selected acquisitions in new geographic or product areas to the extent we perceive similar opportunities. For example, in 2008, we acquired Penreco from ConocoPhillips Company and M.E. Zukerman Specialty Oil Corporation, and, in 2009, we entered into sales and processing agreements with Houston Refining related to naphthenic lubricating and white mineral oils.

	•	We Offer Our Customers a Diverse Range of Specialty Products.  We offer a wide range of over 1,000 specialty products. We believe that our ability to provide our customers with a more diverse selection of products than our competitors generally gives us an advantage in competing for new business. We believe that we are the only specialty products manufacturer that produces all four of naphthenic lubricating oils, paraffinic lubricating oils, waxes and solvents. A contributing factor in our ability to produce numerous specialty products is our ability to ship products between our facilities for product upgrading in order to meet customer specifications.
	•	We Have Strong Relationships with a Broad Customer Base.  We have long-term relationships with many of our customers, and we believe that we will continue to benefit from these relationships. Our customer base includes over 2,600 active accounts and we are continually seeking new customers. No single specialty products customer accounted for more than 10% of our consolidated sales in each of the three years ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008.
	•	Our Facilities Have Advanced Technology.  Our facilities are equipped with advanced, flexible technology that allows us to produce high-grade specialty products and to produce fuel

		products that comply with low sulfur fuel regulations. For example, our Shreveport and Cotton Valley refineries have the capability to make ultra low sulfur diesel and all of the Shreveport refinery’s gasoline production meets federally mandated low sulfur standards and newly implemented Mobile Source Air Toxic Rule II standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requiring the reduction of benzene levels in gasoline and effective January 1, 2011. Also, unlike larger refineries, which lack some of the equipment necessary to achieve the narrow distillation ranges associated with the production of specialty products, our operations are capable of producing a wide range of products tailored to our customers’ needs.

	•	We Have an Experienced Management Team.  Our management has a proven track record of enhancing value through the acquisition, exploitation and integration of refining assets and the development and marketing of specialty products. Our senior management team, the majority of who have been working together since 1990, has an average of approximately 25 years of industry experience. Our team’s extensive experience and contacts within the refining industry provide a strong foundation and focus for managing and enhancing our operations, accessing strategic acquisition opportunities and constructing and enhancing the profitability of new assets.

Common units offered		4,500,000 common units.
		5,175,000 common units, if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional common units in full.
Common Units outstanding after this offering		39,779,778 common units, representing a 98.0% limited partner interest in us.
		40,454,778 common units, representing a 98.0% limited partner interest in us, if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional common units in full.
Use of proceeds		We expect to use the net proceeds from this offering of approximately $      million, including our general partner’s proportionate capital contribution and after deducting underwriting discounts and estimated offering expenses, to repay borrowings outstanding under our revolving credit facility. Additional net proceeds, if any, will be used for general partnership purposes, including working capital, capital expenditures and acquisitions.
		If the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional common units, we expect to use the additional net proceeds to repay any additional borrowings outstanding under our revolving credit facility or for general partnership purposes, including working capital, capital expenditures and acquisitions.
		Please read “Use of Proceeds” on page S-12.
Cash distributions		We paid a quarterly cash distribution of $0.47 per unit for the fourth quarter of 2010, or $1.88 per unit on an annualized basis, on February 14, 2011.
		Within 45 days after the end of each quarter, we distribute our available cash to unitholders of record on the applicable record date.
		In general, we will pay any cash distributions we make each quarter in the following manner:
		• first, 98.0% to the holders of common units, pro rata, and 2.0% to our general partner, until each common unit has received a minimum quarterly distribution of $0.45; and
		• second, 98.0% to the holders of common units, pro rata, and 2.0% to our general partner, until each common unit has received a target distribution of $0.495.
		If cash distributions to our unitholders exceed $0.495 per common unit in any quarter, our general partner will receive a higher percentage of the cash we distribute in excess of that amount, in increasing percentages up to 50%. We refer to the amount of these distributions in excess of the 2.0% general partner interest as “incentive distributions.”

		We must distribute all of our cash on hand at the end of each quarter, less reserves established by our general partner. We refer to this cash as “available cash”, and we define its meaning in our partnership agreement. The amount of available cash may be greater than or less than the minimum quarterly distribution to be distributed on all units. Please read “Our Cash Distribution Policy and Restrictions on Distributions” in the accompanying prospectus.
Issuance of additional common units		We can issue an unlimited number of common units without the consent of our unitholders. Please read “Description of the Common Units — Issuance of Additional Securities” in the accompanying prospectus.
Voting rights		Our general partner manages and operates us. Unlike the holders of common stock in a corporation, you will have only limited voting rights on matters affecting our business. You will have no right to elect our general partner or its directors on an annual or other continuing basis. Our general partner may not be removed except by a vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of the outstanding units, including any units owned by our general partner and its affiliates, voting together as a single class. Upon consummation of this offering, the owners of our general partner and certain of their affiliates will own an aggregate of 48.4% of our common units. Please read “The Partnership Agreement — Voting Rights” in the accompanying prospectus.
Limited call right		If at any time our general partner and its affiliates own more than 80% of the outstanding common units, our general partner has the right, but not the obligation, to purchase all of the remaining common units at a price not less than the then-current market price of the common units.
Estimated ratio of taxable income to distributions		We estimate that if you own the common units you purchase in this offering through the record date for distributions for the period ending December 31, 2013, you will be allocated, on a cumulative basis, a net amount of federal taxable income for that period that will be approximately 25% of the cash distributed to you with respect to that period. For example, if you receive an annual distribution of $1.88 per unit, we estimate that your average allocable federal taxable income per year will be approximately $0.47 per unit. Please read “Tax Considerations” in this prospectus supplement.
Material tax consequences		For a discussion of other material federal income tax consequences that may be relevant to prospective unitholders who are individual citizens or residents of the United States, please read “Tax Considerations” in this prospectus supplement and “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences” in the accompanying prospectus.
Trading		Our common units are traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “CLMT”.

	•	the financial performance of our assets without regard to financing methods, capital structure or historical cost basis;
	•	the ability of our assets to generate cash sufficient to pay interest costs and support our indebtedness;
	•	our operating performance and return on capital as compared to those of other companies in our industry, without regard to financing or capital structure; and
	•	the viability of acquisitions and capital expenditure projects and the overall rates of return on alternative investment opportunities.

		Year Ended
		December 31,
		2010				2009
		(In millions)
Reconciliation of Net Income to EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and Distributable Cash Flow:
Net income		$	16.7			$	61.8
Add:
Interest expense			30.5				33.6
Depreciation and amortization			61.2				62.1
Income tax expense			0.6				0.1
EBITDA (1)		$	109.0			$	157.6
Add:
Unrealized (gain) loss from mark to market accounting for hedging activities		$	18.8			$	(14.5	)
Prepaid non-recurring expenses and accrued non-recurring expenses, net of cash outlays			2.5				2.9
Adjusted EBITDA (1)		$	130.4			$	146.0
Less:
Replacement capital expenditures (2)			(24.3	)			(13.8	)
Cash interest expense (3)			(26.4	)			(30.3	)
Income tax expense			(0.6	)			(0.1	)
Distributable Cash Flow (1)		$	79.0			$	101.7

(1)		The sum of the line items may not equal the subtotal or total of the line items shown in this table due to rounding.
(2)		Replacement capital expenditures are defined as those capital expenditures which do not increase operating capacity or reduce operating costs.
(3)		Represents cash interest paid by the Partnership, excluding capitalized interest.

		Year Ended
		December 31,
		2010				2009
		(In millions)
Reconciliation of Distributable Cash Flow, Adjusted EBITDA and EBITDA to net cash provided by operating activities:
Distributable Cash Flow		$	79.0			$	101.7
Add:
Replacement capital expenditures (1)			24.3				13.8
Cash interest expense (2)			26.4				30.3
Income tax expense			0.6				0.1
Adjusted EBITDA (3)		$	130.4			$	146.0
Less:
Unrealized (gain) loss from mark to market accounting for hedging activities		$	18.8			$	(14.5	)
Prepaid non-recurring expenses and accrued non-recurring expenses, net of cash outlays			2.5				2.9
EBITDA (3)		$	109.0			$	157.6
Add:
Interest expense			(26.6	)			(29.9	)
Unrealized (gain) loss on derivative instruments			15.8				(23.7	)
Income taxes			(0.6	)			(0.1	)
Provision for doubtful accounts			0.1				(0.9	)
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable			(35.3	)			(12.3	)
Inventory			(9.9	)			(18.7	)
Other current assets			4.7				(2.8	)
Derivative activity			3.0				8.5
Accounts payable			64.7				16.0
Other liabilities			11.9				(0.9	)
Other, including changes in noncurrent assets and liabilities			(2.7	)			8.3
Net cash provided by operating activities (3)		$	134.1			$	100.9

(1)		Replacement capital expenditures are defined as those capital expenditures which do not increase operating capacity or reduce operating costs.
(2)		Represents cash interest paid by the Partnership, excluding capitalized interest.
(3)		The sum of the line items may not equal the subtotal or total of the line items shown in this table due to rounding.

 

An investment in our common units involves risk. Limited partner interests are inherently different from capital stock of a corporation, although many of the business risks to which we are subject are similar to those that would be faced by a corporation engaged in a similar business. You should carefully read the risk factors included under the caption “Risk Factors” on page 5 of the accompanying prospectus and the risk factors described under “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010, together with all of the other information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement. If any of these risks were to occur, our business, financial condition, results of operations or prospects could be materially adversely affected. In such case, the trading price of our common units could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment.

 

We expect to use the net proceeds from this offering of approximately $           million, including our general partner’s proportionate capital contribution and after deducting underwriting discounts and estimated offering expenses, to repay borrowings outstanding under our revolving credit facility. Additional net proceeds, if any, will be used for general partnership purposes, including working capital, capital expenditures and acquisitions.

 

If the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional common units, we expect to use the additional net proceeds to repay any additional borrowings outstanding under our revolving credit facility or for general partnership purposes, including working capital, capital expenditures and acquisitions.

 

As of February 22, 2011, we had approximately $105.6 million of borrowings outstanding under our revolving credit facility, which were used primarily to fund capital expenditures, working capital requirements and debt service costs. As of February 22, 2011, borrowings under our revolving credit facility had a weighted average interest rate of approximately 3.75%. Our revolving credit facility matures on January 3, 2013.

 

The following table shows, as of December 31, 2010:

 

 

We derived this table from, and it should be read in conjunction with and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, the historical consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010. You should read this table in conjunction with the “Use of Proceeds” portion of this prospectus supplement and our financial statements and notes that are incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.

 

 

 

Our common units are traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “CLMT.” As of February 22, 2011, we had 35,279,778 common units outstanding and there were approximately 23 holders of record of our common units.

 

The following table shows the low and high sales prices per common unit, as reported by the NASDAQ Global Select Market, for the periods indicated. Cash distributions presented below represent amounts declared subsequent to each respective quarter end based on the results of that quarter. For all periods, an identical cash distribution was paid on all outstanding common and subordinated units with the minimum quarterly distribution being met for all periods. On February 16, 2011, all of our subordinated units automatically converted to common units on a one-for-one basis. The last reported sales price of the common units on the NASDAQ Global Select Market on February 22, 2011, was $23.02.

 

 

 

The tax consequences to you of an investment in our common units will depend in part on your own tax circumstances. Although this section updates information related to certain tax considerations, it should be read in conjunction with “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences” in the accompanying prospectus discussing the principal federal income tax considerations associated with our operations and the purchase, ownership and disposition of our common units and “Tax Risks to Common Unitholders” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010. You are urged to consult with your own tax advisor about the federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences peculiar to your circumstances.

 

Ratio of Taxable Income to Distributions

 

We estimate that if you purchase common units in this offering and own them through the record date for the distribution for the period ending December 31, 2013, then you will be allocated, on a cumulative basis, a net amount of federal taxable income for that period that will be approximately 25% of the cash distributed to you with respect to that period. These estimates are based upon the assumption that our available cash for distribution will be sufficient for us to make quarterly distributions of $0.47 per unit to the holders of our common units, and other assumptions with respect to capital expenditures, cash flow and anticipated cash distributions. These estimates and assumptions are subject to, among other things, numerous business, economic, regulatory, competitive and political uncertainties beyond our control. Further, the estimates are based on current tax law and certain tax reporting positions that we have adopted with which the Internal Revenue Service could disagree. Accordingly, we cannot assure you that the estimates will correspond with actual results. The actual ratio of taxable income to distributions could be higher or lower, and any differences could be material and could materially affect the value of the common units. For example, the ratio of taxable income to distributions to a purchaser of common units in this offering will be higher, and perhaps substantially higher, than our estimate with respect to the period described above if:

 

 

See “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences — Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership” in the accompanying prospectus.

 

Tax Rates

 

Under current law, the highest marginal U.S. federal income tax rate applicable to ordinary income of individuals is 35% and the highest marginal U.S. federal income tax rate applicable to long-term capital gains (generally, capital gains on certain assets held for more than one year) of individuals is 15%. However, absent new legislation extending the current rates, beginning January 1, 2013, the highest marginal U.S. federal income tax rate applicable to ordinary income and long-term capital gains of individuals will increase to 39.6% and 20%, respectively. Moreover, these rates are subject to change by new legislation at any time.

 

Tax-Exempt Organizations and Other Investors

 

Ownership of common units by tax-exempt entities, regulated investment companies and non-U.S. investors raises issues unique to such persons. Please read “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences — Tax-Exempt Organizations and Other Investors” in the accompanying prospectus.

 

We and the underwriters named below have entered into an underwriting agreement with respect to the common units being offered. Subject to certain conditions, each underwriter has severally agreed to purchase the number of common units indicated in the following table. Goldman, Sachs & Co., Barclays Capital Inc. and Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. are the representatives of the underwriters and joint book-running managers of this offering.

 

 

The underwriters are committed to take and pay for all of the common units being offered, if any are taken, other than the common units covered by the option described below unless and until this option is exercised.

 

If the underwriters sell more common units than the total number set forth in the table above, the underwriters have an option to buy up to an additional 675,000 common units from us. They may exercise that option for 30 days. If any common units are purchased pursuant to this option, the underwriters will severally purchase common units in approximately the same proportion as set forth in the table above.

 

The following table shows the per common unit and total underwriting discounts to be paid to the underwriters by us. Such amounts are shown assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase 675,000 additional common units.

 

Paid by the Partnership

 

 

Common units sold by the underwriters to the public will initially be offered at the initial offering price set forth on the cover of this prospectus supplement. Any common units sold by the underwriters to securities dealers may be sold at a discount of up to $      per common unit from the initial offering price. If all the common units are not sold at the initial offering price, the representatives may change the offering price and the other selling terms. The offering of the common units by the underwriters is subject to receipt and acceptance and subject to the underwriters’ right to reject any order in whole or in part.

 

We, Fred M. Fehsenfeld, Jr. and certain related trusts, F. William Grube and certain related trusts, The Heritage Group, our general partner and the directors and executive officers of our general partner, have agreed with the underwriters, subject to certain exceptions, not to offer, sell, hedge, contract to sell, pledge, grant an option to purchase, make any short sale or otherwise dispose of any of their common units or securities convertible into or exchangeable for common units during the period from the date of this prospectus continuing through the date 60 days after the date of this prospectus, except with the prior written consent of Goldman, Sachs & Co. or pursuant to our long-term incentive plan.

 

Our common units are traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “CLMT”.

In connection with the offering, the underwriters may engage in passive market making transactions in the common units on the NASDAQ Global Select Market in accordance with Rule 103 of Regulation M under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the period before the commencement of offers or sales of common units and extending through the completion of distribution. A passive market maker must display its bids at a price not in excess of the highest independent bid of the security. However, if all independent bids are lowered below the passive market maker’s bid that bid must be lowered when specified purchase limits are exceeded.

 

In connection with the offering, the underwriters may purchase and sell common units in the open market. These transactions may include short sales, stabilizing transactions and purchases to cover positions created by short sales. Short sales involve the sale by the underwriters of a greater number of common units than they are required to purchase in the offering. “Covered” short sales are sales made in an amount not greater than the underwriters’ option to purchase additional common units from us in the offering. The underwriters may close out any covered short position by either exercising their option to purchase additional common units or purchasing common units in the open market. In determining the source of common units to close out the covered short position, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of common units available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase additional common units pursuant to the option granted to them. “Naked” short sales are any sales in excess of such option. The underwriters must close out any naked short position by purchasing common units in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of the common units in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in the offering. Stabilizing transactions consist of various bids for or purchases of common units made by the underwriters in the open market prior to the completion of the offering.

 

The underwriters may also impose a penalty bid. This occurs when a particular underwriter repays to the underwriters a portion of the underwriting discount received by it because the underwriters have repurchased common units sold by or for the account of such underwriter in stabilizing or short covering transactions.

 

Purchases to cover a short position and stabilizing transactions may have the effect of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the common units, and, together with the imposition of the penalty bid, may stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market price of the common units. As a result, the price of the common units may be higher than the price that otherwise might exist in the open market. If these activities are commenced, they may be discontinued at any time. These transactions may be effected on the NASDAQ Global Select Market, in the over-the-counter market or otherwise.

 

Because the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. views the common units offered under this prospectus as interests in a direct participation program, the offering is being made in compliance with Rule 2310 of FINRA Rules. Investor suitability with respect to the common units should be judged similarly to the suitability with respect to other securities that are listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market or another national securities exchange.

 

A prospectus in electronic format may be made available on the website maintained by the representatives and may also be made available on websites maintained by other underwriters. The representatives may agree to allocate a number of common units to underwriters for sale to their online brokerage account holders. Internet distributions will be allocated by the representative to underwriters that may make Internet distributions on the same basis as other allocations.

 

We estimate that the total expenses of the offering, excluding underwriting discounts and commissions, will be approximately $0.5 million.

 

We and our general partner have agreed to indemnify the several underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

The underwriters and their respective affiliates are full service financial institutions engaged in various activities, which may include securities trading, commercial and investment banking, financial advisory, investment management, investment research, principal investment, hedging, financing and brokerage activities. Certain of the underwriters and their respective affiliates have, from time to time, performed, and may in the future perform, various financial advisory and investment banking services for us, for which they received or will receive customary fees and expenses. We have entered into, in the ordinary course of business, certain platinum and palladium leases with an affiliate of Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. An affiliate of Goldman, Sachs & Co. is a counterparty to various outstanding derivative instruments we have entered into in the ordinary course of business in connection with our purchases of crude oil and sales of finished fuel products, including gasoline, diesel and jet fuel crack spread hedges. We may enter into similar arrangements with affiliates of Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. or Goldman, Sachs & Co. in the future.

 

In the ordinary course of their various business activities, the underwriters and their respective affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers and such investment and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments of the issuer. The underwriters and their respective affiliates may also make investment recommendations and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or instruments and may at any time hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in such securities and instruments.

 

Notice to Prospective Investors in the EEA

 

In relation to each member state of the European Economic Area that has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a relevant member state), with effect from and including the date on which the Prospectus Directive is implemented in that relevant member state (the relevant implementation date), an offer of securities described in this prospectus may not be made to the public in that relevant member state other than:

 

 

provided that no such offer of securities shall require us or any underwriter to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive.

 

For purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer of securities to the public” in any relevant member state means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the securities to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for the securities, as the expression may be varied in that member state by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that member state, and the expression “Prospectus Directive” means Directive 2003/71/EC (and amendments thereto, including the 2010 PD Amending Directive, to the extent implemented in the Relevant Member State), and includes any relevant implementing measure in the Relevant Member State, and includes any relevant implementing measure in each relevant member state. The expression 2010 PD Amending Directive means Directive 2010/73/EU.

 

We have not authorized and do not authorize the making of any offer of securities through any financial intermediary on their behalf, other than offers made by the underwriters with a view to the final placement of the securities as contemplated in this prospectus. Accordingly, no purchaser of the

securities, other than the underwriters, is authorized to make any further offer of the securities on behalf of us or the underwriters.

 

Notice to Prospective Investors in the United Kingdom.

 

Our partnership may constitute a “collective investment scheme” as defined by section 235 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (“FSMA”) that is not a “recognized collective investment scheme” for the purposes of FSMA (“CIS”) and that has not been authorized or otherwise approved. As an unregulated scheme, it cannot be marketed in the United Kingdom to the general public, except in accordance with FSMA. This prospectus is only being distributed in the United Kingdom to, and is only directed at:

 

(1) if our partnership is a CIS and is marketed by a person who is an authorized person under FSMA, (a) investment professionals falling within Article 14(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Promotion of Collective Investment Schemes) Order 2001, as amended (the “CIS Promotion Order”) or (b) high net worth companies and other persons falling with Article 22(2)(a) to (d) of the CIS Promotion Order; or

 

(2) otherwise, if marketed by a person who is not an authorized person under FSMA, (a) persons who fall within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the “Financial Promotion Order”) or (b) Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Financial Promotion Order; and

 

(3) in both cases (1) and (2) to any other person to whom it may otherwise lawfully be made, (all such persons together being referred to as “relevant persons”). Our partnership’s common units are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such common units will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents.

 

An invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of FSMA) in connection with the issue or sale of any common units which are the subject of the offering contemplated by this prospectus will only be communicated or caused to be communicated in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of FSMA does not apply to our partnership.

 

Notice to Prospective Investors in Switzerland

 

This prospectus is being communicated in Switzerland to a small number of selected investors only. Each copy of this prospectus is addressed to a specifically named recipient and may not be copied, reproduced, distributed or passed on to third parties. Our common units are not being offered to the public in Switzerland, and neither this prospectus, nor any other offering materials relating to our common units may be distributed in connection with any such public offering. We have not been registered with the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA as a foreign collective investment scheme pursuant to Article 120 of the Collective Investment Schemes Act of June 23, 2006 (“CISA”). Accordingly, our common units may not be offered to the public in or from Switzerland, and neither this prospectus, nor any other offering materials relating to our common units may be made available through a public offering in or from Switzerland. Our common units may only be offered and this prospectus may only be distributed in or from Switzerland by way of private placement exclusively to qualified investors (as this term is defined in the CISA and its implementing ordinance).

 

Notice to Prospective Investors in Germany

 

This document has not been prepared in accordance with the requirements for a securities or sales prospectus under the German Securities Prospectus Act (Wertpapierprospektgesetz), the German Sales Prospectus Act (Verkaufsprospektgesetz), or the German Investment Act (Investmentgesetz). Neither the German Federal Financial Services Supervisory Authority (Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht — BaFin) nor any other German authority has been notified of the

intention to distribute our common units in Germany. Consequently, our common units may not be distributed in Germany by way of public offering, public advertisement or in any similar manner and this document and any other document relating to the offering, as well as information or statements contained therein, may not be supplied to the public in Germany or used in connection with any offer for subscription of our common units to the public in Germany or any other means of public marketing. Our common units are being offered and sold in Germany only to qualified investors which are referred to in Section 3, paragraph 2 no. 1, in connection with Section 2, no. 6, of the German Securities Prospectus Act, Section 8f paragraph 2 no. 4 of the German Sales Prospectus Act, and in Section 2 paragraph 11 sentence 2 no. 1 of the German Investment Act. This document is strictly for use of the person who has received it. It may not be forwarded to other persons or published in Germany.

 

The offering does not constitute an offer to buy or the solicitation or an offer to sell our common units in any circumstances in which such offer or solicitation is unlawful.

 

Notice to Prospective Investors in the Netherlands

 

Our common units may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in the Netherlands, other than to qualified investors (gekwalificeerde beleggers) within the meaning of Article 1:1 of the Dutch Financial Supervision Act (Wet op het financieel toezicht).

 

The validity of the common units will be passed upon for us by Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., Houston, Texas. Certain legal matters in connection with the common units offered hereby will be passed upon for the underwriters by Baker Botts L.L.P., Houston, Texas.

 

Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, has audited the consolidated financial statements of Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P. at December 31, 2010 and 2009 and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2010 and the consolidated balance sheet of Calumet GP, LLC included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010 as set forth in their reports, which are incorporated by reference in this prospectus and elsewhere in the registration statement. The consolidated financial statements of Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P. and the balance sheet of Calumet GP, LLC are incorporated by reference in reliance on Ernst & Young LLP’s reports, given on their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

We file annual, quarterly and current reports and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). You may read and copy any document we file with the SEC at the principal offices of the SEC located at Public Reference Room, 100 F Street, N.E., Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549. Copies of such materials can be obtained by mail at prescribed rates from the Public Reference Room of the SEC, 100 F Street, N.E., Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information about the operation of the Public Reference Room. Materials also may be obtained from the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov), which contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding companies that file electronically with the SEC.

 

We “incorporate by reference” information into this prospectus supplement, which means that we disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is deemed to be part of this prospectus supplement until the completion of this offering, except for any information superseded by information contained expressly in this prospectus supplement, and the information we file later with the SEC will automatically supersede this information. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus supplement is current as of any date other than the date on the front page of this prospectus supplement.

 

Any information that we file under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) after the date of this prospectus supplement, and that is deemed “filed,” with the SEC will be incorporated by reference and automatically update and supersede this information. We also incorporate by reference the documents listed below:

 

 

You may request a copy of these filings at no cost, by making written or telephone requests for such copies to:

 

Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P.
Attention: Jennifer Straumins
2780 Waterfront Pkwy E. Drive
Suite 200
Indianapolis, Indiana 46214
(317) 328-5660

 

You should rely only on the information incorporated by reference or provided in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus or any free writing prospectus prepared by us. If information in incorporated documents conflicts with information in this prospectus supplement you should rely on the most recent information. If information in an incorporated document conflicts with information in another incorporated document, you should rely on the most recent incorporated document. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus or any free writing prospectus prepared by us or any document incorporated by reference is accurate as of any date other than the date of those documents. We have not authorized anyone else to provide you with any information.

 

This prospectus supplement includes certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology including “may”, “intend”, “believe”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “continue”, or other similar words. The statements discussed in this prospectus supplement that are not purely historical data are forward-looking statements. These statements discuss future expectations or state other “forward-looking” information and involve risks and uncertainties. When considering these forward-looking statements, investors should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements included in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying base prospectus an the documents we incorporate by reference. The risk factors and other factors noted throughout this prospectus supplement could cause our actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. These factors include, but are not limited to:

 

 

Other factors described herein, or factors that are unknown or unpredictable, could also have a material adverse effect on future results. Our forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results and future performance may differ materially from those suggested in any forward-looking statement. When considering forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents we incorporate by reference. Please read “Risk Factors” on page S-11 of this prospectus supplement and page 5 of the accompanying prospectus. We will not update these statements unless securities laws require us to do so.

 

All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or to persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing. We undertake no obligation to publicly release the results of any revisions to any such forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this prospectus supplement or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

PROSPECTUS

 

 

CALUMET SPECIALTY PRODUCTS PARTNERS, L.P.
CALUMET FINANCE CORP.

 

 

 

 

Common Units

 

Debt Securities

 

 

 

 

We may offer, from time to time, in one or more series:

 

 

Calumet Finance Corp. may act as co-issuer of the debt securities, and all other direct or indirect subsidiaries of Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P. may guarantee the debt securities.

 

The securities we may offer:

 

 

Our common units are traded on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “CLMT.” We will provide information in the prospectus supplement for the trading market, if any, for any debt securities we may offer.

 

This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we offer to sell securities we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about those securities and the terms of that offering. The prospectus supplement also may add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. This prospectus may be used to offer and sell securities only if accompanied by a prospectus supplement. You should read this prospectus and any prospectus supplement carefully before you invest. You should also read the documents we refer to in the “Where You Can Find More Information” section of this prospectus for information on us and our financial statements.

 

Limited partnerships are inherently different than corporations. You should carefully consider each of the factors described under “Risk Factors” beginning on page 5 of this prospectus before you make an investment in our securities.

 

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

The date of this prospectus is November 22, 2010

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

In making your investment decision, you should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with any other information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it.

 

You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front cover of those documents. You should not assume that the information contained in the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement is accurate as of any date other than the respective dates of those documents. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.

 

This prospectus is part of a registration statement on Form S-3 that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, utilizing a “shelf” registration process or continuous offering process. Under this shelf registration process, we may, from time to time, sell up to $1,000,000,000 of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings. Each time we offer securities, we will provide you with this prospectus and a prospectus supplement that will describe, among other things, the specific amounts and prices of the securities being offered and the terms of the offering, including, in the case of debt securities, the specific terms of the securities.

 

That prospectus supplement may include additional risk factors or other special considerations applicable to those securities and may also add, update, or change information in this prospectus. If there is any inconsistency between the information in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in that prospectus supplement. Before you invest in our securities, you should carefully read this prospectus and any prospectus supplement and the additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.” To the extent information in this prospectus is inconsistent with information contained in any prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in the prospectus supplement.

 

Throughout this prospectus, when we use the terms “we,” “us,” or “Calumet,” we are referring either to Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P., the registrant itself, or to Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P. and its operating subsidiaries collectively, as the context requires.

 

We have not authorized any dealer, salesman or other person to give any information or to make any representation other than those contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and the accompanying supplement to this prospectus. You must not rely upon any information or representation not contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or the accompanying prospectus supplement. This prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement do not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities other than the registered securities to which they relate, nor do this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation in such jurisdiction. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement is accurate on any date subsequent to the date set forth on the front of the document or that any information we have incorporated by reference is correct on any date subsequent to the date of the document incorporated by reference, even though this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement is delivered or securities are sold on a later date.

 

We “incorporate by reference” information into this prospectus, which means that we disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is deemed to be part of this prospectus, except for any information superseded by information contained expressly in this prospectus, and the information we file later with the SEC will automatically supersede this information. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus is current as of any date other than the date on the front page of this prospectus.

 

Any information filed by us under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) after the date of this prospectus, and that is deemed “filed,” with the SEC will be incorporated by reference and automatically update and supersede this information. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below:

 

 

 

 

In addition, all documents filed by us pursuant to the Exchange Act after the date of the initial registration statement and prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement, and that is deemed “filed” with the SEC, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

 

You may request a copy of any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any exhibit specifically incorporated by reference in those documents, at no cost, by writing or telephoning us at the following address or phone number:

 

Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P.
Attention: Jennifer Straumins
2780 Waterfront Pkwy E. Drive
Suite 200
Indianapolis, Indiana 46214
(317) 328-5660

 

Additionally, you may read and copy any documents filed by us at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the public reference room. Our filings with the SEC are also available to the public from commercial document retrieval services and at the SEC’s web site at http://www.sec.gov.

 

We also make available free of charge on our internet website at http://www.calumetspecialty.com our annual reports on Form 10-K and our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and any amendments to those reports, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with the SEC. Information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus and you should not consider information contained on our website as part of this prospectus.

 

Certain statements and information in this prospectus may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology including “may,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “intend,” “foresee,” “should,” “would,” “could” or other similar words. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effect on us. While management believes that these forward-looking statements are reasonable as and when made, there can be no assurance that future developments affecting us will be those that we anticipate. All comments concerning our expectations for future revenues and operating results are based on our forecasts for our existing operations and do not include the potential impact of any future acquisitions. Our forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control) and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from our historical experience and our present expectations or projections. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those summarized below:

 

 

 

Other factors that could cause our actual results to differ from our projected results are described in our filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K.

 

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements after the date they are made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

 

These factors are not necessarily all of the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any of our forward-looking statements. Our future results will depend upon various other risks and uncertainties, including those described elsewhere in “Risk Factors.” Other unknown or unpredictable factors also could have material adverse effects on our future results. You should not put undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements attributable to us are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. We undertake no duty to update our forward-looking statements.

 

We are a leading independent producer of high-quality, specialty hydrocarbon products in North America. We own plants located in Princeton, Louisiana; Cotton Valley, Louisiana; Shreveport, Louisiana; Karns City, Pennsylvania and Dickinson, Texas and a terminal located in Burnham, Illinois. Our business is organized into two segments: specialty products and fuel products. In our specialty products segment, we process crude oil and other feedstocks into a wide variety of customized lubricating oils, white mineral oils, solvents,

petrolatums and waxes. Our specialty products are sold to domestic and international customers who purchase them primarily as raw material components for basic industrial, consumer and automotive goods. In our fuel products segment, we process crude oil into a variety of fuel and fuel-related products including gasoline, diesel and jet fuel. In connection with our production of specialty products and fuel products, we also produce asphalt and a limited number of other by-products. For the year ended December 31, 2009 and the nine months ended September 30, 2010, approximately 81.8% and 91.1%, respectively, of our gross profit was generated from our specialty products segment and approximately 18.2% and 8.9%, respectively, of our gross profit was generated from our fuel products segment. We continue to focus on the growth of our specialty products segment. Our acquisition of Penreco on January 3, 2008 and our entry into sales and processing agreements with LyondellBasell, effective November 4, 2009, expanded our specialty products offering and customer base.

 

Our operating assets and contractual agreements consist of our:

 

 

Calumet GP, LLC is our general partner and has sole responsibility for conducting our business and managing our operations. Calumet Finance Corp., our wholly-owned subsidiary, has no material assets or any liabilities other than as a co-issuer of our debt securities. Its activities are limited to co-issuing our debt securities and engaging in other activities incidental thereto.

 

Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P. is a Delaware limited partnership. Our principal executive office is located at 2780 Waterfront Pkwy E. Drive, Suite 200, Indianapolis, Indiana 46214. Our telephone number is (317) 328-5660. Our common units are traded on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “CLMT.”

 

One or more of our subsidiaries may fully and unconditionally guarantee our payment obligations under any series of debt securities offered by this prospectus. The prospectus supplement relating to any such series will identify any subsidiary guarantors. Financial information concerning our subsidiary guarantors and any non-guarantor subsidiaries will be included in our consolidated financial statements filed as part of our periodic reports filed pursuant to the Exchange Act to the extent required by the rules and regulations of the SEC.

 

Additional information concerning our subsidiaries and us is included in reports and other documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus. Please read “Where You Can Find More Information.”

 

Our business is subject to uncertainties and risks. Before you invest in our securities you should carefully consider those risk factors included in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, any Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and any Current Reports on Form 8-K, which are incorporated herein by reference, and those risk factors that may be included in any applicable prospectus supplement, together with all of the other information included in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents we incorporate by reference, in evaluating an investment in our securities. If any of the risks discussed in the foregoing documents were to occur, our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows could be materially adversely affected. Please read “Information Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”

 

Unless otherwise indicated to the contrary in an accompanying prospectus supplement, we will use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities covered by this prospectus for general partnership purposes, which may include debt repayment, future acquisitions, capital expenditures and additions to working capital.

 

Any specific allocation of the net proceeds of an offering of securities to a specific purpose will be determined at the time of the offering and will be described in a prospectus supplement.

 

The table below sets forth the Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges for us for each of the periods indicated. On January 31, 2006, we completed our initial public offering whereby we became successor to the business of Calumet Lubricant Co., Limited Partnership. As such, the year ended December 31, 2005 and a portion of the year ended December 31, 2006 reflect the financial results of Calumet Lubricants Co., Limited Partnership, our predecessor.

 

 

 

 

For purposes of determining the ratio of earnings to fixed charges, earnings are defined as pre-tax income from continuing operations plus the following (a) fixed charges, and (b) amortization of capitalized interest, less interest capitalized. Fixed charges consist of interest expensed and capitalized plus (a) amortized discounts and capitalized expenses related to indebtedness, and (b) an estimate of the interest within rental expense.

 

The common units and the subordinated units represent separate classes of limited partner interests in us. The holders of our common and subordinated units are entitled to participate in partnership distributions and exercise the rights or privileges available to limited partners under our partnership agreement. For a description of the relative rights and preferences of holders of common units and subordinated units in and to partnership distributions, please read this section and “Our Cash Distribution Policy and Restrictions on Distributions.” For a description of the rights and privileges of limited partners under our partnership agreement, including voting rights, please see “The Partnership Agreement.”

 

Our outstanding common units are listed on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “CLMT.” Any additional common units we issue will also be listed on the Nasdaq Global Market.

 

As of September 30, 2010, we had outstanding 22,213,778 common units and 13,066,000 subordinated units. There is currently no established public trading market for our subordinated units.

 

Our subordinated units are a separate class of limited partner interests in our partnership, and the rights of holders of subordinated units to participate in distributions to partners differ from, and are subordinated to, the rights of the holders of our common units. During the subordination period, our subordinated units will not be entitled to receive any distributions until our common units have received the minimum quarterly distribution plus any arrearages from prior quarters. The term of the subordination period is described under “Our Cash Distribution Policy and Restrictions on Distributions — Subordination Period”

 

Duties.  Mellon Investor Services, LLC serves as registrar and transfer agent for the common units. We pay all fees charged by the transfer agent for transfers of common units except the following that must be paid by unitholders:

 

 

There is no charge to unitholders for disbursements of our cash distributions. We will indemnify the transfer agent, its agents and each of their stockholders, directors, officers and employees against all claims and losses that may arise out of acts performed or omitted for its activities in that capacity, except for any liability due to any gross negligence or intentional misconduct of the indemnified person or entity.

 

By transfer of common units in accordance with our partnership agreement, each transferee of common units shall be admitted as a limited partner with respect to the common units transferred when such transfer and admission is reflected in our books and records. Each transferee:

 

 

A transferee will become a substituted limited partner of our partnership for the transferred common units automatically upon the recording of the transfer on our books and records. Our general partner will cause any transfers to be recorded on our books and records no less frequently than quarterly.

 

We may, at our discretion, treat the nominee holder of a common unit as the absolute owner. In that case, the beneficial holders’ rights are limited solely to those that it has against the nominee holder as a result of any agreement between the beneficial owner and the nominee holder.

 

Common units are securities and are transferable according to the laws governing transfers of securities. In addition to other rights acquired upon transfer, the transferor gives the transferee the right to become a substituted limited partner in our partnership for the transferred common units.

Until a common unit has been transferred on our books, we and the transfer agent may treat the record holder of the unit as the absolute owner for all purposes, except as otherwise required by law or stock exchange regulations.

 

The following is a summary of the material provisions of our partnership agreement. We will provide prospective investors with a copy of this agreement upon request at no charge.

 

We summarize the following provisions of our partnership agreement elsewhere in this prospectus:

 

 

We were organized on September 27, 2005 and have a perpetual existence.

 

Our purpose under the partnership agreement is limited to any business activities that are approved by our general partner and that lawfully may be conducted by a limited partnership organized under Delaware law; provided, that our general partner shall not cause us to engage, directly or indirectly, in any business activity that the general partner determines would cause us to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise taxable as an entity for federal income tax purposes.

 

Although our general partner has the ability to cause us, our operating company or its subsidiaries to engage in activities other than the refining and marketing of fuel products and specialty hydrocarbon products, our general partner has no current plans to do so and may decline to do so free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to us or the limited partners, including any duty to act in good faith or in the best interests of us or the limited partners. Our general partner is authorized in general to perform all acts it determines to be necessary or appropriate to carry out our purposes and to conduct our business.

 

Each limited partner, and each person who acquires a unit from a unitholder, by accepting the common unit, automatically grants to our general partner and, if appointed, a liquidator, a power of attorney to, among other things, execute and file documents required for our qualification, continuance or dissolution. The power of attorney also grants our general partner the authority to amend, and to make consents and waivers under, our partnership agreement.

 

Unitholders are not obligated to make additional capital contributions, except as described below under “— Limited Liability.”

 

The following is a summary of the unitholder vote required for the matters specified below. Various matters requiring the approval of a “unit majority” require:

 

 

In voting their common and subordinated units, our general partner and its affiliates will have no fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to us or the limited partners, including any duty to act in good faith or in the best interests of us and our limited partners. For any action that is to be approved at a meeting of unitholders, the holders of a majority of the outstanding units of the class or classes for which a meeting has been called represented in person or by proxy will constitute a quorum unless any action by the unitholders requires approval by holders of a greater percentage of the units, in which case the quorum will be the greater percentage. Please read “— Meetings; Voting.”

 

 

 

Assuming that a limited partner does not participate in the control of our business within the meaning of the Delaware Act and that he otherwise acts in conformity with the provisions of the partnership agreement, his liability under the Delaware Act will be limited, subject to possible exceptions, to the amount of capital he is obligated to contribute to us for his common units plus his share of any undistributed profits and assets. If it were determined, however, that the right, or exercise of the right, by the limited partners as a group:

 

 

constituted “participation in the control” of our business for the purposes of the Delaware Act, then the limited partners could be held personally liable for our obligations under the laws of Delaware, to the same extent as our general partner. This liability would extend to persons who transact business with us who reasonably believe that the limited partner is a general partner. Neither our partnership agreement nor the Delaware Act specifically provides for legal recourse against the general partner if a limited partner were to lose limited liability through any fault of the general partner. While this does not mean that a limited partner could not seek legal recourse, we know of no precedent for this type of a claim in Delaware case law.

 

Under the Delaware Act, a limited partnership may not make a distribution to a partner if, after the distribution, all liabilities of the limited partnership, other than liabilities to partners on account of their partnership interests and liabilities for which the recourse of creditors is limited to specific property of the partnership, would exceed the fair value of the assets of the limited partnership. For the purpose of determining the fair value of the assets of a limited partnership, the Delaware Act provides that the fair value of property subject to liability for which recourse of creditors is limited shall be included in the assets of the limited partnership only to the extent that the fair value of that property exceeds the nonrecourse liability. The Delaware Act provides that a limited partner who receives a distribution and knew at the time of the distribution that the distribution was in violation of the Delaware Act shall be liable to the limited partnership for the amount of the distribution for three years. Under the Delaware Act, a substituted limited partner of a limited partnership is liable for the obligations of his assignor to make contributions to the partnership, except

that such person is not obligated for liabilities unknown to him at the time he became a limited partner and that could not be ascertained from the partnership agreement.

 

Our subsidiaries conduct business in 30 states. Maintenance of our limited liability as a member of our operating company may require compliance with legal requirements in the jurisdictions in which our operating company conducts business, including qualifying our subsidiaries to do business there.

 

Limitations on the liability of limited partners for the obligations of a limited partner have not been clearly established in many jurisdictions. If, by virtue of our membership interest in our operating company or otherwise, it were determined that we were conducting business in any state without compliance with the applicable limited partnership or limited liability company statute, or that the right or exercise of the right by the limited partners as a group to remove or replace the general partner, to approve some amendments to our partnership agreement, or to take other action under the partnership agreement constituted “participation in the control” of our business for purposes of the statutes of any relevant jurisdiction, then the limited partners could be held personally liable for our obligations under the law of that jurisdiction to the same extent as our general partner under the circumstances. We will operate in a manner that our general partner considers reasonable and necessary or appropriate to preserve the limited liability of the limited partners.

 

Our partnership agreement authorizes us to issue an unlimited number of additional partnership securities for the consideration and on the terms and conditions determined by our general partner without the approval of the unitholders. During the subordination period, however, except as we discuss in the following paragraph, we may not issue equity securities ranking senior to the common units or an aggregate of more than 3,485,222 additional common units or units on a parity with the common units, in each case, without the approval of the holders of a unit majority.

 

During the subordination period or thereafter, we may issue an unlimited number of common units without the approval of the unitholders as follows:

 

 

It is possible that we will fund acquisitions through the issuance of additional common units, subordinated units or other partnership securities. Holders of any additional common units we issue will be entitled to share equally with the then-existing holders of common units in our distributions of available cash. In addition, the issuance of additional common units or other partnership securities may dilute the value of the interests of the then-existing holders of common units in our net assets.

In accordance with Delaware law and the provisions of our partnership agreement, we may also issue additional partnership securities that, as determined by our general partner, may have special voting rights to which the common units are not entitled. In addition, our partnership agreement does not prohibit the issuance by our subsidiaries of equity securities, which may effectively rank senior to the common units.

 

Upon issuance of additional partnership securities, our general partner will be entitled, but not required, to make additional capital contributions to the extent necessary to maintain its 2% general partner interest in us. The general partner’s 2% interest in us will be reduced if we issue additional units in the future and our general partner does not contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us to maintain its 2% general partner interest. Moreover, our general partner will have the right, which it may from time to time assign in whole or in part to any of its affiliates, to purchase common units, subordinated units or other partnership securities whenever, and on the same terms that, we issue those securities to persons other than our general partner and its affiliates, to the extent necessary to maintain the percentage interest of the general partner and its affiliates, including such interest represented by common units and subordinated units, that existed immediately prior to each issuance. Otherwise, under our partnership agreement, the holders of common units will not have preemptive rights to acquire additional common units or other partnership securities.

 

General.  Amendments to our partnership agreement may be proposed only by or with the consent of our general partner. However, our general partner will have no duty or obligation to propose any amendment and may decline to do so free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to us or the limited partners, including any duty to act in good faith or in the best interests of us or the limited partners. In order to adopt a proposed amendment, other than the amendments discussed below, our general partner is required to seek written approval of the holders of the number of units required to approve the amendment or call a meeting of the limited partners to consider and vote upon the proposed amendment. Except as described below, an amendment must be approved by a unit majority.

 

Prohibited Amendments.  No amendment may be made that would:

 

 

The provision of our partnership agreement preventing the amendments having the effects described in any of the clauses above can be amended upon the approval of the holders of at least 90% of the outstanding units voting together as a single class (including units owned by our general partner and its affiliates). Currently, our general partner and its affiliates own approximately 54.3% of the outstanding units.

 

No Unitholder Approval.  Our general partner may generally make amendments to our partnership agreement without the approval of any limited partner or assignee to reflect:

 

 

 

In addition, our general partner may make amendments to our partnership agreement without the approval of any limited partner or assignee in connection with a merger or consolidation approved in connection with our partnership agreement, or if our general partner determines that those amendments:

 

 

Opinion of Counsel and Unitholder Approval.  Our general partner will not be required to obtain an opinion of counsel that an amendment will not result in a loss of limited liability to the limited partners or result in our being treated as an entity for federal income tax purposes in connection with any of the amendments described under “— No Unitholder Approval.” No other amendments to our partnership agreement will become effective without the approval of holders of at least 90% of the outstanding units voting as a single class unless we first obtain an opinion of counsel to the effect that the amendment will not affect the limited liability under applicable law of any of our limited partners.

 

In addition to the above restrictions, any amendment that would have a material adverse effect on the rights or preferences of any type or class of outstanding units in relation to other classes of units will require the approval of at least a majority of the type or class of units so affected. Any amendment that reduces the voting percentage required to take any action is required to be approved by the affirmative vote of limited

partners whose aggregate outstanding units constitute not less than the voting requirement sought to be reduced.

 

A merger or consolidation of us requires the prior consent of our general partner. However, our general partner will have no duty or obligation to consent to any merger or consolidation and may decline to do so free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to us or the limited partners, including any duty to act in good faith or in the best interest of us or the limited partners.

 

In addition, our partnership agreement generally prohibits our general partner without the prior approval of the holders of a unit majority, from causing us to, among other things, sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets in a single transaction or a series of related transactions, including by way of merger, consolidation or other combination, or approving on our behalf the sale, exchange or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of our subsidiaries. Our general partner may, however, mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or grant a security interest in all or substantially all of our assets without that approval. Our general partner may also sell all or substantially all of our assets under a foreclosure or other realization upon those encumbrances without that approval. Finally, our general partner may consummate any merger without the prior approval of our unitholders if we are the surviving entity in the transaction, the transaction would not result in a material amendment to our partnership agreement, each of our units will be an identical unit of our partnership following the transaction, and the units to be issued do not exceed 20% of our outstanding units immediately prior to the transaction.

 

If the conditions specified in our partnership agreement are satisfied, our general partner may convert us or any of our subsidiaries into a new limited liability entity or merge us or any of our subsidiaries into, or convey all of our assets to, a newly formed entity if the sole purpose of that merger or conveyance is to effect a mere change in our legal form into another limited liability entity. The unitholders are not entitled to dissenters’ rights of appraisal under our partnership agreement or applicable Delaware law in the event of a conversion, merger or consolidation, a sale of substantially all of our assets or any other transaction or event.

 

We will continue as a limited partnership until terminated under our partnership agreement. We will dissolve upon:

 

 

Upon a dissolution under the last clause above, the holders of a unit majority may also elect, within specific time limitations, to continue our business on the same terms and conditions described in our partnership agreement by appointing as a successor general partner an entity approved by the holders of units representing a unit majority, subject to our receipt of an opinion of counsel to the effect that:

 

 

Upon our dissolution, unless our business is continued as described above, the liquidator authorized to wind up our affairs will, acting with all of the powers of our general partner that are necessary or appropriate to liquidate our assets and apply the proceeds of the liquidation as provided in “Our Cash Distribution Policy and Restrictions on Distributions — Distributions of Cash Upon Liquidation.” The liquidator may defer liquidation or distribution of our assets for a reasonable period of time or distribute assets to partners in kind if it determines that a sale would be impractical or would cause undue loss to our partners.

 

Except as described below, our general partner has agreed not to withdraw voluntarily as our general partner prior to December 31, 2015 without obtaining the approval of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding common units, excluding common units held by the general partner and its affiliates, and furnishing an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters. On or after December 31, 2015, our general partner may withdraw as general partner without first obtaining approval of any unitholder by giving 90 days’ written notice, and that withdrawal will not constitute a violation of our partnership agreement. Notwithstanding the information above, our general partner may withdraw without unitholder approval upon 90 days’ notice to the limited partners if at least 50% of the outstanding common units are held or controlled by one person and its affiliates other than the general partner and its affiliates. In addition, the partnership agreement permits our general partner in some instances to sell or otherwise transfer all of its general partner interest in us without the approval of the unitholders. Please read “— Transfer of General Partner Interest” and “— Transfer of Incentive Distribution Rights.”

 

Upon withdrawal of our general partner under any circumstances, other than as a result of a transfer by our general partner of all or a part of its general partner interest in us, the holders of a unit majority, voting as separate classes, may select a successor to that withdrawing general partner. If a successor is not elected, or is elected but an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters cannot be obtained, we will be dissolved, wound up and liquidated, unless within a specified period after that withdrawal, the holders of a unit majority agree in writing to continue our business and to appoint a successor general partner. Please read “— Termination and Dissolution.”

 

Our general partner may not be removed unless that removal is approved by the vote of the holders of not less than 66-2/3% of the outstanding units, voting together as a single class, including units held by our general partner and its affiliates, and we receive an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters. Any removal of our general partner is also subject to the approval of a successor general partner by the vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding common units and subordinated units, voting as separate classes. The ownership of more than 33-1/3% of the outstanding units by our general partner and its affiliates would give them the practical ability to prevent our general partner’s removal. Currently, our general partner and its affiliates own an aggregate of 54.3% of the outstanding units.

 

Our partnership agreement also provides that if our general partner is removed as our general partner under circumstances where cause does not exist and units held by the general partner and its affiliates are not voted in favor of that removal:

 

 

In the event of removal of a general partner under circumstances where cause exists or withdrawal of a general partner where that withdrawal violates our partnership agreement, a successor general partner will

have the option to purchase the general partner interest and incentive distribution rights of the departing general partner for a cash payment equal to the fair market value of those interests. Under all other circumstances where a general partner withdraws or is removed by the limited partners, the departing general partner will have the option to require the successor general partner to purchase the general partner interest of the departing general partner and its incentive distribution rights for fair market value. In each case, this fair market value will be determined by agreement between the departing general partner and the successor general partner. If no agreement is reached, an independent investment banking firm or other independent expert selected by the departing general partner and the successor general partner will determine the fair market value. Or, if the departing general partner and the successor general partner cannot agree upon an expert, then an expert chosen by agreement of the experts selected by each of them will determine the fair market value.

 

If the option described above is not exercised by either the departing general partner or the successor general partner, the departing general partner’s general partner interest and its incentive distribution rights will automatically convert into common units equal to the fair market value of those interests as determined by an investment banking firm or other independent expert selected in the manner described in the preceding paragraph.

 

In addition, we will be required to reimburse the departing general partner for all amounts due the departing general partner, including, without limitation, all employee-related liabilities, including severance liabilities, incurred for the termination of any employees employed by the departing general partner or its affiliates for our benefit.

 

Except for transfer by our general partner of all, but not less than all, of its general partner interest in our partnership to:

 

 

our general partner may not transfer all or any part of its general partner interest in our partnership to another person prior to December 31, 2015 without the approval of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding common units, excluding common units held by our general partner and its affiliates. As a condition of this transfer, the transferee must assume, among other things, the rights and duties of our general partner, agree to be bound by the provisions of our partnership agreement, and furnish an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters. On or after December 31, 2015, our general partner interest will be freely transferable.

 

Our general partner and its affiliates may, at any time, transfer units to one or more persons, without unitholder approval, except that they may not transfer subordinated units to us.

 

At any time, the members of our general partner may sell or transfer all or part of their membership interests in our general partner to an affiliate or third party without the approval of our unitholders.

 

Our general partner or its affiliates or a subsequent holder may transfer its incentive distribution rights to an affiliate of the holder (other than an individual) or another entity as part of the merger or consolidation of such holder with or into another entity, the sale of all of the ownership interest of the holder or the sale of all or substantially all of its assets to, that entity without the prior approval of the unitholders. Prior to December 31, 2015, other transfers of incentive distribution rights will require the affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the outstanding common units, excluding common units held by our general partner and its affiliates. On or after December 31, 2015, the incentive distribution rights will be freely transferable.

 

Our partnership agreement contains specific provisions that are intended to discourage a person or group from attempting to remove Calumet GP, LLC as our general partner or otherwise change our management. If any person or group other than our general partner and its affiliates acquires beneficial ownership of 20% or more of any class of units, that person or group loses voting rights on all of its units. This loss of voting rights does not apply to any person or group that acquires the units from our general partner or its affiliates and any transferees of that person or group approved by our general partner or to any person or group who acquires the units with the prior approval of the board of directors of our general partner.

 

Our partnership agreement also provides that if our general partner is removed under circumstances where cause does not exist and units held by our general partner and its affiliates are not voted in favor of that removal:

 

 

If at any time our general partner and its affiliates own more than 80% of the then-issued and outstanding limited partner interests of any class, our general partner will have the right, but not the obligation, which right may be assigned in whole or in part to any of its affiliates or to us, to acquire all, but not less than all, of the remaining partnership securities of the class held by unaffiliated persons as of a record date to be selected by our general partner, on at least 10 but not more than 60 days notice. The purchase price in the event of this purchase is the greater of:

 

 

As a result of our general partner’s right to purchase outstanding partnership securities, a holder of partnership securities may have his partnership securities purchased at an undesirable time or price. The tax consequences to a unitholder of the exercise of this call right are the same as a sale by that unitholder of his common units in the market. Please read “Material Tax Consequences — Disposition of Common Units.”

 

Except as described below regarding a person or group owning 20% or more of any class of units then outstanding, unitholders who are record holders of units on the record date will be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, meetings of our limited partners and to act upon matters for which approvals may be solicited.

 

Our general partner does not anticipate that any meeting of unitholders will be called in the foreseeable future. Any action that is required or permitted to be taken by the unitholders may be taken either at a meeting of the unitholders or without a meeting if consents in writing describing the action so taken are signed by holders of the number of units necessary to authorize or take that action at a meeting. Meetings of the unitholders may be called by our general partner or by unitholders owning at least 20% of the outstanding units of the class for which a meeting is proposed. Unitholders may vote either in person or by proxy at meetings. The holders of a majority of the outstanding units of the class or classes for which a meeting has been called represented in person or by proxy will constitute a quorum unless any action by the unitholders

requires approval by holders of a greater percentage of the units, in which case the quorum will be the greater percentage.

 

Each record holder of a unit has a vote according to his percentage interest in us, although additional limited partner interests having special voting rights could be issued. Please read “— Issuance of Additional Securities.” However, if at any time any person or group, other than our general partner and its affiliates, or a direct or subsequently approved transferee of our general partner or its affiliates, acquires, in the aggregate, beneficial ownership of 20% or more of any class of units then outstanding, that person or group will lose voting rights on all of its units and the units may not be voted on any matter and will not be considered to be outstanding when sending notices of a meeting of unitholders, calculating required votes, determining the presence of a quorum or for other similar purposes. Common units held in nominee or street name account will be voted by the broker or other nominee in accordance with the instruction of the beneficial owner unless the arrangement between the beneficial owner and his nominee provides otherwise. Except as our partnership agreement otherwise provides, subordinated units will vote together with common units as a single class.

 

Any notice, demand, request, report or proxy material required or permitted to be given or made to record holders of common units under our partnership agreement will be delivered to the record holder by us or by the transfer agent.

 

Except as described under “— Limited Liability,” the common units will be fully paid, and unitholders will not be required to make additional contributions. By transfer of common units in accordance with our partnership agreement, each transferee of common units shall be admitted as a limited partner with respect to the common units transferred when such transfer and admission is reflected in our books and records.

 

If we are or become subject to federal, state or local laws or regulations that, in the reasonable determination of our general partner, create a substantial risk of cancellation or forfeiture of any property that we have an interest in because of the nationality, citizenship or other related status of any limited partner, we may redeem the units held by the limited partner at their current market price. In order to avoid any cancellation or forfeiture, our general partner may require each limited partner to furnish information about his nationality, citizenship or related status. If a limited partner fails to furnish information about his nationality, citizenship or other related status within 30 days after a request for the information or our general partner determines after receipt of the information that the limited partner is not an eligible citizen, the limited partner may be treated as a non-citizen transferee. A non-citizen transferee is entitled to an interest equivalent to that of a limited partner for the right to share in allocations and distributions from us, including liquidating distributions. A non-citizen transferee does not have the right to vote his units and may not receive distributions in kind upon our liquidation.

 

Under our partnership agreement, in most circumstances, we will indemnify the following persons, to the fullest extent permitted by law, from and against all losses, claims, damages or similar events:

 

 

 

Any indemnification under these provisions will only be out of our assets. Unless it otherwise agrees, our general partner will not be personally liable for, or have any obligation to contribute or loan funds or assets to us to enable us to effectuate, indemnification. We may purchase insurance against liabilities asserted against and expenses incurred by persons for our activities, regardless of whether we would have the power to indemnify the person against liabilities under our partnership agreement.

 

Our partnership agreement requires us to reimburse our general partner for all direct and indirect expenses it incurs or payments it makes on our behalf and all other expenses allocable to us or otherwise incurred by our general partner in connection with operating our business. These expenses include salary, bonus, incentive compensation and other amounts paid to persons who perform services for us or on our behalf and expenses allocated to our general partner by its affiliates. The general partner is entitled to determine in good faith the expenses that are allocable to us.

 

Our general partner is required to keep appropriate books of our business at our principal offices. The books will be maintained for both tax and financial reporting purposes on an accrual basis. For tax and fiscal reporting purposes, our fiscal year is the calendar year.

 

We will furnish or make available to record holders of common units, within 120 days after the close of each fiscal year, an annual report containing our audited financial statements and a report on those financial statements by our independent public accountants. Except for our fourth quarter, we will also furnish or make available summary financial information within 90 days after the close of each quarter.

 

We will furnish each record holder of a unit with information reasonably required for tax reporting purposes within 90 days after the close of each calendar year. This information is expected to be furnished in summary form so that some complex calculations normally required of partners can be avoided. Our ability to furnish this summary information to unitholders will depend on the cooperation of unitholders in supplying us with specific information. Every unitholder will receive information to assist him in determining his federal and state tax liability and filing his federal and state income tax returns, regardless of whether he supplies us with information.

 

Our partnership agreement provides that a limited partner can, for a purpose reasonably related to his interest as a limited partner, upon reasonable demand stating the purpose of such demand and at his own expense, have furnished to him:

 

 

 

Our general partner may, and intends to, keep confidential from the limited partners trade secrets or other information the disclosure of which our general partner believes in good faith is not in our best interests or that we are required by law or by agreements with third parties to keep confidential.

 

Under our partnership agreement, we have agreed to register for resale under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”) and applicable state securities laws any common units, subordinated units or other partnership securities proposed to be sold by our general partner or any of its affiliates or their transferees if an exemption from the registration requirements is not available. We have also agreed to include on any registration statement we file any partnership securities proposed to be sold by our general partner or its affiliates or their transferees. These registration rights continue for two years following any withdrawal or removal of Calumet GP, LLC as our general partner. In connection with any registration of this kind, we will indemnify each unitholder participating in the registration and its officers, directors and controlling persons from and against any liabilities under the Securities Act or any state securities laws arising from the registration statement or prospectus. We are obligated to pay all expenses incidental to the registration, excluding underwriting discounts and commissions.

 

Rationale for Our Cash Distribution Policy.  Our cash distribution policy reflects a basic judgment that our unitholders will be better served by our distributing our available cash rather than retaining it. Because we are not subject to a partnership-level federal income tax, we have more cash to distribute to you than would be the case were we subject to partnership level federal income tax. Our cash distribution policy is consistent with the terms of our partnership agreement, which requires that we distribute available cash to our unitholders quarterly. Our determination of available cash takes into account the need to maintain certain cash reserves to preserve our distribution levels across seasonal and cyclical fluctuations in our business. During the subordination period, the common units have a priority over the subordinated units for the minimum quarterly distribution and, during the subordination period, the common units carry arrearage rights, which are similar to cumulative rights on preferred stock. If the minimum quarterly distribution is not paid, we must pay all arrearages in addition to the current minimum quarterly distribution before distributions are made on the subordinated units or the incentive distribution rights.

 

Limitations on Cash Distributions and Our Ability to Change Our Cash Distribution Policy.  There is no guarantee that unitholders will receive quarterly distributions from us. Our distribution policy is subject to certain restrictions and may be changed at any time, including:

 

 

 

Our Cash Distribution Policy May Limit Our Ability to Grow.  Because we intend to distribute the majority of the cash generated from our business to our unitholders, our growth may not be as fast as businesses that reinvest their available cash to expand ongoing operations.

 

Our Ability to Grow is Dependent on Our Ability to Access External Expansion Capital.  We will distribute our available cash from operations to our unitholders. As a result, we expect that we will rely primarily upon external financing sources, including commercial bank borrowings and the issuance of debt and equity securities, to fund our acquisitions and major expansion capital expenditures. As a result, to the extent we are unable to finance growth externally, our cash distribution policy will significantly impair our ability to grow. In addition, to the extent we issue additional units in connection with any acquisitions or expansion capital expenditures, the payments of distributions on those additional units may increase the risk that we will be unable to maintain or increase our per unit distribution level, which in turn may reduce the available cash that we have to distribute on each unit. We are able to issue additional units without the approval of our unitholders in a number of circumstances. Please read “The Partnership Agreement — Issuance of Additional Securities.” The incurrence of additional commercial borrowings or other debt to finance our growth strategy would result in increased interest expense, which in turn may reduce the available cash that we have to distribute to our unitholders.

 

General.  Within 45 days after the end of each quarter, we will distribute our available cash to unitholders of record on the applicable record date.

 

Definition of Available Cash.  Available cash generally means, for any quarter, all cash on hand at the end of the quarter:

 

 

Intent to Distribute the Minimum Quarterly Distribution.  We will distribute to the holders of common units and subordinated units on a quarterly basis at least the minimum quarterly distribution of $0.45 per unit, or $1.80 per year, to the extent we have sufficient cash from our operations after establishment of cash reserves and payment of fees and expenses, including payments to our general partner. However, there is no guarantee that we will pay the minimum quarterly distribution on the units in any quarter. Even if our cash distribution policy is not modified or revoked, the amount of distributions paid under our policy and the decision to make any distribution is determined by our general partner, taking into consideration the terms of our partnership agreement. We are prohibited from making any distributions to unitholders if it would cause an event of default, or an event of default is existing, under our credit agreements.

 

General Partner Interest and Incentive Distribution Rights.  As of the date of this offering, our general partner is entitled to 2% of all quarterly distributions since inception that we make prior to our liquidation. This general partner interest is represented by 719,995 general partner units. Our general partner has the right, but not the obligation, to contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us to maintain its current general partner interest. The general partner’s initial 2% interest in these distributions may be reduced if we issue additional units in the future and our general partner does not contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us to maintain its 2% general partner interest. Our general partner also currently holds incentive distribution rights that entitle it to receive increasing percentages, up to a maximum of 50%, of the cash we distribute from operating surplus (as defined below) in excess of $0.45 per unit. The maximum distribution of 50% includes distributions paid to our general partner on its 2% general partner interest, and assumes that our general partner maintains its general partner interest at 2%. The maximum distribution of 50% does not include any distributions that our general partner may receive on units that it owns. Please read “— Incentive Distribution Rights” for additional information.

 

General.  All cash distributed to unitholders is characterized as either “operating surplus” or “capital surplus.” Our partnership agreement requires that we distribute available cash from operating surplus differently than available cash from capital surplus.

 

Operating Surplus.  Operating surplus generally consists of:

 

 

Maintenance capital expenditures represent capital expenditures made to replace partially or fully depreciated assets, to maintain the existing operating capacity of our assets and to extend their useful lives, or other capital expenditures that are incurred in maintaining existing system volumes and related cash flows. Expansion capital expenditures represent capital expenditures made to expand the existing operating capacity of our assets or to expand the operating capacity or revenues of existing or new assets, whether through construction or acquisition. Costs for repairs and minor renewals to maintain facilities in operating condition and that do not extend the useful life of existing assets are treated as operations and maintenance expenses as we incur them. Our partnership agreement provides that our general partner determines how to allocate a

capital expenditure for the acquisition or expansion of our assets between maintenance capital expenditures and expansion capital expenditures.

 

Capital Surplus.  Capital surplus consists of:

 

 

Characterization of Cash Distributions.  We treat all available cash distributed as coming from operating surplus until the sum of all available cash distributed since we began operations equals the operating surplus as of the most recent date of determination of available cash. We treat any amount distributed in excess of operating surplus, regardless of its source, as capital surplus. As reflected above, operating surplus includes $10.0 million. This amount does not reflect actual cash on hand that is available for distribution to our unitholders. Rather, it is a provision that will enable us, if we choose, to distribute as operating surplus up to this amount of cash we receive in the future from non-operating sources, such as asset sales, issuances of securities and borrowings, that would otherwise be distributed as capital surplus. We do not anticipate that we will make any distributions from capital surplus.

 

General.  Our partnership agreement provides that, during the subordination period (which we define below), the common units have the right to receive distributions of available cash from operating surplus in an amount equal to the minimum quarterly distribution of $0.45 per quarter, plus any arrearages in the payment of the minimum quarterly distribution on the common units from prior quarters, before any distributions of available cash from operating surplus may be made on the subordinated units. These units are deemed “subordinated” because for a period of time, referred to as the subordination period, the subordinated units will not be entitled to receive any distributions until the common units have received the minimum quarterly distribution plus any arrearages from prior quarters. Furthermore, no arrearages will be paid on the subordinated units. The practical effect of the existence of the subordinated units is to increase the likelihood that during the subordination period there will be available cash to be distributed on the common units. All of the outstanding subordinated units are owned by affiliates of our general partner.

 

Subordination Period.  The subordination period will extend until the first day of any quarter beginning after December 31, 2010 that each of the following tests are met:

 

 

Expiration of the Subordination Period.  When the subordination period expires, each outstanding subordinated unit will convert into one common unit and will then participate pro rata with the other common units in distributions of available cash. In addition, if the unitholders remove our general partner other than for cause and units held by the general partner and its affiliates are not voted in favor of such removal:

 

 

 

Adjusted Operating Surplus.  Adjusted operating surplus is intended to reflect the cash generated from operations during a particular period and therefore excludes net increases in working capital borrowings and net drawdowns of reserves of cash generated in prior periods. Adjusted operating surplus consists of:

 

 

We will make distributions of available cash from operating surplus for any quarter during the subordination period in the following manner:

 

 

The preceding discussion is based on the assumptions that our general partner maintains its 2% general partner interest and that we do not issue additional classes of equity securities.

 

We will make distributions of available cash from operating surplus for any quarter after the subordination period in the following manner:

 

 

The preceding discussion is based on the assumptions that our general partner maintains its 2% general partner interest and that we do not issue additional classes of equity securities.

 

Incentive distribution rights represent the right to receive an increasing percentage of quarterly distributions of available cash from operating surplus after the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels have been achieved. Our general partner currently holds the incentive distribution rights, but may transfer these rights separately from its general partner interest, subject to restrictions in the partnership agreement.

If for any quarter:

 

 

then, we will distribute any additional available cash from operating surplus for that quarter among the unitholders and the general partner in the following manner:

 

 

In each case, the amount of the target distribution set forth above is exclusive of any distributions to common unitholders to eliminate any cumulative arrearages in payment of the minimum quarterly distribution. The preceding discussion is based on the assumptions that our general partner maintains its 2% general partner interest and that we do not issue additional classes of equity securities.

 

The following table illustrates the percentage allocations of the additional available cash from operating surplus between the unitholders and our general partner up to the various target distribution levels. The amounts set forth under “Marginal Percentage Interest in Distributions” are the percentage interests of our general partner and the unitholders in any available cash from operating surplus we distribute up to and including the corresponding amount in the column “Total Quarterly Distribution Target Amount,” until available cash from operating surplus we distribute reaches the next target distribution level, if any. The percentage interests shown for the unitholders and the general partner for the minimum quarterly distribution are also applicable to quarterly distribution amounts that are less than the minimum quarterly distribution. The percentage interests set forth below for our general partner include its 2% general partner interest and assume our general partner has contributed any additional capital to maintain its 2% general partner interest and has not transferred its incentive distribution rights.

 

 

How Distributions from Capital Surplus Will Be Made.  We will make distributions of available cash from capital surplus, if any, in the following manner:

 

 

 

Effect of a Distribution from Capital Surplus.  Our partnership agreement treats a distribution of capital surplus as the repayment of the initial unit price from the initial public offering, which is a return of capital. The initial public offering price less any distributions of capital surplus per unit is referred to as the “unrecovered initial unit price.” Each time a distribution of capital surplus is made, the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels will be reduced in the same proportion as the corresponding reduction in the unrecovered initial unit price. Because distributions of capital surplus will reduce the minimum quarterly distribution, after any of these distributions are made, it may be easier for the general partner to receive incentive distributions and for the subordinated units to convert into common units. However, any distribution of capital surplus before the unrecovered initial unit price is reduced to zero cannot be applied to the payment of the minimum quarterly distribution or any arrearages.

 

Once we distribute capital surplus on a unit issued in this offering in an amount equal to the initial unit price, our partnership agreement specifies that the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels will be reduced to zero. Our partnership agreement specifies that we then make all future distributions from operating surplus, with 50% being paid to the holders of units and 50% to the general partner. The percentage interests shown for our general partner include its 2% general partner interest and assume the general partner has not transferred the incentive distribution rights.

 

In addition to adjusting the minimum quarterly distribution and target distribution levels to reflect a distribution of capital surplus, if we combine our units into fewer units or subdivide our units into a greater number of units, our partnership agreement specifies that the following items will be proportionately adjusted:

 

 

For example, if a two-for-one split of the common units should occur, the minimum quarterly distribution, the target distribution levels and the unrecovered initial unit price would each be reduced to 50% of its initial level, the number of common units issuable during the subordination period without unitholder vote would double and each subordinated unit would be convertible into two common units. Our partnership agreement provides that we not make any adjustment by reason of the issuance of additional units for cash or property.

 

In addition, if legislation is enacted or if existing law is modified or interpreted by a governmental taxing authority, so that we become taxable as a corporation or otherwise subject to taxation as an entity for federal, state or local income tax purposes, our partnership agreement specifies that the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels for each quarter will be reduced by multiplying each distribution level by a fraction, the numerator of which is available cash for that quarter and the denominator of which is the sum of available cash for that quarter plus the general partner’s estimate of our aggregate liability for the quarter for such income taxes payable by reason of such legislation or interpretation. To the extent that the actual tax liability differs from the estimated tax liability for any quarter, the difference will be accounted for in subsequent quarters.

 

General.  If we dissolve in accordance with the partnership agreement, we will sell or otherwise dispose of our assets in a process called liquidation. We will first apply the proceeds of liquidation to the payment of our creditors. We will distribute any remaining proceeds to the unitholders and the general partner, in accordance with their capital account balances, as adjusted to reflect any gain or loss upon the sale or other disposition of our assets in liquidation.

 

The allocations of gain and loss upon liquidation are intended, to the extent possible, to entitle the holders of outstanding common units to a preference over the holders of outstanding subordinated units upon our liquidation, to the extent required to permit common unitholders to receive their unrecovered initial unit price plus the minimum quarterly distribution for the quarter during which liquidation occurs plus any unpaid arrearages in payment of the minimum quarterly distribution on the common units. However, there may not be sufficient gain upon our liquidation to enable the holders of common units to fully recover all of these amounts, even though there may be cash available for distribution to the holders of subordinated units. Any further net gain recognized upon liquidation will be allocated in a manner that takes into account the incentive distribution rights of the general partner.

 

Manner of Adjustments for Gain.  The manner of the adjustment for gain is set forth in the partnership agreement. If our liquidation occurs before the end of the subordination period, we will allocate any gain to the partners in the following manner:

 

 

The percentage interests set forth above for our general partner include its 2% general partner interest and assume the general partner has not transferred the incentive distribution rights.

 

If the liquidation occurs after the end of the subordination period, the distinction between common units and subordinated units will disappear, so that clause (3) of the second bullet point above and all of the third bullet point above will no longer be applicable.

 

Manner of Adjustments for Losses.  If our liquidation occurs before the end of the subordination period, we will generally allocate any loss to the general partner and the unitholders in the following manner:

 

 

If the liquidation occurs after the end of the subordination period, the distinction between common units and subordinated units will disappear, so that all of the first bullet point above will no longer be applicable.

 

Adjustments to Capital Accounts.  Our partnership agreement requires that we make adjustments to capital accounts upon the issuance of additional units. In this regard, our partnership agreement specifies that we allocate any unrealized and, for tax purposes, unrecognized gain or loss resulting from the adjustments to the unitholders and the general partner in the same manner as we allocate gain or loss upon liquidation. In the event that we make positive adjustments to the capital accounts upon the issuance of additional units, our partnership agreement requires that we allocate any later negative adjustments to the capital accounts resulting from the issuance of additional units or upon our liquidation in a manner which results, to the extent possible, in the general partner’s capital account balances equaling the amount which they would have been if no earlier positive adjustments to the capital accounts had been made.

 

The debt securities will be:

 

 

Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P. may issue debt securities in one or more series, and Calumet Finance Corp. may be a co-issuer of one or more series of debt securities. Calumet Finance Corp. was incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware in August 2007, is wholly-owned by Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P., and has no material assets or liabilities other than as a co-issuer of debt securities. Its activities will be limited to co-issuing debt securities and engaging in other activities incidental thereto. When used in this section “Description of Debt Securities,” the terms “we,” “us,” “our” and “issuers” refer jointly to Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P. and Calumet Finance Corp., and the terms “Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P.” and “Calumet Finance” refer strictly to Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P. and Calumet Finance Corp., respectively.

 

If we offer senior debt securities, we will issue them under a senior indenture. If we issue subordinated debt securities, we will issue them under a subordinated indenture. The trustee under each indenture (the “Trustee”) will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement. A form of each indenture is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. We have not restated either indenture in

its entirety in this description. You should read the relevant indenture because it, and not this description, controls your rights as holders of the debt securities. Capitalized terms used in the summary have the meanings specified in the indentures.

 

A prospectus supplement and a supplemental indenture or authorizing resolutions relating to any series of debt securities being offered will include specific terms relating to the offering. These terms will include some or all of the following:

 

 

We may offer and sell debt securities, including original issue discount debt securities, at a substantial discount below their principal amount. The prospectus supplement will describe special U.S. federal income tax and any other considerations applicable to those securities. In addition, the prospectus supplement may describe certain special U.S. federal income tax or other considerations applicable to any debt securities that are denominated in a currency other than U.S. dollars.

 

If specified in the prospectus supplement respecting a series of debt securities, the subsidiaries of Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P. specified in the prospectus supplement will unconditionally guarantee to each holder and the Trustee, on a joint and several basis, the full and prompt payment of principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the debt securities of that series when and as the same become due and payable, whether at fixed maturity, upon redemption or repurchase, by declaration of acceleration or otherwise. If a series of debt securities is guaranteed, such series will be guaranteed by all subsidiaries. The prospectus supplement will describe any limitation on the maximum amount of any particular guarantee and the conditions under which guarantees may be released.

The guarantees will be general obligations of the guarantors. Guarantees of subordinated debt securities will be subordinated to the Senior Indebtedness of the guarantors on the same basis as the subordinated debt securities are subordinated to the Senior Indebtedness of Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P.

 

Each indenture will, in general, allow us to consolidate or merge with or into another domestic entity. It will also allow each issuer to sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its assets to another domestic entity. If this happens, the remaining or acquiring entity must assume all of the issuer’s responsibilities and liabilities under the indenture including the payment of all amounts due on the debt securities and performance of the issuer’s covenants in the indenture.

 

However, each indenture will impose certain requirements with respect to any consolidation or merger with or into an entity, or any sale, lease, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of an issuer’s assets, including:

 

 

The remaining or acquiring entity will be substituted for the issuer in the indenture with the same effect as if it had been an original party to the indenture, and, except in the case of a lease of all or substantially all of its assets, the issuer will be relieved from any further obligations under the indenture.

 

Unless otherwise set forth in the prospectus supplement, the debt securities will not contain any provisions that protect the holders of the debt securities in the event of a change of control of us or in the event of a highly leveraged transaction, whether or not such transaction results in a change of control of us.

 

We may supplement or amend an indenture if the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of all series issued under the indenture affected by the supplement or amendment consent to it. Further, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may waive past defaults under the indenture and compliance by us with our covenants with respect to the debt securities of that series only. Those holders may not, however, waive any default in any payment on any debt security of that series or compliance with a provision that cannot be supplemented or amended without the consent of each holder affected. Without the consent of each outstanding debt security affected, no modification of the indenture or waiver may:

 

 

 

We may supplement or amend an indenture without the consent of any holders of the debt securities in certain circumstances, including:

 

 

“Event of Default,” when used in an indenture, will mean any of the following with respect to the debt securities of any series:

 

 

An Event of Default for a particular series of debt securities will not necessarily constitute an Event of Default for any other series of debt securities issued under an indenture. The Trustee may withhold notice to the holders of debt securities of any default (except in the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest) if it considers such withholding of notice to be in the best interests of the holders.

 

If an Event of Default described in the sixth bullet point above occurs, the entire principal of, premium, if any, and accrued interest on, all debt securities then outstanding will be due and payable immediately, without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any holders. If any other Event of Default for any series of debt securities occurs and continues, the Trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of the series may declare the entire principal of, and accrued interest on, all the debt securities of that series to be due and payable immediately. If this happens, subject to certain conditions, the holders of a majority in the aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of that series can rescind the declaration.

 

Other than its duties in case of a default, a Trustee is not obligated to exercise any of its rights or powers under either indenture at the request, order or direction of any holders, unless the holders offer the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity. If they provide this reasonable security or indemnification, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of any series of debt securities may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding or any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any power conferred upon the Trustee, for that series of debt securities.

 

Neither indenture will limit the amount of debt securities that we may issue, unless we indicate otherwise in a prospectus supplement. Each indenture will allow us to issue debt securities of any series up to the aggregate principal amount that we authorize.

 

We will issue debt securities of a series only in registered form, without coupons, unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement.

 

Unless the prospectus supplement states otherwise, the debt securities will be issued only in principal amounts of $1,000 each or integral multiples of $1,000.

 

None of the past, present or future partners, incorporators, managers, members, directors, officers, employees, unitholders or stockholders of either issuer, the general partner of Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P. or any guarantor will have any liability for the obligations of the issuers or any guarantors under either indenture or the debt securities or for any claim based on such obligations or their creation. Each holder of debt securities by accepting a debt security waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issuance of the debt securities. The waiver may not be effective under federal securities laws, however, and it is the view of the SEC that such a waiver is against public policy.

 

The Trustee will initially act as paying agent and registrar under each indenture. The issuers may change the paying agent or registrar without prior notice to the holders of debt securities, and the issuers or any of their subsidiaries may act as paying agent or registrar.

 

If a holder of debt securities has given wire transfer instructions to the issuers, the issuers will make all payments on the debt securities in accordance with those instructions. All other payments on the debt securities will be made at the corporate trust office of the Trustee, unless the issuers elect to make interest payments by check mailed to the holders at their addresses set forth in the debt security register.

 

The Trustee and any paying agent will repay to us upon request any funds held by them for payments on the debt securities that remain unclaimed for two years after the date upon which that payment has become due. After payment to us, holders entitled to the money must look to us for payment as general creditors.

 

Debt securities of any series will be exchangeable for other debt securities of the same series, the same total principal amount and the same terms but in different authorized denominations in accordance with the indenture.

 

Holders may present debt securities for exchange or registration of transfer at the office of the registrar. The registrar will effect the transfer or exchange when it is satisfied with the documents of title and identity of the person making the request. We will not charge a service charge for any registration of transfer or exchange of the debt securities. We may, however, require the payment of any tax or other governmental charge payable for that registration.

 

We will not be required:

 

 

The senior debt securities will rank equally in right of payment with all of our other unsubordinated debt. The senior debt securities will be effectively subordinated, however, to all of our secured debt to the extent of the value of the collateral for that debt. We will disclose the amount of our secured debt in the prospectus supplement.

 

Subordinated Debt Securities Subordinated to Senior Indebtedness

 

The subordinated debt securities will rank junior in right of payment to all of the Senior Indebtedness of Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P. “Senior Indebtedness” will be defined in a supplemental indenture or authorizing resolutions respecting any issuance of a series of subordinated debt securities, and the definition will be set forth in the prospectus supplement.

 

Payment Blockages

 

The subordinated indenture will provide that no payment of principal, interest and any premium on the subordinated debt securities may be made in the event:

 

 

No Limitation on Amount of Senior Debt

 

The subordinated indenture will not limit the amount of Senior Indebtedness that Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P. may incur, unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement.

 

The debt securities of a particular series may be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more global certificates that will be deposited with the Trustee as custodian for The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York (“DTC”) This means that we will not issue certificates to each holder. Instead, one or more global debt securities will be issued to DTC, who will keep a computerized record of its participants (for example, your broker) whose clients have purchased the debt securities. The participant will then keep a record of its clients who purchased the debt securities. Unless it is exchanged in whole or in part for a certificated debt security, a global debt security may not be transferred, except that DTC, its nominees and their successors may transfer a global debt security as a whole to one another.

 

Beneficial interests in global debt securities will be shown on, and transfers of global debt securities will be made only through, records maintained by DTC and its participants.

 

DTC has provided us the following information: DTC is a limited purpose trust company organized under the New York Banking Law, a “banking organization” within the meaning of the New York Banking Law, a member of the United States Federal Reserve System, a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code and a “clearing agency” registered under the provisions of Section 17A of the Exchange Act. DTC holds securities that its participants (“Direct Participants”) deposit with DTC. DTC also records the settlement among Direct Participants of securities transactions, such as transfers and pledges, in deposited securities through computerized records for Direct Participants’ accounts. This eliminates the need to exchange certificates. Direct Participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations.

 

DTC’s book- entry system is also used by other organizations such as securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies and clearing corporations that work through a Direct Participant. The rules that apply to DTC and its participants are on file with the SEC.

DTC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (“DTCC”). DTCC is the holding company for DTC, National Securities Clearing Corporation and Fixed Income Clearing Corporation, all of which are registered clearing agencies. DTCC is owned by the users of its regulated subsidiaries.

 

We will wire all payments on the global debt securities to DTC’s nominee. We and the Trustee will treat DTC’s nominee as the owner of the global debt securities for all purposes. Accordingly, we, the Trustee and any paying agent will have no direct responsibility or liability to pay amounts due on the global debt securities to owners of beneficial interests in the global debt securities.

 

It is DTC’s current practice, upon receipt of any payment on the global debt securities, to credit Direct Participants’ accounts on the payment date according to their respective holdings of beneficial interests in the global debt securities as shown on DTC’s records. In addition, it is DTC’s current practice to assign any consenting or voting rights to Direct Participants whose accounts are credited with debt securities on a record date, by using an omnibus proxy. Payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in the global debt securities, and voting by participants, will be governed by the customary practices between the participants and owners of beneficial interests, as is the case with debt securities held for the account of customers registered in “street name.” However, payments will be the responsibility of the participants and not of DTC, the Trustee or us.

 

Debt securities represented by a global debt security will be exchangeable for certificated debt securities with the same terms in authorized denominations only if:

 

 

Each indenture will be discharged and will cease to be of further effect as to all outstanding debt securities of any series issued thereunder, when:

 

(a) either:

 

(1) all outstanding debt securities of that series that have been authenticated (except lost, stolen or destroyed debt securities that have been replaced or paid and debt securities for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust and thereafter repaid to us) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

 

(2) all outstanding debt securities of that series that have not been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation have become due and payable by reason of the giving of a notice of redemption or otherwise or will become due and payable at their stated maturity within one year or are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee and in any case we have irrevocably deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust cash in U.S. dollars, non-callable U.S. Government Obligations or a combination thereof, in such amounts as will be sufficient, without consideration of any reinvestment of interest, to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness of such debt securities not delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, for principal, premium, if any, and accrued interest to the date of such deposit (in the case of debt securities that have been due and payable) or the stated maturity or redemption date;

 

(b) we have paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable by us under the indenture; and

 

(c) we have delivered an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel to the Trustee stating that all conditions precedent to satisfaction and discharge have been satisfied.

 

The debt securities of a particular series will be subject to legal or covenant defeasance to the extent, and upon the terms and conditions, set forth in the prospectus supplement.

 

Each indenture and all of the debt securities will be governed by the laws of the State of New York.

 

We will enter into the indentures with a Trustee that is qualified to act under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and with any other trustees chosen by us and appointed in a supplemental indenture for a particular series of debt securities. We may maintain a banking relationship in the ordinary course of business with our trustee and one or more of its affiliates.

 

Resignation or Removal of Trustee

 

If the Trustee has or acquires a conflicting interest within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee must either eliminate its conflicting interest or resign, to the extent and in the manner provided by, and subject to the provisions of, the Trust Indenture Act and the applicable indenture. Any resignation will require the appointment of a successor trustee under the applicable indenture in accordance with the terms and conditions of such indenture.

 

The Trustee may resign or be removed by us with respect to one or more series of debt securities and a successor Trustee may be appointed to act with respect to any such series. The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of any series may remove the Trustee with respect to the debt securities of such series.

 

Limitations on Trustee if it is Our Creditor

 

Each indenture will contain certain limitations on the right of the Trustee, in the event that it becomes a creditor of an issuer or a guarantor, to obtain payment of claims in certain cases, or to realize on certain property received in respect of any such claim as security or otherwise.

 

Annual Trustee Report to Holders of Debt Securities

 

The Trustee is required to submit an annual report to the holders of the debt securities regarding, among other things, the Trustee’s eligibility to serve as such, the priority of the Trustee’s claims regarding certain advances made by it, and any action taken by the Trustee materially affecting the debt securities.

 

Certificates and Opinions to be Furnished to Trustee

 

Each indenture will provide that, in addition to other certificates or opinions that may be specifically required by other provisions of the indenture, every application by us for action by the Trustee shall be accompanied by a certificate of certain of our officers and an opinion of counsel (who may be our counsel) stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent to such action have been complied with by us.

 

This section is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences that may be relevant to prospective unitholders. To the extent this section discusses U.S. federal income taxes, that discussion is based upon current provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”), existing and proposed Treasury regulations thereunder (the “Treasury Regulations”), and current administrative rulings and court decisions, all of which are subject to change. Changes in these authorities may cause the U.S. federal income tax consequences to a prospective unitholder to vary substantially from the consequences described below. Unless the context otherwise requires, references in this section to “we” or “us” are references to Calumet and our subsidiaries.

 

This section does not address all U.S. federal income tax matters that affect us or our unitholders. Furthermore, this section focuses on unitholders who are individual citizens or residents of the United States

(as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes), whose functional currency is the U.S. dollar and who hold units as a capital asset (generally, property that is held as an investment). This section has only limited applicability to corporations, partnerships (and entities treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes), estates, trusts, non-resident aliens or other unitholders subject to specialized tax treatment, such as tax-exempt institutions, non-U.S. persons, individual retirement accounts, employee benefit plans, real estate investment trusts or mutual funds. Accordingly, we encourage each unitholder to consult, and depend on, such unitholder’s own tax advisor in analyzing the U.S. federal, state, local and non-U.S. tax consequences particular to that unitholder resulting from their ownership or disposition of its units.

 

We are relying on opinions and advice of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. with respect to the matters described herein. An opinion of counsel represents only that counsel’s best legal judgment and does not bind the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) or the courts. Accordingly, the opinions and statements made herein may not be sustained by a court if contested by the IRS. Any contest by the IRS of the matters described herein may materially and adversely impact the market for our units and the prices at which such units trade. In addition, the costs of any contest with the IRS, including legal, accounting and related fees, will result in a reduction in cash available for distribution to our unitholders and our general partner and thus will be borne indirectly by our unitholders and our general partner. Furthermore, our tax treatment, or the tax treatment of an investment in us, may be significantly modified by future legislative or administrative changes or court decisions. Any modifications may or may not be retroactively applied.

 

All statements of law and legal conclusions, but not any statements of fact, contained in this section, except as described below or otherwise noted, are the opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. and are based on the accuracy of representations made by us to them for this purpose. For the reasons described below, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has not rendered an opinion with respect to the following specific U.S. federal income tax issues: (1) the treatment of a unitholder whose units are loaned to a short seller to cover a short sale of units (please read “— Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership — Treatment of Short Sales”); (2) whether our monthly convention for allocating taxable income and losses is permitted by existing Treasury Regulations (please read “— Disposition of Units — Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees”); and (3) whether our method for taking into account Section 743 adjustments is sustainable in certain cases (please read “Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership — Section 754 Election” and “— Uniformity of Units”).

 

Partnership Status.  We expect to be treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes and, therefore, generally will not be liable for U.S. federal income taxes. Instead, as described in detail below, each of our unitholders will be required to take into account its respective share of our items of income, gain, loss and deduction in computing its U.S. federal income tax liability as if the unitholder had earned such income directly, even if no cash distributions are made to the unitholder. Distributions by us to a unitholder generally do not give rise to income or gain taxable to a partner, unless the amount of cash distributed to the partners exceeds the partner’s adjusted U.S. federal income tax basis in its partnership interest.

 

Section 7704 of the Internal Revenue Code provides that publicly traded partnerships will, as a general rule, be treated as corporations for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Under a “Qualifying Income Exception” however, if 90% or more of the partnership’s gross income for every taxable year consists of “qualifying income,” the partnership may continue to be treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Qualifying income includes income and gains derived from the refining, transportation, storage, processing and marketing of crude oil, natural gas and products thereof. Other types of qualifying income include interest (other than from a financial business), dividends, gains from the sale of real property and gains from the sale or other disposition of capital assets held for the production of income that constitutes qualifying income. We estimate that less than 4% of our current gross income is not qualifying income; however, this estimate could change from time to time.

 

Based upon factual representations made by us and our general partner regarding the composition of our income and the other representations set forth below, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is of the opinion that we will be classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes for the current year. In rendering its opinion,

Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has relied on factual representations made by us and our general partner. The representations made by us and our general partner upon which Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has relied include, without limitation:

 

(a) Neither we nor any of our partnership or limited liability company subsidiaries has elected to be treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes;

 

(b) For each taxable year since the year of our initial public offering, more than 90% of our gross income has been income of a character that Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has opined is “qualifying income” within the meaning of Section 7704(d) of the Internal Revenue Code; and

 

(c) Each hedging transaction that we treat as resulting in qualifying income has been appropriately identified as a hedging transaction pursuant to applicable Treasury Regulations, and has been associated with crude oil, natural gas, or products thereof that are held or to be held by us in activities that Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has opined result in qualifying income.

 

We believe that these representations are true and expect that these representations will be true in the future.

 

If we fail to meet the Qualifying Income Exception, other than a failure that is determined by the IRS to be inadvertent and that is cured within a reasonable time after discovery (in which case the IRS may also require us to make adjustments with respect to our unitholders or pay other amounts), we will be treated as if we have transferred all of our assets, subject to liabilities, to a newly formed corporation, on the first day of the year in which we fail to meet the Qualifying Income Exception, in return for stock in that corporation and then distributed that stock to our unitholders in liquidation of their interests in us. This deemed contribution and liquidation should not result in the recognition of taxable income by our unitholders or us so long as we, at that time, do not have liabilities in excess of the tax basis of our assets. Thereafter, we would be treated as an association taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

If we were treated as an association taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes in any taxable year, either as a result of a failure to meet the Qualifying Income Exception or otherwise, our items of income, gain, loss and deduction would be taken into account by us in determining the amount of our liability for U.S. federal income tax, rather than being passed through to the unitholders. In addition, any distribution made to a unitholder would be treated as taxable dividend income to the extent of our current or accumulated earnings and profits, or, in the absence of earnings and profits, a nontaxable return of capital to the extent of the unitholder’s tax basis in our units, or taxable capital gain, after the unitholder’s tax basis in our units is reduced to zero. Accordingly, our taxation as a corporation would result in a material reduction in our cash distributions to unitholders and thus would likely result in a substantial reduction of the value of our units.

 

The remainder of this discussion assumes that we will be classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

Limited Partner Status.  Unitholders who are admitted as limited partners of Calumet, as well as unitholders whose units are held in street name or by a nominee and who have the right to direct the nominee in the exercise of all substantive rights attendant to the ownership of units, will be treated as tax partners of Calumet for U.S. federal income tax purposes. For a discussion related to the risks of losing partner status as a result of short sales, please read “— Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership — Treatment of Short Sales.” Unitholders who are not treated as partners in us as described above are urged to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the tax consequences applicable to them under the circumstances.

 

Flow-Through of Taxable Income.  Subject to the discussion below under “— Entity-Level Collections of Unitholder Taxes” with respect to payments we may be required to make on behalf of our unitholders, and aside from any taxes paid by our corporate operating subsidiary, we do not pay any U.S. federal income tax. For U.S. federal income tax purposes, each unitholder will be required to report on its income tax return its share of our income, gains, losses and deductions for our taxable year or years ending with or within its

taxable year. Consequently, we may allocate income to a unitholder even if that unitholder has not received a cash distribution.

 

Treatment of Distributions.  Distributions made by us to a unitholder generally will not be taxable to the unitholder for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Cash distributions made by us to a unitholder in an amount in excess of the unitholder’s tax basis in its units, however, generally will result in the unitholder recognizing gain taxable in the manner described under “— Disposition of Units” below.

 

Any reduction in a unitholder’s share of our “nonrecourse liabilities” (or liabilities for which no partner bears the economic risk of loss) will be treated as a distribution by us of cash to that unitholder. A decrease in a unitholder’s percentage interest in us because of our issuance of additional units will decrease the unitholder’s share of our nonrecourse liabilities and thus will result in a corresponding deemed distribution of cash to the unitholder. For purposes of the foregoing, a unitholder’s share of our nonrecourse liabilities generally will be based upon that unitholder’s share of the unrealized appreciation (or depreciation) in our assets, to the extent thereof, with any additional amount allocated based on the unitholder’s share of our profits. Please read “Disposition of Units.”

 

A non-pro rata distribution of money or property, including a non-pro rata distribution deemed to result from a decrease in a unitholder’s share of our non-recourse liabilities, may result in ordinary income to a unitholder, regardless of that unitholder’s tax basis in its units, if the distribution reduces the unitholder’s share of our “unrealized receivables,” including depreciation recapture, and/or substantially appreciated “inventory items,” both as defined in Section 751 of the Internal Revenue Code, and collectively, “Section 751 Assets.” To that extent, a unitholder will be treated as having received its proportionate share of the Section 751 Assets and then having exchanged those assets with us in return for an allocable portion of the distribution made to such unitholder. This latter deemed exchange generally will result in the unitholder’s realization of ordinary income. That income will equal the excess of (1) the non-pro rata portion of that distribution over (2) the unitholder’s tax basis (generally zero) for the share of Section 751 Assets deemed relinquished in the exchange.

 

Basis of Units.  A unitholder’s U.S. federal income tax basis in its units initially will be the amount it paid for those units plus its share of our liabilities at the time of purchase. That basis generally will be (i) increased by the unitholder’s share of our income and by any increases in such unitholder’s share of our nonrecourse liabilities, and (ii) decreased, but not below zero, by distributions to it, by its share of our losses, by any decreases in its share of our nonrecourse liabilities and by its share of our expenditures that are not deductible in computing taxable income and are not required to be capitalized.

 

Limitations on Deductibility of Losses.  The deduction by a unitholder of that unitholder’s share of our losses will be limited to the lesser of (i) the tax basis such unitholder has in its units, and (ii) in the case of a unitholder who is an individual, estate, trust or corporation (if more than 50% of the corporation’s stock is owned directly or indirectly by or for five or fewer individuals or a specific type of tax exempt organization) the amount for which the unitholder is considered to be “at risk” with respect to our activities. A unitholder subject to these limitations must recapture losses deducted in previous years to the extent that distributions cause the unitholder’s at risk amount to be less than zero at the end of any taxable year. Losses disallowed to a unitholder or recaptured as a result of these limitations will carry forward and will be allowable as a deduction in a later year to the extent that the unitholder’s tax basis or at risk amount, whichever is the limiting factor, is subsequently increased. Upon the taxable disposition of a unit, any gain recognized by a unitholder can be offset by losses that were previously suspended by the at risk limitation but may not be offset by losses suspended by the basis limitation. Any loss previously suspended by the at risk limitation in excess of that gain could no longer be used.

 

In general, a unitholder will be at risk to the extent of its U.S. federal income tax basis in its units, excluding any portion of that basis attributable to the unitholder’s share of our liabilities, reduced by (1) any portion of that basis representing amounts otherwise protected against loss because of a guarantee, stop loss agreement or other similar arrangement and (2) any amount of money the unitholder borrows to acquire or hold its units, if the lender of those borrowed funds owns an interest in us, is related to another unitholder or can look only to the units for repayment. A unitholder’s at risk amount will increase or decrease as the tax

basis of the unitholder’s units increases or decreases, other than as a result of increases or decreases in the unitholder’s share of our liabilities.

 

In addition to the basis and at risk limitations on the deductibility of losses, passive activity loss limitations generally apply to limit the deductibility of losses incurred by individuals, estates, trusts and some closely held corporations and personal service corporations from “passive activities,” which are generally defined as trade or business activities in which the taxpayer does not materially participate. The passive loss limitations are applied separately with respect to each publicly-traded partnership. Consequently, any passive losses we generate will be available to offset only our passive income generated in the future and will not be available to offset income from other passive activities or investments, including its investments or a unitholder’s investments in other publicly-traded partnerships, or a unitholder’s salary or active business income. Passive losses that are not deductible because they exceed a unitholder’s share of income we generate may be deducted in full when it disposes of its entire investment in us in a fully taxable transaction with an unrelated party. The passive activity loss rules are applied after other applicable limitations on deductions, including the at risk rules and the basis limitation.

 

Limitations on Interest Deductions.  The deductibility of a non-corporate taxpayer’s “investment interest expense” is generally limited to the amount of that taxpayer’s “net investment income.” Investment interest expense includes:

 

 

The computation of a unitholder’s investment interest expense will take into account interest on any margin account borrowing or other loan incurred to purchase or carry a unit. Net investment income includes gross income from property held for investment and amounts treated as portfolio income under the passive loss rules, less deductible expenses, other than interest, directly connected with the production of investment income, but generally does not include gains attributable to the disposition of property held for investment or qualified dividend income. The IRS has indicated that net passive income earned by a publicly-traded partnership will be treated as investment income to its unitholders for purposes of the investment interest expense limitation. In addition, the unitholder’s share of our portfolio income will be treated as investment income.

 

Entity-Level Collections of Unitholder Taxes.  If we are required or elect under applicable law to pay any U.S. federal, state, local or non-U.S. tax on behalf of any unitholder or our general partner or any former unitholder, we are authorized to pay those taxes from our funds and treat the payment as a distribution of cash to the unitholder on whose behalf the payment was made. If the payment is made on behalf of a unitholder whose identity cannot be determined, we are authorized to treat the payment as a distribution to all current unitholders. We are authorized to amend our limited partnership agreement in the manner necessary to maintain uniformity of intrinsic tax characteristics of units and to adjust later distributions, so that after giving effect to these distributions, the priority and characterization of distributions otherwise applicable under our limited partnership agreement is maintained as nearly as is practicable. Payments by us as described above could give rise to an overpayment of tax on behalf of an individual unitholder in which event the unitholder may be entitled to claim a refund of the overpayment amount. Unitholders are urged to consult their tax advisors to determine the consequences to them of any tax payment we make on their behalf.

 

Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction.  In general, if we have a net profit, our items of income, gain, loss and deduction will be allocated among the general partner and our unitholders in accordance with their percentage interests in us. At any time that distributions are made to the common units and not to the subordinated units, or that incentive distributions are made to the general partner, gross income will be allocated to the recipients to the extent of such distributions. If we have a net loss, our items of income, gain, loss and deduction will be allocated first among the general partner and our unitholders in accordance with

their percentage interests in us to the extent of their positive capital accounts and thereafter to our general partner.

 

Specified items of our income, gain, loss and deduction will be allocated under Section 704(c) of the Internal Revenue Code to account for (i) any difference between the U.S. federal income tax basis and fair market value of our assets at the time of an offering and (ii) any difference between the U.S. federal income tax basis and fair market value of any property contributed to us that exists at the time of such contribution, with any such difference referred to in this discussion as a “Book-Tax Disparity.” In addition, items of recapture income will be specially allocated to the extent possible to the unitholder who was allocated the deduction giving rise to that recapture income in order to minimize the recognition of ordinary income by other unitholders.

 

An allocation of items of our income, gain, loss or deduction, generally will be given effect for federal income tax purposes in determining a unitholder’s share of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction only if the allocation has “substantial economic effect” as determined under Treasury Regulations promulgated under the Code. In any other case, a unitholder’s share of an item will be determined on the basis of its interest in us, which will be determined by taking into account all the facts and circumstances, including:

 

 

Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is of the opinion that, with the exception of the issues described in “— Section 754 Election” and “— Disposition of Units — Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees,” allocations under our amended and restated partnership agreement will be given effect for federal income tax purposes in determining a unitholder’s share of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction.

 

Treatment of Short Sales.  A unitholder whose units are loaned to a “short seller” to cover a short sale of units may be considered as having disposed of those units. If so, such unitholder would no longer be treated for tax purposes as a partner with respect to those units during the period of the loan and may recognize gain or loss from the disposition. As a result, during this period: