As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 15, 2010

Registration No. 333-          

 

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

 

 

Form S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

 

 

Harsco Corporation

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

350 Poplar Church Road

Camp Hill, Pennsylvania 17011

(717) 763-7064

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

Mark E. Kimmel

Senior Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer,

General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

Harsco Corporation

350 Poplar Church Road

Camp Hill, Pennsylvania 17011

Telephone: (717) 763-7064

Facsimile: (717) 763-6424

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

Copies to:

 

Christopher M. Kelly

Michael J. Solecki

Jones Day

901 Lakeside Avenue

Cleveland, Ohio 44114

Telephone: (216) 586-3939

Facsimile: (216) 579-0212

 

 

 

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:  From time to time after the effective date of this registration statement.

 

If the only securities being registered on this form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box.  o

 

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box.  þ

 

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  o

 

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  o

 

If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  þ

 

If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  o

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

 

 

Prospectus

 

 

Harsco Corporation

 

Debt Securities

 

We intend to offer from time to time our debt securities. We may sell these securities in one or more offerings at prices and on other terms to be determined at the time of offering.

 

We will provide the specific terms of the securities to be offered in one or more supplements to this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement carefully before you invest in our securities. This prospectus may not be used to offer and sell our securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement describing the method and terms of the offering of those offered securities.

 

We may offer our securities through agents, underwriters or dealers or directly to investors. Each prospectus supplement will provide the amount, price and terms of the plan of distribution relating to the securities to be sold pursuant to such prospectus supplement. We will set forth the names of any underwriters or agents in the accompanying prospectus supplement, as well as the net proceeds we expect to receive from such sale. In addition, the underwriters, if any, may over-allot a portion of the securities.

 

Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and trades under the ticker symbol “HSC” on that exchange. If we decide to seek a listing of any securities offered by this prospectus, we will disclose the exchange or market on which the securities will be listed, if any, or where we have made an application for listing, if any, in one or more supplements to this prospectus.

 

Prior to making a decision about investing in our securities, you should consider carefully any risk factors contained in a prospectus supplement, as well as the risk factors set forth in our most recently filed annual report on Form 10-K and other filings we may make from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. See “Risk Factors” on page 1.

 

 

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 September 15, 2010.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may from time to time sell the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings at prices and on other terms to be determined at the time of offering.

 

This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we sell securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain more specific information about the terms of that offering. For a more complete understanding of the offering of the securities, you should refer to the registration statement, including its exhibits. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with additional information under the heading “Where You Can Find Additional Information” and “Incorporation of Certain Information By Reference.”

 

You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and in any prospectus supplement or in any free writing prospectus that we may provide to you. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or any document incorporated by reference is accurate as of any date other than the date mentioned on the cover page of these documents. We are not making offers to sell the securities in any jurisdiction in which an offer or solicitation is not authorized or in which the person making such offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so or to anyone to whom it is unlawful to make an offer or solicitation.

 

References in this prospectus to the terms “we,” “us,” “our” or “Harsco” or other similar terms mean Harsco Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries, unless we state otherwise or the context indicates otherwise. References in this prospectus to the term the “Company” mean Harsco Corporation and any successor thereto.

 

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any reports, statements and other information filed by us at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the Public Reference Room. The SEC maintains an Internet website that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers, including us, that file electronically with the SEC. The address for the SEC’s website is www.sec.gov. Information contained on the SEC’s website is not part of this prospectus, and the reference to the SEC’s website does not constitute incorporation by reference into this prospectus of the information contained at that site.

 

Our Internet website address is www.harsco.com. Through this Internet website (found in the “Investor Relations” link), we make available, free of charge, our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K, and all amendments to those reports, as soon as reasonably practicable after these reports are electronically filed or furnished to the SEC. Information contained on or accessible through our website is not part of this prospectus, and the reference to our website does not constitute incorporation by reference into this prospectus of the information contained at that site.

 

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” into this prospectus the information in documents we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be a part of this prospectus, and information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. Any statement contained in any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained

in or omitted from this prospectus or any accompanying prospectus supplement, or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein, modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus.

 

We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings we make with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 until the completion of the offering of securities described in this prospectus:

 

 

You may obtain copies of these filings without charge by requesting the filings in writing or by telephone at the following address.

 

350 Poplar Church Road

Camp Hill, Pennsylvania 17011

Attention: General Counsel

(717) 763-7064

 

We will not, however, incorporate by reference in this prospectus any documents or portions thereof that are not deemed “filed” with the SEC, including any information furnished pursuant to Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of our current reports on Form 8-K after the date of this prospectus unless, and except to the extent, specified in such current reports.

 

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933 covering the securities to be offered and sold by this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement. This prospectus does not contain all of the information included in the registration statement, some of which is contained in exhibits to the registration statement. The registration statement, including the exhibits, can be read at the SEC’s website or at the SEC’s offices referred to above. Any statement made in this prospectus or the prospectus supplement concerning the contents of any contract, agreement or other document is only a summary of the actual contract, agreement or other document. If we have filed any contract, agreement or other document as an exhibit to the registration statement, you should read the exhibit for a more complete understanding of the document or matter involved. Each statement regarding a contract, agreement or other document is qualified in its entirety by reference to the actual document.

 

The nature of our business and the many countries in which we operate subject us to changing economic, competitive, regulatory and technological conditions, risks and uncertainties. Some of the statements contained in this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement or incorporated by reference into this prospectus are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. In accordance with the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, we provide the following cautionary remarks regarding important factors which, among others, could cause future results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements, expectations and assumptions expressed or implied herein. Forward-looking statements contained herein could include, among other things, statements about our management confidence and strategies for performance; expectations for new and existing products, technologies and opportunities; and expectations regarding growth, sales, cash flows, earnings and Economic Value Added (EVA^®). These statements can be identified by the use of such terms as “may,” “could,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “believe” or other comparable terms.

 

Factors that could cause results to differ include, but are not limited to: changes in the worldwide business environment in which we operate, including general economic conditions; changes in currency

exchange rates, interest rates, commodity and fuel costs and capital costs; changes in the performance of stock and bond markets that could affect, among other things, the valuation of the assets in our pension plans and the accounting for pension assets, liabilities and expenses; changes in governmental laws and regulations, including environmental, tax and import tariff standards; market and competitive changes, including pricing pressures, market demand and acceptance for new products, services and technologies; unforeseen business disruptions in one or more of the many countries in which we operate due to political instability, civil disobedience, armed hostilities, public health issues or other calamities; the seasonal nature of our business; our ability to successfully enter into new contracts and complete new acquisitions or joint ventures in the timeframe contemplated or at all; the integration of our strategic acquisitions; the amount and timing of repurchases of our common stock, if any; the ongoing global financial and credit crisis, which could result in our customers curtailing development projects, construction, production and capital expenditures, which, in turn, could reduce the demand for our products and services and, accordingly, our sales, margins and profitability; the financial condition of our customers, including the ability of customers (especially those that may be highly leveraged and those with inadequate liquidity) to maintain their credit availability; our ability to successfully implement cost-reduction initiatives; and other risk factors set forth in our most recently filed annual report on Form 10-K and other filings we may make from time to time with the SEC. See “Risk Factors” on page 2. We caution that these factors may not be exhaustive and that many of these factors are beyond our ability to control or predict. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a prediction of actual results.

 

Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made, and we undertake no duty to update forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law. In light of these and other uncertainties, the inclusion of a forward-looking statement herein should not be regarded as a representation by us that our plans and objectives will be achieved.

 

Harsco is a diversified, multinational provider of market-leading industrial services and engineered products. Our operations fall into three reportable segments: Harsco Infrastructure, Harsco Metals and Harsco Rail (formerly included as a part of the “All Other” Category), plus an “All Other” Category labeled Harsco Minerals & Harsco Industrial.

 

The Company was incorporated as a Delaware corporation in 1956. Our executive offices are located at 350 Poplar Church Road, Camp Hill, Pennsylvania 17011. Our main telephone number is (717) 763-7064, and our Internet website address is www.harsco.com. Information contained on or accessible through our website is not part of this prospectus, and the reference to our website does not constitute incorporation by reference into this prospectus of the information contained at that site.

 

An investment in our securities involves risk. Prior to making a decision about investing in our securities, and in consultation with your own financial and legal advisors, you should carefully consider any risk factors contained in a prospectus supplement, as well as the risk factors set forth in our most recently filed annual report on Form 10-K under the heading “Risk Factors” and other filings we may make from time to time with the SEC. You should also refer to the other information in this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, including our financial statements and the related notes incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

 

Unless otherwise indicated in any applicable prospectus supplement or other offering materials, we intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of our securities to which this prospectus relates for general corporate purposes. General corporate purposes may include repayment of debt, acquisitions, investments, additions to working capital, capital expenditures and advances to or investments in our subsidiaries. Pending any specific application, we may invest net proceeds in short-term marketable securities or apply them to the reduction of short-term debt.

 

The following table sets forth our ratio of consolidated earnings to fixed charges for the periods presented:

 

 

 

 

“Fixed charges” represent interest expense, amortization of debt expense and any discount or premium related to indebtedness, capitalized interest and the portion of rental expense representing the interest factor for continuing and discontinued operations. “Earnings” represent the sum of pre-tax income from continuing operations before adjustment for income or loss from equity investees, fixed charges, amortization of capitalized interest and distributed income of equity method investees, less interest capitalized and the noncontrolling interest in pre-tax income of subsidiaries that have not incurred fixed charges.

 

The following is a general description of the debt securities that the Company may offer from time to time under this prospectus. The financial terms and other specific terms of the debt securities being offered will be described in a prospectus supplement relating to the issuance of those securities. Those terms may vary from the terms described herein. Although the debt securities that the Company may offer include debt securities denominated in United States dollars, the Company also may choose to offer debt securities in any other currency, including the euro.

 

The debt securities will be governed by an indenture between the Company and a financial institution acting as the trustee. The trustee can enforce your rights against the Company if the Company defaults. There are some limitations on the extent to which the trustee acts on your behalf, as described under “— Events of Default — Remedies If an Event of Default Occurs.” Additionally, the trustee performs administrative duties for the Company.

 

Because this section is a summary, it does not describe every aspect of the debt securities that the Company may offer pursuant to this prospectus. This summary also is subject to and qualified by reference to the description of the particular terms of the debt securities and the indenture described in the related prospectus supplement, including definitions used in the indenture. The particular terms of the debt securities that the Company may offer under this prospectus and the indenture may vary from the terms described below.

 

General

 

The debt securities that the Company may offer under this prospectus will be issued under an indenture between the Company and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee.

 

The indenture will be governed by New York law, without regard to conflicts of laws principles thereof. A copy of a form of the senior indenture has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. See “Where You Can Find More Information” for information on how to obtain a copy of the indenture.

 

The Company may offer the debt securities from time to time in as many distinct series as it may choose. All debt securities will be direct, unsecured obligations of the Company. Any senior debt securities that the Company offers under this prospectus will have the same rank as all of the Company’s other unsecured and unsubordinated debt. The indenture will not limit the amount of debt that the Company may issue under the indenture. The indenture also will not limit the amount of other unsecured debt or other securities that the Company or its subsidiaries may issue.

 

The Company’s primary sources of payment for its payment obligations under the debt securities will be revenues from its operations and investments and cash distributions from its subsidiaries. The Company’s subsidiaries are separate and distinct legal entities and have no obligation whatsoever to pay any amounts due on debt securities issued by the Company or to make funds available to the Company. The ability of the Company’s subsidiaries to pay dividends or make other payments or advances to the Company will depend upon their operating results and will be subject to applicable laws and contractual restrictions. The indenture does not restrict the Company’s subsidiaries from entering into agreements that prohibit or limit their ability to pay dividends or make other payments or advances to the Company.

 

To the extent that the Company must rely on cash from its subsidiaries to pay amounts due on the debt securities, the debt securities will be effectively subordinated to all liabilities of the Company’s subsidiaries, including their trade payables. Accordingly, the Company’s subsidiaries may be required to pay all of their creditors in full before their assets are available to the Company. Even if the Company is recognized as a creditor of its subsidiaries, the Company’s claims would be effectively subordinated to any security interests in their assets and also could be subordinated to some or all other claims on their assets and earnings.

 

Other than the restrictions described below or any restrictions described in an applicable prospectus supplement, the indenture and the debt securities that the Company may offer under this prospectus will not contain any covenants or other provisions designed to protect holders of the debt securities if the Company

participates in a highly leveraged transaction. Other than the restrictions described below or any restrictions described in an applicable prospectus supplement, the indenture and the debt securities that the Company may offer under this prospectus also will not contain provisions that give holders of the debt securities the right to require the Company to repurchase their debt securities if the Company’s credit ratings decline due to a takeover, recapitalization or similar restructuring or otherwise.

 

You should look in the applicable prospectus supplement for the following terms of the debt securities being offered:

 

 

Debt securities bearing no interest or interest at a rate that is below the prevailing market rate may be sold at a discount below their stated principal amount. Special United States federal income tax and other special considerations applicable to any discounted debt securities, or to debt securities issued at face value which are treated as having been issued at a discount for United States federal income tax purposes, will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

In addition to the debt securities that the Company may offer pursuant to this prospectus, the Company may issue other debt securities in public or private offerings from time to time. These other debt securities may be issued under other indentures or documentation that are not described in this prospectus, and those debt securities may contain provisions materially different from the provisions applicable to one or more issues of debt securities offered pursuant to this prospectus.

 

Restrictive Covenants

 

The Company will agree in the indenture to certain covenants for the benefit only of holders of the debt securities governed by the indenture. The covenants summarized below will apply to each series of debt securities issued pursuant to the indenture as long as any of those debt securities are outstanding, unless waived, amended or the prospectus supplement states otherwise.

 

Payment.  The Company will pay principal of and premium, if any, and interest on the debt securities at the place and time described in the debt securities. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, the Company will pay interest on any debt security to the person in whose name that security is registered at the close of business on the regular record date for that interest payment.

 

Any money deposited with the trustee or any paying agent for the payment of principal of or any premium or interest on any debt security that remains unclaimed for two years after that amount has become due and payable will be paid to the Company at its request. After this occurs, the holder of that security must look only to the Company for payment of that amount and not to the trustee or paying agent.

 

Merger and Consolidation.  The Company will not merge or consolidate with any other entity or sell or convey all or substantially all of its assets to any person, firm, corporation or other entity, except that the Company may merge or consolidate with, or sell or convey all or substantially all of its assets to, any other entity if:

 

 

Upon such a succession, the Company will be relieved from any further obligations under the indenture.

 

Waiver of Certain Covenants.  Unless otherwise provided in an applicable prospectus supplement, the Company may, with respect to the debt securities of any series, omit to comply with any covenant provided in the terms of those debt securities if, before the time for such compliance, holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series waive such compliance in that instance or generally.

 

Events of Default

 

You will have special rights if an Event of Default occurs and is not cured, as described later in this subsection. Unless described otherwise in an applicable prospectus supplement, the term “Event of Default” means any of the following with respect to an issue of debt securities offered under this prospectus:

 

 

 

Remedies If an Event of Default Occurs.  Unless provided otherwise in an applicable prospectus supplement, if an Event of Default has occurred and continues with respect to an issue of debt securities, the trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the debt securities of the affected series, in accordance with the terms of the indenture, may declare the entire principal amount of all of the debt securities of the affected series to be due and immediately payable. This is called a “declaration of acceleration of maturity.” Under some circumstances, a declaration of acceleration of maturity may be canceled by the holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the debt securities of that series.

 

The trustee generally is not required to take any action under the indenture at the request of any holders unless one or more of the holders have provided to the trustee security or indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it.

 

If reasonable protection from expenses and liabilities is provided, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the relevant series may direct the time, method and place of conducting any lawsuit or other formal legal action seeking any remedy available to the trustee and to waive certain past defaults regarding the relevant series. The trustee may refuse to follow those directions in some circumstances.

 

If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing regarding a series of debt securities, the trustee may use any sums that it holds under the indenture for its own reasonable compensation and expenses incurred prior to paying the holders of debt securities of that series.

 

Before any holder of any series of debt securities may institute action for any remedy, except payment on such holder’s debt security when due, the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the debt securities of that series outstanding must request in writing that the trustee take action. Holders must also offer and give the trustee such security and indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it against liabilities incurred by the trustee for taking such action. The trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, take such action that affects the trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the indenture.

 

“Street Name” and other indirect holders should consult their banks or brokers for information on how to give notice or direction to or make a request of the trustee and to make or cancel a declaration of acceleration.

 

The Company will furnish every year to the trustee a written statement of certain of its officers certifying that, to their knowledge, the Company is in compliance with the indenture and the debt securities offered pursuant to the indenture, or else specifying any default.

 

An Event of Default regarding one series of debt securities issued under the indenture is not necessarily an Event of Default regarding any other series of debt securities.

 

Satisfaction and Discharge; Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance

 

The following discussion of satisfaction and discharge, defeasance and covenant defeasance will be applicable to a series of debt securities only if the Company chooses to have them apply to that series. If the Company does so choose, it will state that in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Satisfaction and Discharge.  The indenture will be satisfied and discharged if:

 

 

Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance.  The indenture provides, if such provision is made applicable to the debt securities of a series, that:

 

 

 

 

In the case of defeasance, the holders of such debt securities are entitled to receive payments in respect of such debt securities solely from such trust. Such a trust may only be established if, among other things, the Company has delivered to the trustee an opinion of counsel (as specified in the indenture) to the effect that the holders of the debt securities affected thereby will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States federal income tax purposes as a result of such defeasance or covenant defeasance and will be subject to United States federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such defeasance or covenant defeasance had not occurred. Such opinion of counsel, in the case of defeasance described above, must refer to and be based upon a ruling of the Internal Revenue Service or a change in applicable United States federal income tax law occurring after the date of the indenture.

 

Modification and Waiver

 

The indenture contains provisions permitting the Company and the trustee to modify the indenture or enter into or modify any supplemental indenture without the consent of the holders of the debt securities in regard to matters as will not adversely affect the interests of the holders of the debt securities in any material respects, including, without limitation, the following:

 

 

 

The Company and the trustee may otherwise modify the indenture or any supplemental indenture with the consent of the holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of each series of debt securities affected thereby at the time outstanding, except that no such modifications shall, without the consent of the holder of each debt security affected thereby:

 

 

With respect to any vote of holders of a series of debt securities, the Company will generally be entitled to set any day as a record date for the purpose of determining the holders of outstanding debt securities that are entitled to vote or take other action under the indenture.

 

“Street Name” and other indirect holders should consult their banks or brokers for information on how approval may be granted or denied if the Company seeks to change the indenture or debt securities or requests a waiver.

“Street Name” and Other Indirect Holders

 

Investors who hold securities in accounts at banks or brokers, which is referred to as holding in “Street Name,” generally will not be recognized by the Company as legal holders of debt securities. Instead, the Company would recognize only the bank or broker, or the financial institution that the bank or broker uses to hold its securities. These intermediary banks, brokers and other financial institutions pass along principal, interest and other payments on the debt securities, either because they agree to do so in their customer agreements or because they are legally required to. If you hold debt securities in “Street Name,” you should check with your own institution to find out:

 

 

Direct Holders

 

The Company’s obligations, as well as the obligations of the trustee and those of any third parties employed by the Company or the trustee, run only to persons who are registered as holders of debt securities issued under the indenture. As noted above, the Company does not have obligations to you if you hold in “Street Name” or other indirect means, either because you choose to hold debt securities in that manner or because the debt securities are issued in the form of global securities as described below. For example, once the Company makes payment to the registered holder, the Company has no further responsibility for the payment even if that holder is legally required to pass the payment along to you as a “Street Name” customer but does not do so.

 

Global Securities

 

Global Securities.  A global security is a special type of indirectly held debt security as described above under “— ‘Street Name’ and Other Indirect Holders.” If the Company chooses to issue debt securities in the form of global securities, the ultimate beneficial owners can only hold the debt securities in “Street Name.” The Company would do this by requiring that the global security be registered in the name of a financial institution it selects and by requiring that the debt securities included in the global security not be transferred to the name of any other direct holder unless the special circumstances described below occur. The financial institution that acts as the sole direct holder of the global security is called the “depositary.” Any person wishing to own a debt security issued in the form of a global security must do so indirectly by virtue of an account with a broker, bank or other financial institution that in turn has an account with the depositary. The applicable prospectus supplement will indicate whether a series of debt securities will be issued only in the form of global securities and, if so, will describe the specific terms of the arrangement with the depositary.

 

Special Investor Considerations for Global Securities.  As an indirect holder, an investor’s rights relating to a global security will be governed by the account rules of the investor’s financial institution and of the depositary, as well as general laws relating to securities transfers. The Company does not recognize this type of investor as a holder of debt securities and instead deals only with the depositary that holds the global security.

 

An investor should be aware that if a series of debt securities is issued only in the form of global securities:

 

 

 

Special Situations When the Global Security Will be Terminated.  In a few special situations, a global security will terminate, and interests in it will be exchanged for physical certificates representing debt securities. After that exchange, the choice of whether to hold debt securities directly or in “Street Name” will be up to the investor. Investors must consult their own bank or brokers to find out how to have their interests in debt securities transferred to their own name, so that they will be direct holders. The rights of “Street Name” investors and direct holders in debt securities have been previously described in subsections entitled “— ‘Street Name’ and Other Indirect Holders” and “— Direct Holders.”

 

The special situations for termination of a global security are:

 

 

The applicable prospectus supplement may also list additional situations for terminating a global security that would apply only to the particular series of debt securities covered by the prospectus supplement. When a global security terminates, only the depositary is responsible for deciding the names of the institutions that will be the initial direct holders.

 

Form, Exchange, Registration and Transfer

 

Unless the Company informs you otherwise in an applicable prospectus supplement, the Company will issue the debt securities offered pursuant to this prospectus in registered form, without interest coupons, and only in denominations of $1,000 and multiples of $1,000. The Company will not charge a service charge for any registration of transfer or exchange of the debt securities offered pursuant to this prospectus. The Company may, however, require the payment of any tax or other governmental charge payable for that registration.

 

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 terms of the indenture. Holders may present debt securities for registration of transfer at the office of the security registrar or any transfer agent the Company designates. The security registrar or transfer agent will effect the transfer or exchange when it is satisfied with the documents of title and identity of the person making the request.

 

The Company will appoint the trustee under the indenture as security registrar for the debt securities issued under the indenture. If a prospectus supplement refers to any transfer agents initially designated by the Company, the Company may at any time rescind that designation or approve a change in the location through which any transfer agent acts. The Company is required to maintain an office or agency for transfers and exchanges in each place of payment with respect to debt securities it may offer under the indenture. The Company may at any time designate additional transfer agents for any series of debt securities.

 

In the case of any redemption of debt securities offered under this prospectus, neither the security registrar nor the transfer agent will be required to register the transfer or exchange of any debt security during

a period beginning 15 business days prior to the mailing of the relevant notice of redemption and ending on the close of business on the day of mailing of the notice, except the unredeemed portion of any debt security being redeemed in part.

 

Pursuant to the terms of the indenture, each person in whose name the debt securities are registered agrees to indemnify the Company and the trustee against any and all liability that may result from the transfer, exchange or assignment of such person’s debt securities in violation of any provision of the indenture and/or applicable U.S. federal or state securities laws.

 

Payment and Paying Agents

 

Unless the Company informs you otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement:

 

 

Subject to the requirements of any applicable abandoned property laws, the trustee and paying agent will pay to the Company upon written request any money held by them for payments on the debt securities that remain unclaimed for two years after the date when the payment was due. After payment to the Company, holders entitled to the money must look to the Company for payment. In that case, all liability of the trustee or paying agent with respect to that money will cease.

 

The Company may sell the offered securities in and outside the United States:

 

 

The prospectus supplement will include the following information:

 

 

Sale through Underwriters or Dealers

 

If underwriters are used in the sale, the Company will execute an underwriting agreement with them regarding the securities. The underwriters will acquire the securities for their own account, subject to conditions in the underwriting agreement. The underwriters may resell the securities from time to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. Underwriters may offer the securities to the public either through underwriting syndicates represented by one or more managing underwriters or directly by one or more firms acting as underwriters. Unless we inform you otherwise in the prospectus supplement, the obligations of the underwriters to purchase the securities will be subject to certain conditions, and the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all the offered securities if they purchase any of them. The underwriters may change from time to time any initial public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers.

 

During and after an offering through underwriters, the underwriters may purchase and sell the securities in the open market. To the extent expressly set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, these transactions may include over-allotment and stabilizing transactions and purchases to cover syndicate short positions created in connection with the offering. The underwriters may also impose a penalty bid, which means that selling concessions allowed to syndicate members or other broker-dealers for the offered securities sold for their account may be reclaimed by the syndicate if the offered securities are repurchased by the syndicate in stabilizing or covering transactions. These activities may stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market price of the offered securities, which may be higher than the price that might otherwise prevail in the open market. If commenced, the underwriters may discontinue these activities at any time.

 

Some or all of the securities that the Company offers though this prospectus may be new issues of securities with no established trading market. Any underwriters to whom the Company sells its securities for public offering and sale may make a market in those securities, but they will not be obligated to do so and they may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. Accordingly, we cannot assure you of the liquidity of, or continued trading markets for, any securities that the Company offers.

 

If dealers are used in the sale of the securities, the Company will sell the securities to them as principals. They may then resell the securities to the public at varying prices determined by the dealers at the time of resale. We will include in the prospectus supplement the names of the dealers and the terms of the transaction.

 

Direct Sales and Sales through Agents

 

The Company may sell the securities directly to purchasers. In this case, no underwriters or agents would be involved. The Company may also sell the securities through agents designated from time to time. In the applicable prospectus supplement, we will name any agent involved in the offer or sale of the offered securities, and we will describe any commissions payable to the agent. Unless we inform you otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, any agent will agree to use its reasonable best efforts to solicit purchases for the period of its appointment.

 

The Company may sell the securities directly to institutional investors or others who may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act with respect to any sale of those securities. We will describe the terms of any sales of these securities in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

Remarketing Arrangements

 

Offered securities may also be offered and sold, if so indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, in connection with a remarketing upon their purchase, in accordance with a redemption or repayment pursuant to their terms, or otherwise, by one or more remarketing firms, acting as principals for their own accounts or as agents for us. Any remarketing firm will be identified and the terms of its agreements, if any, with us and its compensation will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Delayed Delivery Contracts

 

If we so indicate in the prospectus supplement, we may authorize agents, underwriters or dealers to solicit offers from certain types of institutions to purchase securities from us at the public offering price under delayed delivery contracts. These contracts would provide for payment and delivery on a specified date in the future. The contracts would be subject only to those conditions described in the prospectus supplement. The prospectus supplement will describe the commission payable for solicitation of those contracts.

 

General Information

 

We may have agreements with the agents, dealers, underwriters and remarketing firms to indemnify them against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute with respect to payments that the agents, dealers, underwriters or remarketing firms may be required to make. Agents, dealers, underwriters and remarketing firms may be customers of, engage in transactions with or perform services for us in the ordinary course of their businesses.

 

Jones Day will pass upon the validity of the issuance of the securities offered hereby.

 

The financial statements and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting (which is included in Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting) incorporated in this prospectus by reference to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009 have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

PART II

 

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

 

 

The following table sets forth the costs and expenses payable by the registrant in connection with the securities being registered. All amounts are estimates except the SEC registration statement filing fee.

 

 

 

 

 

Article III, Section 9 of Harsco Corporation’s by-laws, as currently in effect, provides that the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (including any such actions by or in the right of the Company or other entity) by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company (or of such a constituent corporation, including any constituent of a constituent, absorbed in a consolidation or merger by the Company), or is or was serving at the request of the Company (or of such a constituent corporation) as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, against all expenses (including attorneys’ fees and costs), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding upon a determination having been made as to his good faith and conduct as required by applicable law. Expenses incurred in defending a civil or criminal action, suit or proceeding shall be paid by the Company in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding to the extent, if any, authorized by the Board of Directors upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the director, officer, employee or agent to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that such person is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company. The rights provided hereby shall not be deemed exclusive of any other such rights provided for pursuant to agreement or otherwise.

 

Article Thirteenth, Section (b) of Harsco Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation, as currently in effect, provides that a director of the Company shall not be personally liable to the Company or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability (1) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the Company or its stockholders, (2) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (3) under Section 174 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, or (4) for any transaction from which the director derived any improper personal benefit.

 

Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware provides in regard to indemnification of directors and officers as follows:

 

(a) A corporation shall have power to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation) by

reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe the person’s conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that the person’s conduct was unlawful.

 

(b) A corporation shall have power to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.

 

(c) To the extent that a present or former director or officer of a corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in subsections (a) and (b) of this section, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, such person shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection therewith.

 

(d) Any indemnification under subsections (a) and (b) of this section (unless ordered by a court) shall be made by the corporation only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that indemnification of the present or former director, officer, employee or agent is proper in the circumstances because the person has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in subsections (a) and (b) of this section. Such determination shall be made, with respect to a person who is a director or officer of the corporation at the time of such determination, (1) by a majority vote of the directors who are not parties to such action, suit or proceeding, even though less than a quorum, or (2) by a committee of such directors designated by majority vote of such directors, even though less than a quorum, or (3) if there are no such directors, or if such directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, or (4) by the stockholders.

 

(e) Expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by an officer or director of the corporation in defending any civil, criminal, administrative or investigative action, suit or proceeding may be paid by the corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such director or officer to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that such person is not entitled to be indemnified by the corporation as authorized in this section. Such expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by former directors and officers or other employees and agents of the corporation or by persons serving at the request of the corporation as directors, officers, employees or agents of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise may be so paid upon such terms and conditions, if any, as the corporation deems appropriate.

(f) The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, the other subsections of this section shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under any bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in such person’s official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office. A right to indemnification or to advancement of expenses arising under a provision of the certificate of incorporation or a bylaw shall not be eliminated or impaired by an amendment to such provision after the occurrence of the act or omission that is the subject of the civil, criminal, administrative or investigative action, suit or proceeding for which indemnification or advancement of expenses is sought, unless the provision in effect at the time of such act or omission explicitly authorizes such elimination or impairment after such action or omission has occurred.

 

(g) A corporation shall have power to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of such person’s status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability under this section.

 

(h) For purposes of this section, references to “the corporation” shall include, in addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, and employees or agents, so that any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under this section with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as such person would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued.

 

(i) For purposes of this section, references to “other enterprises” shall include employee benefit plans; references to “fines” shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to any employee benefit plan; and references to “serving at the request of the corporation” shall include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the corporation” as referred to in this section.

 

(j) The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this section shall, unless otherwise provided when authorized or ratified, continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person.

 

(k) The Court of Chancery is hereby vested with exclusive jurisdiction to hear and determine all actions for advancement of expenses or indemnification brought under this section or under any bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors, or otherwise. The Court of Chancery may summarily determine a corporation’s obligation to advance expenses (including attorneys’ fees).

 

The Indemnification Agreements between Harsco Corporation and its directors provide that the Company shall, subject to certain exceptions, indemnify each director against any liability incurred by or assessed against the director in connection with any proceeding in which the director may be involved, as a party or otherwise, by reason of the fact that the director is or was serving in a official capacity, including, without limitation, any liability resulting from actual or alleged breach or neglect of duty, error, misstatement, misleading statement, omission, negligence, act giving rise to strict or product liability, act giving rise to liability for environmental contamination, or other actor omission. In addition, the Company shall pay any

liability in the nature of an expense (including attorneys’ fees and expenses) incurred in good faith by each director in advance of the final disposition of a proceeding; provided, however, that the director shall repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that the director is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company pursuant to the director’s Indemnification Agreement.

 

There is currently in force liability insurance providing coverage (with certain deductibles and exceptions) for past, present and future directors and officers of Harsco Corporation acting in such capabilities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

 

(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

 

(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

 

(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and

 

(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

 

provided, however, that the undertakings set forth in paragraphs (1)(i), (1)(ii) and (1)(iii) of this section do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

 

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities

offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

 

(4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:

 

(i) Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed a part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

 

(ii) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be a part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which a prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated by reference or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is a part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

 

(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

 

(i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

 

(ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;

 

(iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and

 

(iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

 

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the city of Camp Hill, state of Pennsylvania, on September 15, 2010.

 

Harsco Corporation

 

Mark E. Kimmel

Senior Vice President, Chief Administrative

Officer, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT INDEX