Nanophase Technologies Corporation
Ticker:NANX 453 Commerce Street
Exchange:NASDAQ-National Market Burr Ridge, IL 60521
Industry:Manufacturing (SIC Code 3399) (630) 323-1200
# of Employees:61

Offering Information
Type of Shares:Common Shares Filing Date:10/1/97
U.S. Shares:4,000,000 Offer Date:11/25/97
Non-U.S. Shares:0 Filing Range:$8.00 - $10.00
Primary Shares:4,000,000 Offer Price:$8.00
Secondary Shares:0 Gross Spread:$0.56
Offering Amount: $36,000,000 Selling:$0.32
Expenses:$750,000 Reallowance:$0.10
Shares Out After:13,234,029

Primary Underwriting Group
ManagerTierPhone
Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corp.Lead Manager (212) 371-0641
Furman Selz IncorporatedCo-manager (212) 309-8285
Oppenheimer & Company, Inc.Co-manager (212) 667-7400

Legal Counsel, Auditor and Registrar
Issuer's Law Firm: Katten Muchin & Zavis
Bank's Law Firm: Latham & Watkins
Auditor: Ernst & Young
Registrar/Transfer Agent: LaSalle National Trust, N.A.

Selected Financial Data

Dollar amounts in U.S. millions except for per share data
6 Month Ending Financials
Full Year
Audited
Income
Latest
Unaudited
Income
Prior
Unaudited
Income
Balance
Sheet
12/31/96 6/30/97 6/30/96 6/30/97
Revenue:$0.60$1.03$0.13Assets:$6.27
Net Income:-$5.58-$2.29-$2.91Curr Assets:$5.68
EPS:-$0.76-$0.29Liabilities:$1.34
Prior EPS:-$1.63-$2.81Curr Liabilities:$1.34
Cash Flow/Oper:-$5.80$1.66$7.19Equity:$4.94
Cash Flow/Fin:$7.10$1.84-$4.52Cash:$2.49
Cash Flow/Inv:-$0.95$1.84Working Cap:$4.35

Business Description
The company develops and markets nanocrystalline materials for use as ingredients and components in a wide range of commercial applications. The Company began manufacturing nanocrystalline materials in commercial quantities in the fourth quarter of 1996. Nanocrystalline materials are metallic and ceramic materials that generally consist of particles that are less than 100 nanometers (billionths of a meter) in diameter and contain only a few thousand or tens of thousands of atoms, rather than the millions or billions of atoms in particles of most conventional materials. By processing materials in this near-atomic size range, the Company is able to engineer the structure of particles and exploit the properties of their surface atoms to enhance the performance of basic raw materials such as aluminum, iron, titanium and zinc, as well as to molecularly engineer new composite materials. Compared to conventional materials, the Company believes its nanocrystalline materials generally exhibit superior chemical, mechanical, electronic, magnetic and optical properties. The Company believes that through its extensive proprietary research and development programs, combined with its proprietary and patented production processes, it has established new standards for high-performance commercially produced nanocrystalline materials.

Competition
The advanced materials industry is highly competitive. The market for materials having the characteristics and potential uses of the Company's nanocrystalline materials is the subject of intensive research and development efforts by both governmental entities and private enterprises around the world. The Company believes that the level of competition will increase further as more product applications with significant commercial potential are developed. The nanocrystalline product applications being developed by the Company will compete directly with products incorporating conventional and advanced materials and technologies. While the Company is not currently aware of the existence of commercially available competitive products with the same attributes as those offered by the Company, there can be no assurance that such competitive products will not be introduced by third parties, or that competing materials based on different or new technologies may not become commercially available. There can be no assurance that the Company's competitors will not succeed in developing or marketing materials, technologies and products that exhibit superior performance, are more commercially desirable or are more cost effective than those developed or marketed by the Company. In addition, many potential competitors of the Company have substantially greater financial and technical resources, larger research and development staffs, and greater manufacturing and marketing capabilities than the Company. Failure of the Company's current and potential nanocrystalline product applications to improve performance sufficiently at an acceptable price, achieve commercial acceptance or otherwise compete with conventional materials would have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, results of operations and financial condition.

Business Plan
To take advantage of the broad potential applicability of nanocrystalline materials, the Company has adopted a strategy to develop a variety of value-added applications in targeted industries where the potential for future growth is substantial. The Company intends to establish itself as the leading manufacturer of nanocrystalline materials for these targeted application areas by continuously enhancing its technologies, product applications and customer base. Specific elements of the Company's business strategy include the following: (I) Target Innovative Commercial Applications, (ii) Establish Collaborative Relationships with Marquee Customers, (iii) Expand Product Applications and Broaden the Customer Base and (iv) Maintain Technical and Commercial Leadership.

Use of Proceeds
The proceeds from the proposed offering will be used to expand the company's manufacturing facilities and for working capital and other general corporate purposes.

Principal and Selling Shareholders
Name of Shareholder% Owned
Before
% Owned
After
Grace Investment, Ltd.12.70%7.80%
Batterson Johnson & Wang L.P.12.70%8.00%
ARCH Venture Fund Limited Partnership9.10%5.70%
ARCH Venture Fund II Limited Partnership8.60%5.30%
Harris & Harris Group, Inc.8.20%5.10%
UVCC II Parallel Fund, L.P.5.40%3.40%
UVCC Fund II5.40%3.40%
AMT Associates Ltd.5.40%3.40%
Note: Represents ownership of 5% or more prior to the offering.
Executive Officers and Directors
Officer NameTitleAge
Leonard A. BattersonChairman of the Baord of Directors53
Robert W. CrossPresident, Chief Executive Officer and Director59
Robert M. KellyVice President--Cosmetic Products51
Dennis J. NowakVice President--Finance and Administration, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary47
Dennis J. NagleVice President--Manufacturing45
Richard W. Brotzman, Ph.D.Vice President--Research and Development44
John C. Parker, Ph.D.Vice President--Technology36

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