Register for free to join our community of investors and share your ideas. You will also get access to streaming quotes, interactive charts, trades, portfolio, live options flow and more tools.
Register for free to join our community of investors and share your ideas. You will also get access to streaming quotes, interactive charts, trades, portfolio, live options flow and more tools.
Rotary engine comes full circle
Spokane company has big plans for new version
On the Web
For more information, visit www.regtech.com
Parker Howell
Staff writer
May 1, 2007
Longer-range unmanned military aircraft.
More fuel-efficient hybrid electric vehicles.
Smaller and lighter car air conditioners.
A fledging Spokane-based company foresees a variety of potential applications for a next-generation engine technology it wants to license for use in machines worldwide – if it can demonstrate that its ideas work in their entirety.
Using patents and inventions dating to the late 1980s, REGI U.S. Inc. recently began developing and marketing its rotary-power technology for pumps, compressors and engines. The company boasts that its RadMax rotary engines – which would create power using a spinning rotor between two curved cams, rather than the pistons of a traditional engine – could run on a variety of fuels and offer more power for less weight than piston engines.
REGI U.S., which has a one-man office at the Spokane technology business incubator Sirti, submitted a proposal to the U.S. Navy for a low-horsepower, lightweight external combustion engine for use in unmanned aerial vehicles. Company leaders hope to find out this week whether they will be selected to submit a 60-page white paper, the next phase of the proposal .
The company has a $10 million line of credit from a New York investment banker, and the business magazine Forbes featured REGI U.S.'s take on rotary engines in a recent issue.
But REGI U.S. lacks a working engine prototype.
A functional version of its pump may be ready by the end of May, and an engine prototype might follow as early as next spring, if the company can overcome remaining technical hurdles, said Bob Grisar, vice president of engineering.
"2007 is really our year to bring this forward," Lynn Petersen, vice president of marketing for REGI U.S., told the Sirti Board of Directors at a recent meeting. "This is the year that will make or break us."
Until the company has a model that demonstrates sustained combustion, some industry insiders may remain skeptical.
"With the technology that's been patented for 10 years and hasn't run yet, I think that speaks for itself," said Rex Reum, vice president and general manager of Jetseal Inc., a Spokane company that makes metal seals for the aerospace and automotive industries.
REGI U.S. designs are "a difficult thing to engineer," he said.
A new type of engine
An Oregon corporation formed in the mid-1990s, REGI U.S. is the U.S. subsidiary Reg Technologies Inc., a Canadian company with the worldwide RadMax patent rights. REGI U.S., set up as a "virtual company" with geographically separated offices, employs nine, including Petersen.
Both companies are publicly traded. REGI U.S. shares closed at $1.45 on Monday.
Petersen, former head of marketing for Jetseal, set up his office at Sirti after leaving Jetseal in November for REGI U.S.
Radmax Technologies Inc., a Washington subsidiary, formed recently to avoid U.S. military restrictions on international companies involved with sensitive technology, Petersen told the board.
Page 2 of 3
Many people associate rotary engines with the Wankel engine, which German engineer Felix Wankel designed in the 1950s. Found in Mazda's RX-7, the Wankel uses a triangular rotor to compress and ignite gas inside an ovular chamber. It involves fewer moving parts than a traditional, four-stroke piston engines found in cars, and it can be more powerful than comparable piston engines.
The Wankel, however, had fuel-efficiency, exhaust and seal problems –issues REGI U.S. leaders said they learned from and improved upon.
"I think they have an incredible technology," said John Overby, who counsels and coaches business as client services director for Sirti. "It is revolutionary. It's not a Wankel engine. It's got way more applications that a Wankel engine."
The RadMax engine would be 50 percent lighter and two to three times more powerful than a Wankel, Petersen said.
It would have only two unique moving parts – vanes and the rotor – and would provide 24 combustion events or 48 pumping or compression events per revolution, according to REGI U.S.
It would deliver approximately one horsepower per pound of engine weight, Petersen said.
Engines could be configured to run on heavy fuels, such as diesel and jet fuel. If an ignition system is added, it would run fuels such as ethanol, natural gas and propane.
"It's a very versatile engine," Petersen said.
For the internal combustion engine, as many as 12 vanes would slide up and down through the rotor like horses on a carousel. Chambers of varying volumes would form between both sides of the rotor and the vanes and cams, allowing intake, compression, ignition and exhaust.
One preliminary engine prototype provides 42 horsepower and measures about six inches in diameter by six inches wide, according to REGI U.S.
The RadMax engine would reduce noise by eliminating pistons, valves and other piston-engine parts.
Royalties, not manufacturing
REGI U.S. wants to license its technology to manufacturers for a variety of uses, earning royalties.
"There are companies already all over the world that already make engines," Petersen said. "To us, it's a much safer model and much less expensive if we make them partners rather than competitors in making these devices."
While unusual for companies to make large percentages of their revenue from licenses, "You can make money licensing if you have something that's really revolutionary and patented properly," Overby said.
With so many potential applications for RadMax technology, Overby said, REGI U.S.'s challenge will be going after "low-hanging fruit" – uses that will show the technology works. As an "early adopter" of technology, the military provides one such target.
"I would believe it would work today in pumps and probably in compressors," but engines requires more experimentation, Overby said.
"They've got a sexy idea here," Overby said. "If they wanted to just go out and raise money, I think the floodgates would open."
Potential applications
Page 3 of 3
The military wants a low-horsepower UAV engine, and the efficiency of RadMax engines decreases for smaller models. So the company is considering an external combustion engine that functions more like a jet engine.
"Unmanned aerial vehicles are a big part of our national defense now," and smaller engines and more ability to hold fuel mean they can stay aloft longer, Petersen said.
Electric cars using RadMax could function as chargers, increasing fuel economy and reducing reliance on toxic batteries, Grisar said.
But RadMax engines won't be showing up in everyday cars soon, Petersen said, because the company doesn't want to take on giants like Honda, which have amortized billions of dollars of spending on development of traditional engines over decades.
"Wherever weight or size is at a premium, this has a niche market," Grisar said.
http://www.spokesmanreview.com/business/story.asp?ID=187321
I spoke to Arnie (investor relations) today
He said they've been inundated with calls asking for information packages by Forbes magazine readers. When I called the phone was ringing off the hook.
He said the U.S. subsidiary was created because it's easier, regulatory wise, to submit proposals for funding when there are no alien directors of a company, which REGI U S has. He said the new subsidiary should be submitting proposals shortly.
Pump prototype is still scheduled for completion at the end of the month.
OT: Time & Sales for NWVM
0.20 130 OTO 15:58:44
0.35 130 OTO 15:58:44
0.90 200 OTO 15:55:04
0.88 1250 OTO 15:55:04
0.90 550 OTO 15:55:04
1.00 2000 OTO 15:55:04
0.85 150 OTO 15:28:50
0.88 650 OTO 15:28:50
1.00 800 OTO 15:28:50
0.30 105 OTO 15:03:58
0.20 105 OTO 15:03:58
0.30 1300 OTO 14:58:11
0.50 1000 OTO 14:58:11
0.70 1000 OTO 14:58:11
0.50 200 OTO 14:58:11
0.20 3500 OTO 14:58:11
0.88 100 OTO 14:37:28
0.95 100 OTO 14:37:28
1.04 2500 OTO 14:37:21
1.00 2100 OTO 14:37:00
1.00 1000 OTO 14:36:48
0.92 1000 OTO 13:33:37
1.05 400 OTO 09:35:18
0.94 500 OTO 09:32:52
1.05 500 OTO 09:32:52
0.80 1000 OTO 09:31:12
1.05 1000 OTO 09:31:07
0.20 175 OTO 09:30:11
Charlie, I read what you said at the real FASC board on RB and as far as the address goes, there is a Steven Devito Jr. Trucking Company at 89 Lowell Rd.
The number on the website was for the 87 address you mentioned. I called the number, they answered the phone Devito Trucking but when I said I was looking for New Environmental Solutions she said 'hmm' and asked if she could put me on hold, then came back and asked for my name and number and said someone would call me.
I said I am a prospective investor (which I guess I sort of am) but them answering the phone "Devito trucking" leaves something to be desired.
Address:
Not Available
Phone: 603-890-0317
Fax: 603-890-6957
Business Description:
Waste Disposal
Primary State of Incorporation: Washington
Country of Incorporation: USA
Year of Incorporation 1996
Officers:
Steven Devito, President/Dir.; Dean Themy, Secretary/Dir.
Fiscal Year End: December 31
Outstanding Shares: 36,711,542 as of 2006-11-30
Estimated Market Cap: Not Available
Authorized Shares: 100,000,000 as of 2006-11-30
Current Capital Change:
shs increased by 2 for 1 split. Payable upon surrender
Ex-Date: 2006-10-16
Record Date:
Pay Date:
Dividends:
Company Notes:
Note=7-20-99 Jurisdiction of Incorporation British Columbia changed to Nevada
Formerly=Nutri Source Industries, Inc. until 1-05. State of incorporation Nevada changed to Washington concurrent with name change
Formerly=Newmark Mining Corp. until 9-06
Class Notes:
Capital Change=shs decreased by 1 for 100 split. Effective date=1-31-05
Capital Change=shs decreased by 1 for 250 split. Pay date=09/22/2006.
Transfer Agent:
National Stock Transfer, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT 84105-2425
71 approx, sold at bid last 5 minutes. MMs are not going to get any shares down here.
The nice thing is, no one is going to sell here. And if they do, then they must need the cash badly. Even worse than me. Because a funded UPS loan is 3 cents base minimum. Anything else (including pre-purchase or private placement with targets to buy out Alembic) and it's at least 4.5 cents a share. Both of those and we are looking at 6 cents. So expect buying under 3 cents, because UPS is a sure thing, IMO.
shane nice call on waiting until today to buy. i hope it doesn't go to .027 but if it does, nice call again.
What's b.s. about it? If it wasn't for MXMN this stock would have been quoted a bid of under 3 cents for a lot of today.
So are you saying you think a R/S is coming?
Well I sure was wrong about today's trading. I thought some buying would come in at 3 cents. The ask is now at .031 but it sure isn't because buying moved it up there.
Whne they PRed the signatures were in place and funding was imminent, no one was waiting for final confirmation via a PR that the money was actually received. Hence, today's news is non-news.
Non-news is never good news. eom
It could be any MM at .03, the buying has been really slow the past couple hours.
How do you know they were sells? The bid and ask is the same.
I'm calling it, that was our second bottom. Smart money will be buying now.
This dip was a God send. Flippers out, new winvestors in. I know if I had dry powder I would wait until 3 cents to buy. This may test the lows or go beneath it, but I am very confident we do not finish the day at or under 3 cents a share.
Thanks TR, it's nice to see there is some work going on behind the scenes.
To appear in Forbes (April 23rd issue)
Son of Wankel
Christopher Steiner 04.23.07
How to get 51mpg from an engine the size of a Thanksgiving turkey.
You want to save the earth, but you're not ready for a hybrid car. The four-cylinder gasoline engine in the new Toyota (nyse: TM - news - people ) Corolla is about as efficient as it gets, producing 130hp and 41 highway miles per gallon. With plastic intake manifolds and head-mounted injectors, it weighs a scant 234 pounds. But what if you could get the same horsepower and 10mpg more from an engine that weighs half as much and could fit under a rear seat cushion? This is the promise of the rotary engine, a century-old technology that stalled two decades ago but may rev again.
Conventional four-stroke engines produce power by moving a piston up and down using rapid explosions of fuel and air in a cylindrical chamber. A rotary engine has no pistons. The Wankel engine in the Mazda RX-8 houses a rapidly spinning cam that is shaped to compress and combust fuel and air against the inside of an oval chamber. A new take on the rotary comes from a tiny company in Vancouver, B.C., called Reg Technologies (otcbb: REGRF.OB - news - people ). Its Radmax engine uses two wave-shaped cams that rotate above and below a stationary rotor. The cams' curved surfaces compress fuel and release exhaust as they spin, generating 24 combustions for each crankshaft revolution. A water-cooled Radmax engine, so claims Reg, weighs 1 pound per horsepower. A water-cooled Wankel weighs 2 pounds per horsepower.
Rotary engines for years suffered emissions problems that were caused by leaky seals as the cam rotated. Reg says the Radmax's design eliminates leaks. Testing on a 125hp diesel engine is scheduled to begin soon. But getting the Radmax to market may be a challenge. The company has a dubious aroma to it: past ties to the Jehovah's Witnesses and appearances in the lists of stocks hyped by spammers. The 25-year-old Reg still has no revenue and has lost $8 million since it began work on its rotary 20 years ago. Its volatile shares, traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange, recently sold for 43 cents.
Reg says it's been approached by Rolls-Royce (other-otc: RYCEY.PK - news - people ), Honda (nyse: HMC - news - people ) and Boeing (nyse: BA - news - people ), but its hopes currently rest with the U.S. military, which is pursuing the idea of sticking the lightweight Radmax into aerial drones.
bigD, thanks for your understanding. where i will disagree with you is that i think earnings will drive the PPS. personally i am hoping the stock price does hit .06-.08 short term. i am undecided exactly where my exit point is, but if it hits .07 i'm gone. if this drug is the hit i think it will be, i will re-enter the stock in the future. not only is it a good business model, but it is also a good story, and we'll probably hear about XeChem on 60 Minutes one day. Peace.
bigD it's because I think I will be able to get at least 5 cents per share next week. I don't hate the company or management, but I think they could have done a better job with dilution over the years, not to mention getting this drug to market faster. (Although I did mention that maybe Blech bribed Nigerians to hand over the drug to XeChem, so perhaps they were beholden to him.) If I had more money/shares I'd be looking to hold some shares long term, but I'm doing poor financially and only have 500,000 shares and I'm not going to risk holding this stock long term when I don't see this stock being worth more than 7 cents for the next 9 months with the information to which I am privy.
If a substantial pre-purchase announcement is made before I exit the stock, I may very well reconsider my strategy. Good luck to you in the upcoming week.
And how about no "sell your shares and f--k off" type messages, either? :O)
Well I had an idea some time back, for "Post of the Day." I think it should be a DD based (and opinion free) post to keep in spirit with the IBOX. This should make getting caught up on reading the board a little easier.
If Trans or lsd or whoever come up with a couple gems in a day, well Posts of the Day then, eh?
And have the Posts of the Day go back a few days.
Thanks TR for the improvements info. eom
tech, is there a new KDS (model name) and has the company specifically mentioned they have created a new and better KDS? Or just made passing mention in the 10K that improvements are ongoing?
200 million US? More like 3,367,404 US...you don't really think Nigerians calculate their budget in a foreign nations currency, do you?
sleddog, are you that nervous about your investment that you can't handle a little "subtle bashing."
1 post left, I'll save it for the EOD run.
The only reason I made good bank on it was because of a pump and dump, and I was smart enough to at least dump half. I used to envision this stock going to 1 bucks. I think the o/s was like 200 million when I got in. I'd say I'm making sense.
Because the o/s is 1.5 billion and they are going to be selling it to Africans! Yeah if the Prez of Nigeria steps up and says he's gonna pay 200 million bucks annually on Nicosan, I'll say the stock should be 10 cents. And I'll be happy for whoever held.
I'm not going to hold a stock just because some penny stock pumper says news is coming though.
Agreed bahouka. eom
You guys are little bitches, oh no I'mma dump your beloved XKEM, boohoo. You all do what you do, it might be a buck one day. But if you were soooo long term, why the hell are you here every freaking minute of the day?
Who said I lost? I've never bought any share over 3 cents. Maybe I've been here 2.5 years, not 3. Anyhow, I bought virtually all my shares under 2 cents. This is the only stock I actually ever made any decent bank on.
What's so great about it? Another day of consolidation coming? I just want to get out of this stock, and I want MOMO. I've been in this for 3 years, I dumped half last summer, and the company pissed me off with the dilution. So I'mma dump my shares into a run. Probably makes sense now, eh?
Why is their timing always so terrible? PR on a Thursday afternoon before a long weekend? I guess if you are following it up with earthshattering PRs the next week it isn't so bad. I kinda wanted to have a reason to smile this weekend though....oh well, there's always "next week".
I agree, this sucks. We needed news and we didn't get any.
Gap filled, 50K at .035.....let's ride. lol
NITE say - me no likey gap up. :O)
Not really, just another gap to fill. lol
Thanks tech, good analysis and info. Bricks aren't quite as cool as animal bedding (I'm not sure if I'm kidding or not) but whatever builds my future home is fine with me.
Go FASC!! To the moooooooooon...erm, I mean....to the stratosphere!
gwho I recall reading something that the mayor would have to sign off on the loan, and of course the city would have to find someone to buy the debenture after that.
I didn't read hardly any of it, but their mention of the possibilities for unfractionated pelletized dried sludge for use in boilers was interesting.
So many possibilities with this machine. I just hope something happens sooner rather than later. If ever.
Thanks Juggsy.