CHART INDUSTRIES INC
424B4, 1997-10-09
FABRICATED PLATE WORK (BOILER SHOPS)
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<PAGE>   1
                                                Filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(4)
                                                Registration No. 333-35321 

                                2,800,000 SHARES
[CHART INDUSTRIES, INC. LOGO]
 
                             CHART INDUSTRIES, INC.
 
                                  COMMON STOCK
                                ($.01 PAR VALUE)
 
     Of the 2,800,000 shares of Common Stock offered hereby (the "Offering"),
1,300,000 shares are being offered by Chart Industries, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), and 1,500,000 shares are being offered by certain
stockholders of the Company (the "Selling Stockholders"). See "Principal and
Selling Stockholders." The Company will not receive any of the proceeds from the
sale of the shares by the Selling Stockholders.
 
     The Company's Common Stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under
the symbol "CTI." On October 8, 1997, the last reported sale price of the Common
Stock on the New York Stock Exchange Composite Tape was $21.125 per share.
 
     THE COMMON STOCK OFFERED HEREBY INVOLVES A HIGH DEGREE OF RISK. SEE "RISK
FACTORS" BEGINNING ON PAGE 7.
 
  THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND
 EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE SECURITIES
   AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION PASSED UPON THE
ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A
                               CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
===========================================================================================================
                                                   UNDERWRITING                              PROCEEDS
                                 PRICE TO         DISCOUNTS AND        PROCEEDS TO          TO SELLING
                                  PUBLIC          COMMISSIONS(1)        COMPANY(2)         STOCKHOLDERS
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                        <C>                 <C>                 <C>                 <C>
Per Share..................        $21.00             $1.16               $19.84              $19.84
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total(3)...................     $58,800,000         $3,248,000         $25,792,000         $29,760,000
===========================================================================================================
</TABLE>
 
(1) The Company and the Selling Stockholders have agreed to indemnify the
    several Underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities
    under the Securities Act of 1933. See "Underwriting."
 
(2) Does not include expenses payable by the Company estimated at $500,000 and
    by the Selling Stockholders estimated at $12,500.
 
(3) The Company has granted to the Underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up
    to 420,000 additional shares of Common Stock solely to cover
    over-allotments. If this option is exercised in full, the total Price to
    Public, Underwriting Discounts and Commissions, and Proceeds to Company will
    be $67,620,000, $3,735,200, and $34,124,800, respectively. See
    "Underwriting."
 
     The shares of Common Stock offered hereby are being offered by the
Underwriters, subject to prior sale and acceptance by the Underwriters and
subject to their right to reject any order in whole or in part. It is expected
that the Common Stock will be available for delivery on or about October 15,
1997 at the offices of Schroder & Co. Inc., New York, New York.
 
SCHRODER & CO. INC.                                           MCDONALD & COMPANY
                                                               SECURITIES, INC.
 
                                October 9, 1997
<PAGE>   2
 
     CERTAIN PERSONS PARTICIPATING IN THIS OFFERING MAY ENGAGE IN TRANSACTIONS
THAT STABILIZE, MAINTAIN OR OTHERWISE AFFECT THE PRICE OF THE COMMON STOCK,
INCLUDING STABILIZING BIDS, SYNDICATE COVERING TRANSACTIONS AND THE IMPOSITION
OF PENALTY BIDS. FOR A DESCRIPTION OF THESE ACTIVITIES, SEE "UNDERWRITING."
<PAGE>   3
 
                               PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
 
     The following summary is qualified in its entirety by the more detailed
information and the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto
appearing elsewhere, or incorporated by reference, in this Prospectus. Unless
otherwise indicated, or the context otherwise requires, all information in this
Prospectus (i) is based on the assumption that the Underwriters' over-allotment
option is not exercised and (ii) gives effect to the three-for-two split of the
Common Stock in June 1997 (the "Stock Split").
 
                                  THE COMPANY
 
GENERAL
 
     The Company is a leader in the design, engineering and manufacture of
cryogenic (low-temperature) systems and equipment. The majority of the Company's
products, including its brazed aluminum heat exchangers (hereinafter referred to
as heat exchangers), cold boxes, cryogenic tanks and cryogenic components are
used in the processing, liquefaction, storage and transportation of industrial
gases and hydrocarbons. The Company also supplies products for other special
applications, including high vacuum systems and specialty stainless steel
tubing.
 
     The Company's products are sold primarily to the industrial gas and
hydrocarbon processing markets. Customers in these markets use the Company's
heat exchangers and cold boxes to produce industrial gases, such as liquefied
nitrogen, oxygen and argon, and to purify, separate and liquefy hydrocarbons
such as natural gas and ethylene. The Company's cryogenic tanks are used by
these same customers to store and transport gases in liquefied form. Cryogenic
components, including cryogenic pumps and vacuum jacketed piping systems, allow
liquefied gas to be carried from tank to plant for use in industrial
applications. Cryogenic components also are purchased by liquefied gas producers
for use in cold box assemblies.
 
     The Company's sales for the year ended December 31, 1996 reached $148.4
million, an increase of 31.9% over sales of $112.5 million in 1995. The
Company's operating income in 1996 improved to $23.3 million from $12.7 million
in 1995, an increase of 83.6%. In July 1997, the Company acquired Cryenco
Sciences, Inc. ("Cryenco"); including Cryenco's results on a pro forma basis,
the Company's sales and operating income for 1996 were $179.0 million and $25.1
million, respectively. See "-- Recent Acquisition." Management believes that
global expansion of the industrial gas and hydrocarbon processing markets
presents attractive opportunities for growth. Management anticipates demand for
the Company's products in the industrial gas markets to increase over the next
several years, driven principally by global industrialization, heightened
environmental standards and demands for increased purity of gas products and
increased efficiency in gas production. In the hydrocarbon processing market,
management expects continued strong domestic and international growth, stemming
in part from increased global demand for liquefied natural gas ("LNG") and
ethylene. As a result of these favorable trends, management anticipates that the
Company's combined equipment sales to the industrial gas and hydrocarbon
processing markets will increase from approximately 70% of sales in 1996 to as
much as 85% in 1998.
 
BUSINESS STRATEGY
 
     The Company intends to strengthen its position as a leading provider of
cryogenic products by pursuing the following key strategies:
 
     Focus on High-Margin, Niche Products.  The Company has developed a
particular expertise in the design, engineering and manufacture of cryogenic
systems and equipment. The Company will continue to focus on markets requiring
such specialized engineering and technical capability, rather than on
broader-based markets in which competition is largely based on price. The
Company believes that, by focusing on the market niche for cryogenic
applications, it has fewer competitors
 
                                        3
<PAGE>   4
 
and higher margins for its products than producers in markets that use
standardized or high-volume products. The Company's gross margin in the first
six months of 1997 was 30.5%.
 
     Leveraging Customer Relationships.  The Company has built and sustained
long-term relationships with many of its major customers. Most of the Company's
largest customers have been customers for the last 10 years or more, and a
substantial quantity of the Company's annual sales are made to these same major
customers. As the Company's customers grow domestically and internationally,
they take the Company's products into new growth markets.
 
     Expanding International Direct Sales.  Although the Company is a leading
North American producer of cryogenic systems and equipment, the Company's direct
sales outside of North America are relatively modest. In 1996, the Company's
international sales constituted approximately 25% of its total sales, but were
mostly sales to North American customers that incorporated the Company's
products into their own export products. The Company believes that demand for
its products is growing internationally at a faster rate than in North America.
The Company intends to expand its independent sales representative network
outside North America in order to strengthen its market share in selected
markets in South America, the Pacific Rim and the Middle East.
 
     Continued Emphasis on Operating Efficiencies.  The Company has devoted
considerable efforts to maximizing its production efficiency. Management
believes that such efforts have resulted in higher marginal returns due to
substantial improvements in throughput, utilization of existing capacity and
organizational efficiency. The Company intends to continue efforts to find new
ways to improve operating efficiency.
 
     Pursuing Strategic Acquisitions.  A key component of the Company's growth
strategy is the acquisition of complementary businesses that can effectively
increase the Company's market share and operating efficiencies, while
simultaneously expanding the Company's customer base and presence in geographic
regions which it does not currently serve, including in selected markets abroad.
The Company continually reviews acquisition opportunities, and management
believes that complementary domestic and international acquisition opportunities
exist. Management further believes that the high level of ability and experience
of its senior managers in identifying and completing acquisitions and in
managing the operations of acquired companies, as well as the Company's low debt
levels following the Offering and low working capital requirements, position the
Company favorably to execute this strategy.
 
RECENT ACQUISITION
 
     On July 31, 1997, the Company acquired all of the outstanding shares of
Cryenco, a Denver, Colorado based manufacturer of cryogenic tanks and related
products for the transportation, storage and dispensing of LNG and liquefied
argon, oxygen and nitrogen. Consideration for the acquisition included the
payment of $19.7 million to purchase the outstanding common stock and certain
warrants of Cryenco, the payment of $685,000 to redeem its outstanding preferred
stock, and the assumption of approximately $6.2 million in indebtedness for
borrowed money. The Company also assumed Cryenco's obligations under other
warrants, which were converted into warrants to purchase Common Stock of the
Company, and are recorded in the Company's accounts at an estimated fair value
of $436,000.
 
                                     * * *
 
     The Company was organized in June 1992 as a Delaware corporation. Unless
the context otherwise requires, references herein to the "Company" include the
Company and its direct and indirect subsidiaries. The Company's executive
offices are located at 34799 Curtis Boulevard, Eastlake, Ohio 44095, and its
telephone number is (440) 946-2525.
 
                                        4
<PAGE>   5
 
                                  THE OFFERING
 
<TABLE>
    <S>                                                        <C>
    Common Stock offered by the Company.....................   1,300,000 shares(1)
    Common Stock offered by the Selling Stockholders........   1,500,000 shares
    Common Stock to be outstanding after the Offering.......   15,740,512 shares(1)(2)
    Use of proceeds.........................................   For repayment of debt and
                                                               general corporate purposes
    NYSE symbol.............................................   CTI
</TABLE>
 
- ---------------
 
(1) Does not include up to 420,000 shares of Common Stock to be sold if the
    Underwriters' over-allotment option granted by the Company is exercised in
    full. See "Underwriting."
 
(2) Does not include 602,560 shares issuable upon the exercise of stock options
    and 111,151 shares issuable upon the exercise of warrants outstanding as of
    August 31, 1997.
 
                                        5
<PAGE>   6
 
                   SUMMARY CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL INFORMATION
            (in thousands, except per share amounts and percentages)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                              SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30,                        YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                         ------------------------------------     --------------------------------------------------
                                   1997                1996                 1996                  1995        1994  
                         ------------------------     -------     -------------------------     --------     -------
                         PRO FORMA(1)     ACTUAL                  PRO FORMA(1)      ACTUAL                          
                         ------------     -------                 ------------     --------                         
<S>                      <C>              <C>         <C>         <C>              <C>          <C>          <C>
INCOME STATEMENT DATA:
Sales....................   $ 98,069      $84,198     $65,339       $179,048       $148,400     $112,479     $84,258
Gross profit.............     28,059       25,642      19,801         51,654         45,002       30,775      15,808
Operating income (loss)..     14,605       13,930      10,511         25,131         23,257       12,667      (1,363)(2)
Income (loss) before
  income taxes...........     13,277       13,912      10,093         21,808         22,634       10,809      (2,359)
Net income (loss)........      8,715        9,182       6,757         14,392         15,029        7,063      (1,463)
Net income (loss) per
  share(3)...............   $    .59      $   .62     $   .45       $    .95       $    .99     $    .47     $  (.10)
Weighted average shares
  outstanding(3).........     14,846       14,846      15,167         15,186         15,186       15,099      15,053
Dividends per share(3)...   $    .12      $   .12     $   .09       $    .20       $    .20     $    .19     $   .19
AS ADJUSTED FOR THE
  OFFERING(4):
Net income...............   $  9,424                                $ 15,811
Net income per share(3)..        .58                                     .96
Weighted average shares
  outstanding(3).........     16,146                                  16,486
OTHER FINANCIAL DATA:
Depreciation and
  amortization...........   $  2,109      $ 1,364     $ 1,422       $  4,060       $  2,708     $  2,742     $ 2,698
Capital expenditures.....      4,445        4,239       1,609(5)       6,801(5)       4,868(5)     2,111       1,333
Backlog at end of
  period.................    141,861      126,644     124,421        145,912        128,278      110,987      53,823
Gross margin.............       28.6%        30.5%       30.3%          28.8%          30.3%        27.4%       18.8%
Operating margin.........       14.9%        16.5%       16.1%          14.0%          15.7%        11.3%       (1.6)%(2)
</TABLE>
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                            AS OF JUNE 30, 1997
                                                                 ------------------------------------------
                                                                   PRO FORMA
                                                                 AS ADJUSTED(6)    PRO FORMA(1)     ACTUAL
                                                                 --------------    ------------    --------
<S>                                                              <C>               <C>             <C>
BALANCE SHEET DATA:
Working capital................................................     $ 24,483         $ 21,689      $ 12,117
Total assets...................................................      106,608          106,608        75,281
Total debt.....................................................        9,339           34,631         7,134
Shareholders' equity...........................................       56,204           30,912        30,476
Total debt to total capitalization(7)..........................         14.2%            52.8%         19.0%
</TABLE>
 
- ---------------
 
(1) Pro forma income statement data reflect historical results adjusted to
    present the financial results as if the acquisition of Cryenco was completed
    on January 1, 1996, and pro forma balance sheet data reflect historical
    amounts adjusted to present the financial results as if the acquisition of
    Cryenco was completed on June 30, 1997. See "Pro Forma Financial Data."
 
(2) Includes a restructuring charge of $2.15 million.
 
(3) The share and per share data have been adjusted to reflect the three-for-two
    split of the Common Stock effected as a 50% share dividend in June 1997.
 
(4) Pro forma as adjusted income statement data for the six months ended June
    30, 1997 and for the year ended December 31, 1996 assume the receipt and
    application by the Company as of January 1, 1996 of net proceeds from the
    sale of 1,300,000 shares offered hereby to reduce outstanding indebtedness.
    See "Use of Proceeds" and "Pro Forma Financial Data."
 
(5) Capital expenditures in these periods do not include $3.6 million for the
    acquisition of the land and building at the Company's Westborough,
    Massachusetts facility.
 
(6) Pro forma as adjusted balance sheet data assume the receipt and application
    by the Company as of June 30, 1997 of net proceeds from the sale of
    1,300,000 shares offered hereby to reduce outstanding indebtedness. See "Use
    of Proceeds" and "Pro Forma Financial Data."
 
(7) Total capitalization reflects the total of long-term debt and shareholders'
    equity.
 
                                        6
<PAGE>   7
 
                                  RISK FACTORS
 
     This Prospectus and certain of the documents incorporated herein by
reference contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and
uncertainties. Statements in this Prospectus regarding future financial
performance and other statements containing the words "expect," "believe,"
"anticipate," "project," "estimate," "predict," "intend" and similar expressions
are forward-looking statements. The Company's actual results could differ
materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result
of a variety of factors, including those set forth in the following risk factors
and elsewhere in this Prospectus. Prospective investors should consider
carefully the following factors, in addition to other information contained in
this Prospectus, prior to making an investment in the Common Stock.
 
CYCLICALITY OF DEMAND FOR COMPANY PRODUCTS
 
     Demand for the Company's products depends in part upon the level of capital
and maintenance expenditures by its industrial customers, in particular those by
industrial gas and hydrocarbon processing concerns. These industries
historically have been cyclical in nature and vulnerable to general downturns in
the economy. Decreases in industry spending could have a material adverse effect
upon the demand for the Company's products and the Company's business, financial
condition and results of operations.
 
CUSTOMER CONCENTRATION; GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS
 
     A small number of customers has accounted for a substantial portion of the
Company's historical net sales, and the Company expects that a limited number of
customers will continue to represent a substantial portion of the Company's net
sales for the foreseeable future. Approximately, 30%, 17% and 18% of the
Company's sales for the years ended December 31, 1996, 1995 and 1994,
respectively, were made to Air Liquide, Air Products, BOC and Praxair, which
management believes are the four largest producers in the industrial gas market.
The Company also sells products to the United States government as a contractor
and a subcontractor. Most of the Company's government-related sales are to prime
contractors for NASA, the United States Department of Energy and the United
States Department of Defense. In the years ended December 31, 1996, 1995 and
1994, government contracts and subcontracts accounted for approximately 11%, 5%
and 3%, respectively, of the Company's sales. The loss of any of the Company's
major customers or a decrease in orders by such customers could have a material
adverse effect on its business, financial condition and results of operations.
 
AVAILABILITY OF SUITABLE ACQUISITIONS; INTEGRATION OF OPERATIONS
 
     A key component of the Company's growth strategy is the acquisition of
businesses that complement its existing products and services. The Company's
acquisition strategy involves the potential risks inherent in assessing the
value, strengths, weaknesses, contingent or other liabilities and potential
profitability of acquisition candidates and in integrating the operations of
acquired companies. In addition, any acquisition of a foreign business may
increase the Company's exposure to certain risks inherent in doing business
outside the United States, including currency exchange rate fluctuations,
restrictions on the repatriation of profits, compliance with foreign laws and
standards and political risks. There can be no assurance that acquisition
opportunities will continue to be available, that the Company will have access
to the capital required to finance potential acquisitions, that the Company will
continue to acquire businesses or that any business acquired will be integrated
successfully or prove profitable.
 
COMPETITION
 
     Although many of the Company's products serve niche markets, a number of
the Company's direct and indirect competitors in these markets are major
corporations, some with substantially greater technical, financial and marketing
resources than those of the Company, and there can be
 
                                        7
<PAGE>   8
 
no assurance that other competitors will not enter these markets. In the event
of an industry downturn, customers who typically outsource their need for
cryogenic systems to the Company may use their excess capacity to fabricate such
systems themselves. The Company also competes in the sale of a limited number of
products with certain of its major customers. Because such competition is
limited in its scope, management believes that such competition currently does
not have an adverse effect on its relationships with these customers.
 
FIXED-PRICE CONTRACT EXPOSURE
 
     A substantial portion of the Company's revenues is derived from fixed-price
contracts for large system projects. To the extent that original cost estimates
prove to be inaccurate, profitability from a particular contract may be
adversely affected, which, in turn, could have a material adverse effect on the
Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.
 
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS
 
     Of the Company's approximately 1,250 employees, 267 employees of its ALTEC
International Limited Partnership ("ALTEC") subsidiary are covered by a
collective bargaining agreement expiring February 7, 1998, and 93 employees of
its Process Engineering ("PEI") subsidiary are covered by a collective
bargaining agreement expiring August 27, 1999. Although the Company believes its
relations with its union employees are good, there can be no assurance that
ALTEC and PEI will be successful in negotiating new agreements with the unions
representing their employees on terms favorable to the Company or can do so
without experiencing work stoppages by some of their employees. Because of
ALTEC's importance to the profitability of the Company, a work stoppage at ALTEC
could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial
condition and results of operations.
 
EXPOSURE TO LIABILITY
 
     Due to the high pressures and low temperatures at which many of the
Company's products are used, the Company could be at risk if an accident is
caused by a defective product manufactured by the Company. Management believes
that the Company meets existing professional specification standards recognized
or required in the industries in which it operates, and has had no material
product liability claims brought against it. Although the Company currently
maintains product liability coverage which it believes is adequate for the
continued operation of its business, such insurance may prove inadequate or
become difficult to obtain or unobtainable in the future on terms acceptable to
the Company.
 
VARIABILITY OF OPERATING RESULTS
 
     The Company's operating results historically have fluctuated from quarter
to quarter as a result of a number of factors, including the value, timing and
shipment of individual orders and the mix of products sold. Moreover, although
the Company generally recognizes product revenues upon shipment of its products,
certain large system contracts are recognized using the percentage of completion
method of accounting. Accordingly, revenue in any quarter is dependent in part
on progress towards completion of large system contracts by the Company.
 
DEPENDENCE ON KEY PERSONNEL
 
     The success of the Company's business will continue to depend substantially
upon the efforts, abilities and services of its executive officers and certain
other key employees. The loss of one or more key employees, particularly Arthur
S. Holmes, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and James R. Sadowski,
President and Chief Operating Officer, could adversely affect the Company's
operations. The Company's ability to attract and retain qualified engineers and
other professionals,
 
                                        8
<PAGE>   9
 
either through direct hiring or acquisition of other businesses employing such
professionals, will also be an important factor in determining the Company's
future success.
 
ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS
 
     The Company's operations are subject to federal, state, local and foreign
laws and regulations relating to the protection of the environment. Sanctions
for noncompliance may include revocation of permits, corrective action orders,
administrative or civil penalties and criminal prosecution. The Company's
business involves environmental management and issues typically associated with
historical manufacturing operations, and the Company is developing work plans
for remediation of environmental conditions involving certain of its facilities.
To date, the Company's cost of complying with environmental laws and regulations
has not been material, but the fact that such laws or regulations are changed
frequently makes predicting the cost or impact of such laws and regulations on
its future operations uncertain. See "Business -- Environmental Matters."
 
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MATTERS
 
     The Company relies on a combination of internal procedures, nondisclosure
agreements, patents, trademarks, and copyright law to protect its intellectual
property. There can be no assurance that the Company's intellectual property
rights can be successfully asserted in the future or will not be invalidated,
circumvented or challenged. In addition, the laws of certain foreign countries
in which the Company's products may be sold do not protect the Company's
intellectual property rights to the same extent as the laws of the United
States. The failure or inability of the Company to protect its proprietary
information could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business,
financial condition and results of operations.
 
                              RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
 
     On July 31, 1997, the Company acquired all of the outstanding shares of
Cryenco, a Denver, Colorado based manufacturer of cryogenic tanks and related
products for the transportation, storage and dispensing of LNG and liquefied
argon, oxygen and nitrogen. Consideration for the acquisition included the
payment of $19.7 million to purchase the outstanding common stock and certain
warrants of Cryenco, the payment of $685,000 to redeem its outstanding preferred
stock, and the assumption of approximately $6.2 million in indebtedness for
borrowed money. The Company also assumed Cryenco's obligations under other
warrants, which were converted into warrants to purchase Common Stock of the
Company, and are recorded in the Company's accounts at an estimated fair value
of $436,000. The Company financed the cash portion of its acquisition of Cryenco
with borrowings under a $45 million credit facility between the Company and
National City Bank and NBD Bank entered into in July 1997 (the "New Credit
Facility"). See "Pro Forma Financial Data." Management believes that the
addition of Cryenco's line of products, including cryogenic transport trailers,
cryogenic intermodal containers, MRI cryostats and other cryogenic components,
complements the Company's existing line of cryogenic tanks and cryogenic
components and offers significant growth opportunities through cross-selling to
existing customers and new product development.
 
                                        9
<PAGE>   10
 
                                USE OF PROCEEDS
 
     The net proceeds from the sale of the 1,300,000 shares of Common Stock
offered by the Company hereby are estimated to be approximately $25.3 million
($33.6 million if the Underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full).
The Company intends to use net proceeds from the sale of the shares offered by
it hereby to repay amounts outstanding under the New Credit Facility. At August
31, 1997, the Company had an aggregate of $24.0 million in borrowings
outstanding under the New Credit Facility which currently bears interest at a
rate approximately equal to the prime rate (currently 8.5%) and has a maturity
date of May 31, 2000. The indebtedness incurred under the New Credit Facility
was used to finance working capital needs, capital expenditures and the
acquisition of Cryenco. The Company intends to use the balance, if any, of the
net proceeds for general corporate purposes, including working capital and
capital expenditures. A portion of such balance may also be used, together with
borrowings under the New Credit Facility or other sources of financing, to
acquire or invest in complementary businesses. The Company has no current plans,
agreements or commitments with respect to any such acquisition or investment,
and the Company is not currently engaged in any negotiations with respect to any
such transaction. Pending such uses, the net proceeds will be invested in
investment grade, short-term, interest-bearing securities.
 
     The Company will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of the
shares by the Selling Stockholders.
 
                                       10
<PAGE>   11
 
                PRICE RANGE OF COMMON STOCK AND DIVIDEND POLICY
 
     The Company's Common Stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under
the symbol "CTI." The following table sets forth, for the quarterly periods
indicated, the high and low sale prices of the Company's Common Stock, as
reported on the New York Stock Exchange Composite Tape, and the cash dividends
paid on the Common Stock. The information in the table below has been adjusted
to reflect the Stock Split.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                DIVIDENDS PAID
                                                       HIGH          LOW          PER SHARE
                                                      -------      -------      --------------
    <S>                                               <C>          <C>          <C>
    1995
      First Quarter................................   $ 3.417      $ 2.500          $ .047
      Second Quarter...............................     3.917        2.750            .047
      Third Quarter................................     5.917        3.333            .047
      Fourth Quarter...............................     5.833        4.333            .047
    1996
      First Quarter................................     7.000        4.500            .047
      Second Quarter...............................    11.250        6.583            .047
      Third Quarter................................    12.333        8.333            .047
      Fourth Quarter...............................    11.917       10.083            .060
    1997
      First Quarter................................    17.083       11.333            .060
      Second Quarter...............................    18.417       13.250            .060
      Third Quarter................................    21.500       17.375            .060
      Fourth Quarter (through October 8, 1997).....    21.250       20.125              --
</TABLE>
 
     On October 8, 1997, the last sale price of the Common Stock as reported on
the New York Stock Exchange Composite Tape was $21.125 per share. As of August
31, 1997, there were 931 holders of record of the Common Stock. The Company
estimates that approximately 3,100 additional stockholders own stock held for
their accounts at brokerage firms and financial institutions.
 
     Cash dividends are payable quarterly, upon authorization by the Board of
Directors. Regular payment dates are March 15, June 15, September 15 and
December 15. The payment of cash dividends by the Company has been and will
continue to be at the discretion of the Board of Directors and will depend upon,
among other factors, the capital requirements, operating results, financial
condition and restrictions imposed by financing arrangements of the Company from
time to time. The New Credit Facility allows the Company to pay cash dividends
not to exceed $6 million annually, subject to compliance with other loan
covenants.
 
                                       11
<PAGE>   12
 
                                 CAPITALIZATION
 
     The following table sets forth the capitalization of the Company at June
30, 1997, the pro forma capitalization of the Company at such date giving effect
to the acquisition of Cryenco, and the pro forma as adjusted capitalization of
the Company at such date giving effect to the issuance and sale of the 1,300,000
shares offered by the Company hereby and the application of the estimated net
proceeds to the Company therefrom as described under "Use of Proceeds." This
table should be read in conjunction with the pro forma condensed consolidated
financial statements of the Company, the consolidated financial statements of
the Company and related notes included elsewhere in this Prospectus.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                      JUNE 30, 1997
                                                         ----------------------------------------
                                                                                       PRO FORMA
                                                          ACTUAL       PRO FORMA      AS ADJUSTED
                                                         --------      ---------      -----------
                                                            (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PERCENTAGES)
<S>                                                      <C>           <C>            <C>
Current portion of long-term debt.....................   $  2,896      $   3,190       $     396
Long-term debt, excluding current portion.............      4,238         31,441           8,943
Shareholders' equity:
  Preferred Stock, 1,000,000 shares authorized; none
     issued or outstanding
  Common Stock, 30,000,000 shares authorized;
     15,325,800 shares issued (15,727,843 shares as
     adjusted)(1)(2)..................................        153            153             157
  Additional paid-in capital..........................     18,709         18,709          33,926
  Warrants............................................                       436             436
  Retained earnings...................................     21,685         21,685          21,685
  Treasury stock, at cost, 897,957 shares (no shares
     as adjusted) (2).................................    (10,071)       (10,071)
                                                         --------       --------        --------
     Total shareholders' equity.......................     30,476         30,912          56,204
                                                         --------       --------        --------
       Total capitalization(3)........................   $ 37,610      $  65,543       $  65,543
                                                         ========       ========        ========
Total debt to total capitalization....................       19.0%          52.8%           14.2%
</TABLE>
 
- ---------------
 
(1) Does not include 586,160 shares issuable upon exercise of stock options with
    a weighted average exercise price of $7.14 per share and 112,801 shares
    issuable upon the exercise of warrants with a weighted average exercise
    price of $26.77 per share outstanding as of June 30, 1997.
 
(2) The Company will retire all treasury shares concurrently with the issuance
    and sale of the 1,300,000 shares offered by the Company hereby.
 
(3) Total capitalization reflects the total of long-term debt and shareholders'
    equity.
 
                                       12
<PAGE>   13
 
                            PRO FORMA FINANCIAL DATA
 
     The following unaudited pro forma condensed consolidated financial
statements are based on the historical consolidated financial statements of the
Company, adjusted to give effect to the acquisition of Cryenco and the
application of net proceeds of the Offering to repay indebtedness (the
"Transactions"). The unaudited pro forma condensed consolidated balance sheet
gives effect to the Transactions as if such had occurred on June 30, 1997. The
unaudited pro forma condensed consolidated statements of operations give effect
to the Transactions as if such had occurred on January 1, 1996. The unaudited
pro forma condensed consolidated financial statements are presented for
illustrative purposes only and are not necessarily indicative of the financial
position or results of operations that would have actually been reported had the
Transactions occurred on January 1, 1996, nor are they necessarily indicative of
future financial position or results of operations. The pro forma adjustments
reflected herein are based on preliminary estimates and assumptions and are
subject to revision as more information becomes available. In management's
opinion, the final adjustments are not expected to be materially different from
the preliminary adjustments. The unaudited pro forma condensed consolidated
financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company's historical
consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto and
"Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations" included elsewhere herein.
 
                                       13
<PAGE>   14
 
          PRO FORMA CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS(1)
 
                     FOR THE SIX-MONTH PERIODS AS INDICATED
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                      COMPANY     CRYENCO
                                      JUNE 30,    MAY 31,     PRO FORMA                     OFFERING        PRO FORMA
                                        1997       1997      ADJUSTMENTS    PRO FORMA    ADJUSTMENTS(2)    AS ADJUSTED
                                      --------    -------    -----------    ---------    --------------    -----------
                                                          (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
<S>                                   <C>         <C>        <C>            <C>          <C>               <C>
Sales..............................   $ 84,198    $13,871                   $ 98,069                        $  98,069
Cost of products sold..............     58,556     11,454                     70,010                           70,010
                                       -------    -------         -----      -------           -----          -------
  Gross profit.....................     25,642      2,417                     28,059                           28,059
Selling, general and administrative
  expenses.........................     11,712      1,631     $     111(3)    13,454                           13,454
                                       -------    -------         -----      -------           -----          -------
  Operating income.................     13,930        786          (111)      14,605                           14,605
Net interest expense...............         18        450           860(4)     1,328        $ (1,075)             253
                                       -------    -------         -----      -------           -----          -------
Income before income taxes.........     13,912        336          (971)      13,277           1,075           14,352
Income tax expense.................      4,730        124          (292)(5)    4,562             366            4,928
                                       -------    -------         -----      -------           -----          -------
  Net income.......................   $  9,182    $   212     $    (679)    $  8,715        $    709        $   9,424
                                       =======    =======         =====      =======           =====          =======
Net income per share...............   $    .62                              $    .59                        $     .58
                                       =======                               =======                          =======
Shares used in per share
  calculations.....................     14,846                                14,846                           16,146
</TABLE>
 
                   FOR THE TWELVE-MONTH PERIODS AS INDICATED
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                      COMPANY     CRYENCO
                                      DECEMBER    NOVEMBER
                                        31,         30,       PRO FORMA                     OFFERING        PRO FORMA
                                        1996       1996      ADJUSTMENTS    PRO FORMA    ADJUSTMENTS(2)    AS ADJUSTED
                                      --------    -------    -----------    ---------    --------------    -----------
                                                          (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
<S>                                   <C>         <C>        <C>            <C>          <C>               <C>
Sales..............................   $148,400    $30,648                   $179,048                        $ 179,048
Cost of products sold..............    103,398     23,996                    127,394                          127,394
                                      --------    --------     --------     --------         -------         --------
  Gross profit.....................     45,002      6,652                     51,654                           51,654
Selling, general and administrative
  expenses.........................     21,745      4,556     $     222(3)    26,523                           26,523
                                      --------    --------     --------     --------         -------         --------
  Operating income.................     23,257      2,096          (222)      25,131                           25,131
Net interest expense...............        623        980         1,720(4)     3,323        $ (2,150)           1,173
                                      --------    --------     --------     --------         -------         --------
Income before income taxes.........     22,634      1,116        (1,942)      21,808           2,150           23,958
Income tax expense.................      7,605        413          (602)(5)    7,416             731            8,147
                                      --------    --------     --------     --------         -------         --------
  Net income.......................   $ 15,029    $   703     $  (1,340)    $ 14,392        $  1,419        $  15,811
                                      ========    ========     ========     ========         =======         ========
Net income per share...............   $    .99                              $    .95                        $     .96
                                      ========                              ========                         ========
Shares used in per share
  calculations.....................     15,186                                15,186                           16,486
</TABLE>
 
- ---------------
 
(1) The Pro Forma Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations for the
    six-month period ended June 30, 1997 and the year ended December 31, 1996
    give effect to the acquisition of Cryenco as if it occurred on January 1,
    1996 by combining the indicated periods of the Company with the six-month
    period ended May 31, 1997 and the twelve-month period ended November 30,
    1996 for Cryenco to conform the different fiscal year ends.
 
(2) To record reduction in interest expense and the related tax effect for the
    six months ended June 30, 1997 and the year ended December 31, 1996, which
    would have been realized had the Offering occurred January 1, 1996.
 
(3) Represents the incremental amortization due to the application of purchase
    accounting resulting from an increase of $8,863,000 in the basis of net
    assets acquired amortized over a 40 year period.
 
(4) Reflects additional interest expense which would have been incurred by the
    Company assuming the acquisition of Cryenco had occurred January 1, 1996.
    Interest expense has been calculated based on the $20.2 million utilization
    on the available line of credit used to fund the cash portion of the
    consideration in conjunction with the acquisition of Cryenco.
 
(5) Reflects the income tax effect assuming the acquisition of Cryenco had
    occurred on January 1, 1996. The goodwill amortization created by this
    transaction is not tax deductible.
 
                                       14
<PAGE>   15
 
               PRO FORMA CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET(1)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                        COMPANY          CRYENCO         PRO FORMA                       OFFERING         PRO FORMA
                                     JUNE 30, 1997     MAY 31, 1997     ADJUSTMENTS     PRO FORMA     ADJUSTMENTS(2)     AS ADJUSTED
                                     -------------     ------------     -----------     ---------     --------------     -----------
                                                                             (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                  <C>               <C>              <C>             <C>           <C>                <C>
ASSETS
Current Assets
  Cash and cash equivalents......      $      41         $    426                       $    467                          $     467
  Restricted cash................          4,597                                           4,597                              4,597
  Accounts receivable............         21,993            4,510                         26,503                             26,503
  Inventories....................         19,984            5,558                         25,542                             25,542
  Other current assets...........          5,478            2,766                          8,244                              8,244
                                       ---------         --------        ---------      --------         --------         ---------
      Total Current Assets.......         52,093           13,260                         65,353                             65,353
Property, plant & equipment,
  net............................         20,864            3,784                         24,648                             24,648
Goodwill.........................          1,649            5,114        $   8,863        15,626                             15,626
Other assets, net................            675              306                            981                                981
                                       ---------         --------        ---------      --------         --------         ---------
      Total Assets...............      $  75,281         $ 22,464        $   8,863      $106,608         $      0         $ 106,608
                                       =========         ========        =========      ========         ========         =========
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS'
  EQUITY
Current Liabilities
  Accounts payable...............      $   5,755         $  1,490                       $  7,245                          $   7,245
  Customer advances..............         15,359                                          15,359                             15,359
  Billings in excess of contract
    revenue......................          2,325                                           2,325                              2,325
  Accrued expenses and other
    liabilities..................         13,641            1,754        $     150(3)     15,545                             15,545
  Current portion of long-term
    debt.........................          2,896              294                          3,190         $ (2,794)              396
                                       ---------         --------        ---------      --------         --------         ---------
      Total Current
        Liabilities..............         39,976            3,538              150        43,664           (2,794)           40,870
Long-term debt...................          4,238            6,964           20,239(3)     31,441          (22,498)            8,943
Deferred income taxes............            591                                             591                                591
Shareholders' Equity
  Preferred stock................                               1               (1)(4)
  Common stock...................            153               70              (70)(4)       153                4               157
  Additional paid-in capital.....         18,709           14,027          (14,027)(4)    18,709           15,217            33,926
  Warrants.......................                             169              267(5)        436                                436
  Retained earnings (deficit)....         21,685           (2,305)           2,305(4)     21,685                             21,685
  Treasury stock.................        (10,071)                                        (10,071)          10,071
                                       ---------         --------        ---------      --------         --------         ---------
                                          30,476           11,962          (11,526)       30,912           25,292            56,204
                                       ---------         --------        ---------      --------         --------         ---------
      Total Liabilities and
        Shareholders' Equity.....      $  75,281         $ 22,464        $   8,863      $106,608         $      0         $ 106,608
                                       =========         ========        =========      ========         ========         =========
</TABLE>
 
- ---------------
 
(1) The Pro Forma Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet as of June 30, 1997 gives
    effect to the acquisition of Cryenco by combining the Company's June 30,
    1997 balances with Cryenco's May 31, 1997 balances to conform the different
    fiscal year ends.
 
(2) Application of net proceeds from the Offering of $25.3 million (after
    deducting the underwriting discount and estimated offering expenses payable
    by the Company, but excluding net proceeds from 420,000 shares that may be
    sold to cover over-allotments) and the retirement of the Company's treasury
    stock.
 
(3) To record the total consideration paid for preferred and common stock and
    common stock warrants including estimated transaction costs.
 
(4) To eliminate Cryenco common stock, preferred stock, additional paid in
    capital and retained deficit.
 
(5) Recognition of the Company's common stock warrants at fair value issued upon
    conversion of the Cryenco common stock warrants.
 
                                       15
<PAGE>   16
 
                      SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA
                    (in thousands, except per share amounts)
 
HISTORICAL FINANCIAL DATA
 
     The selected consolidated financial data set forth below for the five years
ended December 31, 1996 have been derived from the audited consolidated
financial statements of the Company. Also set forth below are selected
consolidated financial data of the Company for the six months ended June 30,
1997 and 1996, which have been derived from the unaudited condensed consolidated
financial statements for those periods. The unaudited condensed consolidated
financial statements include all adjustments which the Company considers
necessary for a fair presentation of the financial position and the results of
operations for these periods. Operating results for the six months ended June
30, 1997 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for
the entire fiscal year ending December 31, 1997. The selected consolidated
financial data should be read in conjunction with "Management's Discussion and
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and the consolidated
financial statements of the Company and related notes included elsewhere in this
Prospectus.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                 SIX MONTHS ENDED
                                     JUNE 30,                               YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                               --------------------      --------------------------------------------------------------
                                1997         1996          1996          1995         1994         1993          1992
                               -------      -------      --------      --------      -------      -------      --------
<S>                            <C>          <C>          <C>           <C>           <C>          <C>          <C>
INCOME STATEMENT DATA:
Sales.......................   $84,198      $65,339      $148,400      $112,479      $84,258      $83,734      $104,845
Costs of products sold......    58,556       45,538       103,398        81,704       68,450       65,955        78,175
  Gross profit..............    25,642       19,801        45,002        30,775       15,808       17,779        26,670
Selling, general and
  administrative expenses...    11,712        9,290        21,745        18,108       15,020       15,865        14,624
Restructuring charge........                                                           2,151(1)
  Operating income (loss)...    13,930       10,511        23,257        12,667       (1,363)       1,914        12,046
Net interest expense........        18          418           623         1,858          996          602         1,451
Income tax expense
  (benefit).................     4,730        3,336         7,605         3,746         (896)         512         3,789
  Net income (loss).........     9,182        6,757        15,029         7,063       (1,463)         800         6,806
Net income (loss) per
  share.....................   $   .62      $   .45      $    .99      $    .47      $  (.10)     $   .05      $    .49
Weighted average shares
  outstanding...............    14,846       15,167        15,186        15,099       15,053       15,326        13,940
OTHER FINANCIAL DATA:
Depreciation and
  amortization..............   $ 1,364      $ 1,422      $  2,708      $  2,742      $ 2,698      $ 2,073      $  1,910
Capital expenditures........     4,239        1,609(2)      4,868(2)      2,111        1,333        1,356         1,751
Dividends per share.........   $   .12      $   .09      $    .20      $    .19      $   .19      $   .19           N/A(3)
</TABLE>
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                  AS OF JUNE 30,                               AS OF DECEMBER 31,
                               --------------------      --------------------------------------------------------------
                                1997         1996          1996          1995         1994         1993          1992
                               -------      -------      --------      --------      -------      -------      --------
<S>                            <C>          <C>          <C>           <C>           <C>          <C>          <C>
BALANCE SHEET DATA:
Working capital.............   $12,117      $ 6,847      $ 12,647      $ 17,750      $15,483      $19,847      $ 15,815
Total assets................    75,281       65,956        81,196        66,506       54,881       48,003        48,954
Total debt..................     7,134        2,020         4,830        14,573       18,080       14,810         8,068
Shareholders' equity........    30,476       23,714        28,096        18,433       14,364       18,418        21,747
</TABLE>
 
- ---------------
 
(1) The restructuring charge was recorded to reflect the costs of restructuring
    the Company's cryogenic tank operations.
 
(2) Capital expenditures in these periods do not include $3.6 million for the
    acquisition of the land and building at the Company's Westborough,
    Massachusetts facility.
 
(3) The Company did not pay any dividends during 1992 subsequent to the
    Company's initial public offering in December of that year.
 
                                       16
<PAGE>   17
 
          MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
                           AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
 
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
 
  Overview
 
     The Company recorded its second consecutive year of record sales, earnings
and order backlog in 1996, driven by continued strong demand for its products in
both the industrial gas and hydrocarbon processing markets, together with the
benefits of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory ("LIGO")
contract reported within its special products business. These record levels of
operating results have continued in the first half of 1997.
 
     The Company normally recognizes revenues from sales of its products at
completion, which is generally at the time of shipment. As revenues generated
from a small number of products can constitute a significant portion of the
Company's overall revenues, the timing of completion of such products and the
resulting recognition of revenue therefrom could cause the Company's results of
operations to vary from quarter to quarter.
 
     For multi-year contracts, the Company recognizes revenue under the
percentage of completion method of accounting, whereby revenue and profit are
recognized throughout the performance period of the contract. As a result, the
Company must estimate the revenues to be generated from such contracts and the
cost associated with completing those contracts, and apply such estimates
throughout the length of the contracts. The Company evaluates the progress of
all such contracts each month. Consequently, the Company's estimates may require
adjustment from time to time. The cumulative impact of revisions in total cost
estimates during the progress of work is reflected in the period in which these
changes become known. Those adjustments may cause the Company's results of
operations to fluctuate from quarter to quarter.
 
     Historically, the Company has attempted to respond to changing market
conditions by using performance-related compensation and by adjusting fixed
costs and capital expenditures. Due to a significant reduction in new equipment
purchases in both the industrial gas and hydrocarbon processing markets during
1992 and early 1993, the Company experienced a reduced level of sales in 1993
and 1994. Actions taken by the Company to reduce its fixed costs during this
period were generally slower to take effect than the reduction in sales, causing
a decline in operating margin. In addition, during this period the Company
restructured its cryogenic tank manufacturing business to reduce its cost
structure, resulting in a restructuring charge being recorded in 1994. The
Company also shifted its emphasis to higher margin products and changed its
compensation program in order to improve the profitability of its other
businesses.
 
     The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, the percentage
relationship to sales of the Company each line item represents.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                    SIX MONTHS
                                                  ENDED JUNE 30,        YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                                 ----------------      ---------------------------
                                                 1997       1996       1996       1995       1994
                                                 -----      -----      -----      -----      -----
<S>                                              <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>
Sales.........................................   100.0%     100.0%     100.0%     100.0%     100.0%
Cost of products sold.........................    69.5       69.7       69.7       72.6       81.2
Gross profit..................................    30.5       30.3       30.3       27.4       18.8
Selling, general and administrative expense...    14.0       14.2       14.7       16.1       17.8
Restructuring charge..........................                                                 2.6
Operating income (loss).......................    16.5       16.1       15.6       11.3       (1.6)
Interest expense, net.........................                 .7         .4        1.7        1.2
Income taxes (benefit)........................     5.6        5.1        5.1        3.3       (1.1)
Net income (loss).............................    10.9       10.3       10.1        6.3       (1.7)
</TABLE>
 
                                       17
<PAGE>   18
 
     The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, the Company's
sales, gross profit and gross profit margin categorized by the three principal
markets for its products.
 
                             MARKET SECTOR ANALYSIS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                         SIX MONTHS
                                       ENDED JUNE 30,              YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                    --------------------      -----------------------------------
                                     1997         1996          1996          1995         1994
                                    -------      -------      --------      --------      -------
                                                 (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PERCENTAGES)
<S>                                 <C>          <C>          <C>           <C>           <C>
SALES
Industrial Gas Equipment.........   $38,132      $29,924      $ 73,945      $ 50,061      $34,765
Hydrocarbon Processing
  Equipment......................    18,343       15,962        30,397        23,914       19,851
Special Products.................    27,723       19,453        44,058        38,504       29,642
                                    -------      -------      --------      --------      -------
          Total..................   $84,198      $65,339      $148,400      $112,479      $84,258
                                    =======      =======      ========      ========      =======
GROSS PROFIT
Industrial Gas Equipment.........   $11,038      $ 9,074      $ 22,531      $ 12,301      $ 5,259
Hydrocarbon Processing
  Equipment......................     6,886        4,700         9,976         7,882        4,524
Special Products.................     7,718        6,027        12,495        10,592        6,976
                                    -------      -------      --------      --------      -------
          Total..................   $25,642      $19,801      $ 45,002      $ 30,775      $16,759(1)
                                    =======      =======      ========      ========      =======
GROSS PROFIT MARGIN
Industrial Gas Equipment.........     28.9%        30.3%         30.5%         24.6%        15.1%
Hydrocarbon Processing
  Equipment......................     37.5%        29.4%         32.8%         33.0%        22.8%
Special Products.................     27.8%        31.0%         28.4%         27.5%        23.5%
</TABLE>
 
- ---------------
 
(1) Gross profit by market does not reflect $950,000 of reserves recorded in the
    third quarter of 1994 related to various product warranty claims and
    estimated contract losses.
 
  Six Months Ended June 30, 1997 and June 30, 1996
 
     Sales for the six months ended June 30, 1997 were $84.2 million versus
$65.3 million for the comparable 1996 period, an increase of $18.9 million or
28.9%. The growth in sales was primarily the result of the continued strength in
heat exchanger sales for both the industrial gas and hydrocarbon processing
equipment markets. Also showing strong sales for the period compared to the same
period in the prior year were nitrogen rejection unit cold boxes related to
hydrocarbon processing and high-vacuum equipment related to the LIGO project.
The LIGO project is a three-year, $39 million project which commenced in 1995
and which is accounted for under the percentage of completion method of
accounting.
 
     Gross profit for the six months ended June 30, 1997 was $25.6 million
versus $19.8 million for the comparable 1996 period, an increase of $5.8 million
or 29.5%. Strong market conditions, particularly in the industrial gas equipment
market and increasingly in the hydrocarbon processing equipment market,
continued to support favorable pricing and higher throughput. Gross profit
margin for the six-month period that ended June 30, 1997 was 30.5% and is
consistent with the 30.3% performance for the first six months of 1996. Products
supporting this gross margin performance included heat exchangers, cold box
design and fabrication, and certain high vacuum products including LIGO vessels
and cryopumps.
 
     Selling, general and administrative ("SG&A") expense for the six-month
period ended June 30, 1997 was $11.7 million, approximately $2.4 million higher
than for the same period in 1996. The increase in SG&A expense in 1997 was
largely driven by the variable expenses of profit sharing,
 
                                       18
<PAGE>   19
 
management incentive compensation and selling commissions, all of which are
closely tied to increasing profitability and sales levels. SG&A expense for 1997
includes the costs for outside consultants that are working with the Company to
increase throughput in various facilities. Higher SG&A expense was also due in
part to certain non-recurring charges occurring during the six-month period
ended June 30, 1997.
 
     Net interest expense for the six-month period ended June 30, 1997 was
$18,000 versus $418,000 for the same period in 1996. The Company significantly
reduced its average level of borrowing in the first half of 1997 compared to
1996.
 
     Cryenco Acquisition.  Including six months of Cryenco operating results on
a pro forma basis increases sales by $13.9 million for the six-month period
ending June 30, 1997, consisting mainly of industrial gas equipment such as
industrial gas trailers, TVAC(TM) intermodal containers and MRI cryostats and
components not previously supplied by the Company.
 
     The pro forma gross profit margin is 28.6%, which is nearly 2% below the
actual figure reported by the Company. Although the Company believes that
Cryenco products have had a lower composite gross profit margin than the
Company's products, Cryenco's gross profit margin during the last six months had
been additionally affected by the revisions related to Cryenco's application of
percentage of completion accounting.
 
     Pro forma SG&A expense includes the anticipated effect of amortization of
the goodwill from the transaction, which will be approximately $222,000 per
year. Also included in the six-month results are costs related to several
product development projects that will be combined with other current Company
projects, such as LNG dispensing, and several research and development projects
for which the Company will pursue funding from outside sources.
 
     Interest expense on a pro forma basis increases substantially for the
acquisition of Cryenco. Based on the debt resulting from the payment of the
purchase price and the debt assumed in the transaction, the Company would have
had $1.3 million of interest expense in the first six months of 1997. The
Company anticipates the elimination of most of this additional interest expense
through the application of net proceeds from the Offering.
 
     The Company will experience a slightly higher effective tax rate with the
acquisition of Cryenco as the goodwill created in the transaction is not tax
deductible.
 
  Years Ended December 31, 1996 and 1995
 
     Sales for 1996 were $148.4 million, an increase of $35.9 million or 31.9%
over 1995. The largest increase in sales over 1995 came in industrial gas
equipment totaling $23.9 million, consisting of increases of $10.1 million in
cryogenic tanks, $8.5 million in heat exchangers, $2.9 million in cold boxes and
$2.4 million in assorted cryogenic components during 1996. Sales in the
hydrocarbon processing equipment area increased $6.5 million, a majority of
which was in heat exchangers, which were for the most part supplying an increase
in the demand for ethylene-related equipment. Sales to the specialty products
market also increased in 1996. Much of the sales improvement in this market was
the result of vacuum equipment being supplied to the LIGO project, which totaled
approximately $13.0 million during 1996.
 
     Gross profit for 1996 increased $14.2 million or 46.2% from 1995 levels.
The gross profit margin increased from 27.4% in 1995 to 30.3% in 1996. As in
sales, a large portion of the improvement in both gross profit and in gross
profit margin came from the industrial gas sector. The most significant
improvement was in the cryogenic tank business, which was restructured in 1994.
This business moved from a negative gross profit margin to a gross profit margin
level consistent with the Company's other industrial gas products. The heat
exchanger market also saw large volume and price improvement in 1996.
 
                                       19
<PAGE>   20
 
     As the LIGO project progresses toward completion, it is having a positive
effect in the specialty products area, where the gross profit margin has grown
to 28.4% in 1996 from 27.5% for 1995.
 
     SG&A expense totaled $21.7 million for 1996, an increase of $3.6 million
from 1995. As a percentage of sales, SG&A expense decreased from 16.1% in 1995
to 14.7% in 1996. This improvement is the result of increasing volume relative
to the fixed overhead costs. The $3.6 million increase in expense was in support
of increased sales.
 
     Net interest expense declined during 1996 with borrowings declining from
$14.6 million to a net positive cash position. This was also the last year of
amortization for the loan origination costs related to a $25 million credit
agreement.
 
     The 1996 tax expense includes the positive effect of eliminating the
deferred tax valuation allowance that related to certain tax loss carry forwards
as well as the ongoing benefits of several different tax credits.
 
  Years Ended December 31, 1995 and 1994
 
     Sales for 1995 were $112.5 million versus $84.3 million for 1994, an
increase of $28.2 million, or 33.5%. Sales grew across all markets and received
an additional boost from the acquisition of CVI, now a subsidiary of the
Company, in the fourth quarter of 1994. The continued strong demand for heat
exchangers, cryogenic storage tanks and stainless steel tubing was partially
offset by a weak market and higher than estimated expenses for certain contracts
in the high vacuum area.
 
     Strong industrial gas market conditions, extensive productivity
improvements in the cryogenic tank business, demand for redraw stainless steel
tubing, and strong throughput at each of the Company's plants resulted in gross
profit for 1995 of $30.8 million versus $15.8 million for 1994, an improvement
of $15.0 million, or 94.7%. This result reflects an improved gross profit margin
to 27.4% from 18.8% in 1994. The products supporting this improved gross profit
margin performance were stainless steel tubing, heat exchangers and cryogenic
storage tanks. This improved performance more than compensated for the
anticipated low-margin sales in several long-term high vacuum projects and the
start-up costs of the Company's cold box fabrication facility in New Iberia,
Louisiana.
 
     SG&A expense for 1995 was $18.1 million, approximately $3.1 million higher
than for 1994. As a percentage of sales, SG&A expense was 16.1% in 1995 versus
17.8% in 1994. The addition of CVI increased SG&A expense by $2.3 million over
the prior year. The remaining increases were driven by higher commissions and
employee profit sharing.
 
     Net interest expense for 1995 was $1.9 million versus $1.0 million in 1994.
Increased interest charges in 1995 reflect higher borrowing levels to meet
increased working capital requirements of the Company's operating units and the
acquisition indebtedness related to CVI. As of October 1, 1995, the interest
rate spread on the Company's borrowings was reduced by 25 basis points to LIBOR
plus 200 basis points.
 
     The 1995 effective tax rate of 34.7% reflects the positive effect of
certain tax credits taken in the most recently filed income tax returns and the
anticipated effect of such credits on the Company's 1995 tax returns.
 
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
 
     Cash provided by operations in the first six months of 1997 was $4.1
million compared to $19.8 million in the first six months of 1996. Cash provided
by operations in 1996 was $32.9 million compared to $8.8 million in 1995 and
$6.8 million in 1994. The Company's 1996 cash flow represented earnings and
significant cash flow from customer advances and milestone billings on many jobs
in backlog, especially the LIGO project. During the first six months of 1997,
much of the work progressed against the aforementioned milestone billings, thus
incurring costs without new
 
                                       20
<PAGE>   21
 
inflows of cash. This trend is expected to continue into the third quarter of
1997, when the Company will reach several major milestones on the LIGO project.
As the Company takes on large orders and progresses through completion, there
are normally wide swings in working capital requirements depending on negotiated
terms. Due to strong progress billings to the Company's customers and strong
operating cash flow, the Company is currently well positioned in regard to
working capital despite the large backlog and related inventory needs.
 
     Capital expenditures for the first six months of 1997 were $4.2 million
compared with $1.6 million for the same period in 1996. The level of capital
expenditures in 1997 is related to the expansion of capacity at the ALTEC
facility. These expenditures have been and will continue to be financed, for the
most part, by an industrial revenue bond. Capital expenditures in 1996, 1995,
and 1994 were $4.9 million (excluding $3.6 million for the acquisition of land
and building at the Company's Westborough, Massachusetts facility), $2.1 million
and $1.3 million, respectively. The 1996 capital expenditures relate to the
expansion of capacity at its heat exchanger and cold box manufacturing
facilities, as well as general throughput improvements at the other locations.
The 1995 expenditures included the leasehold improvements and various machinery
and equipment purchases for the Company's initial operation at the Company's
cold box fabrication facility in New Iberia, Louisiana, along with various
productivity-enhancing machinery and equipment throughout all of the Company's
facilities.
 
     During the first half of 1997, the Company acquired 375,150 shares
(adjusted for the Stock Split) under its share repurchase program at a total
cost of approximately $5.6 million.
 
     The Company anticipates sufficient cash flow from operations and available
borrowings to fund interest payments, dividends, planned capital expenditures
and future acquisitions. As of June 30, 1997, the Company's borrowings on its
$25 million credit facility totaled $2.5 million. In July 1997, the Company
entered into the $45 million New Credit Facility to enable it to complete the
acquisition of Cryenco. At August 31, 1997, the Company had an aggregate of
$24.0 million outstanding under the New Credit Facility. The Company intends to
apply net proceeds from the Offering to repay its borrowings under the New
Credit Facility.
 
                                       21
<PAGE>   22
 
                                    BUSINESS
GENERAL
 
     The Company is a leading supplier of standard and custom-built industrial
process equipment, primarily for cryogenic (low-temperature) applications. The
Company has developed a particular expertise in cryogenic systems and equipment,
which operate at low temperatures sometimes approaching absolute zero (0 degrees
Kelvin/-273 degrees Centigrade/-459 degrees Fahrenheit). The majority of the
Company's products, including heat exchangers, cold boxes, cryogenic tanks and
other cryogenic components, are used in the processing, liquefaction, storage
and transportation of gases and hydrocarbons. The Company also supplies products
for special applications, including high vacuum systems and specialty stainless
steel tubing.
 
MARKET OVERVIEW
 
     The markets served by the Company's principal products are the industrial
gas market and hydrocarbon processing market. All categories of the Company's
cryogenic products, including heat exchangers, cold boxes, cryogenic tanks and
cryogenic components, serve both of these markets. In 1996, the industrial gas
and hydrocarbon processing markets together accounted for approximately 70% of
the Company's sales. By 1998, sales to these markets are expected to constitute
as much as 85% of the Company's sales.
 
     Management believes that the global expansion of the industrial gas and
hydrocarbon processing markets presents attractive opportunities for growth. To
date, the sources of the Company's international business principally have been
its large domestic-based customers who are aggressively expanding into
international markets, and large foreign-based companies with significant U.S.
operations. In 1996, approximately 25% of the Company's sales were for job sites
outside the United States. To position the Company to take advantage of
anticipated growth opportunities in the industrial gas and hydrocarbon
processing markets abroad, management recently has concentrated its efforts on
enhancing the Company's international presence. Management intends to increase
the amount of the Company's existing sales to large multinational gas producers
and to strengthen international direct sales by bolstering its network of
independent sales representatives in foreign markets.
 
     The industrial gas market is the largest market served by the Company,
representing approximately 50% of its sales in 1996. The top world producers of
industrial gases have been among the Company's largest customers for each of the
last three years. Producers of industrial gases separate atmospheric air into
its component gases using cryogenic processes. The resultant liquid gases are
then stored and transported for ultimate use by a wide variety of customers in
the petrochemical, electronics, glass, paper, metals, food, fertilizer, welding,
enhanced oil recovery and medical industries. Industrial gas producers use heat
exchangers and cold boxes to produce liquid gases, and cryogenic tanks and
cryogenic components, including pumps, valves and piping, to store, transport
and distribute liquid gases to end users. Management anticipates demand for the
Company's products in the industrial gas markets will increase over the next
several years, driven principally by global industrialization, heightened
environmental standards and demands for increased purity of gas products and
increased efficiency in gas production. A recent industrial gas industry report
projects a 6% annual growth rate in worldwide demand for industrial gases
through the year 2000. Management believes that demand for cryogenic equipment
will grow as global demand for industrial gases increases.
 
     Representing approximately 20% of the Company's sales in 1996, the
hydrocarbon processing market consists of petrochemical and natural gas
processors. Natural gas processing involves the separation and purification of
natural gas for the production of liquid gas end products such as methane (when
liquefied, LNG), ethane, propane and butane, and by-products such as helium,
which have numerous commercial and industrial applications. In the petrochemical
industry, cryogenic separation and purification processes are required to
produce ethylene (the basic
 
                                       22
<PAGE>   23
 
building block of plastics), propylene and numerous other primary hydrocarbons
having industrial uses. Like the industrial gas market, the hydrocarbon
processing market uses all of the categories of the Company's cryogenic products
in the gas separation and purification processes and the subsequent storage and
distribution of liquid gases. Major customers for the Company's products in the
hydrocarbon processing markets are large multinational firms in the oil and gas
industry, and large engineering and construction concerns. Management
anticipates continued strong domestic and international growth in the
hydrocarbon processing market. This market growth is expected to stem in part
from increased global demand for LNG, which, according to one industry report,
is the fastest growing segment of the world energy market with a projected 7%
annual growth rate over the next several years. Demand for ethylene is
forecasted by an industry journal to grow at an annual rate of 5% for the rest
of the decade.
 
     In addition to the industrial gas and hydrocarbon processing markets, the
Company also serves certain special market niches, the two largest of which are
vacuum systems and specialty stainless steel tubing. Vacuum equipment is
supplied principally to the satellite testing market, which has become
increasingly active as a number of new satellite communications systems are
developed worldwide. Vacuum equipment also is supplied to observatories for
telescope mirror coating. Under the Company's largest single contract to date,
the Company supplies sophisticated vacuum equipment to the LIGO project, a
government funded gravitational observatory research project. The Company
anticipates continued growth in its share of the market for large sophisticated
vacuum systems. The Company's specialty stainless steel tubing is supplied
principally to distributors who in turn sell to customers having immediate or
short lead time needs. As the Company's stainless steel tubing is intended to
meet short delivery schedules, it commands high margins in this spot-market
business.
 
PRODUCTS
 
     The Company's principal products include the following:
 
     Heat Exchangers.  The Company is the leading designer and manufacturer of
cryogenic heat exchangers. Using technology pioneered by the Company, heat
exchangers are incorporated into systems such as cold boxes to facilitate the
progressive cooling and liquefaction of air or hydrocarbon mixtures for the
subsequent recovery or purification of component gases. In the industrial gas
market, heat exchangers are used to obtain high purity atmospheric gases, such
as oxygen, nitrogen, and argon, which have numerous diverse industrial
applications. In hydrocarbon processing industries, heat exchangers allow
producers to obtain both purified forms of hydrocarbons and a variety of gas
by-products, such as methane, ethane, propane and ethylene, which are
commercially marketable for various industrial or residential uses. Heat
exchangers are customized to the customer's order and range in price from
$30,000 for a relatively simple unit to as high as $10 million for a major
project.
 
     Management anticipates continued strong demand for its heat exchangers,
resulting substantially from increased activity in the petrochemical and liquid
natural gas segments of the hydrocarbon processing market. In particular,
management believes that continuing efforts by less developed countries to
broaden their industrial base present a promising source of demand for the
Company's heat exchangers. Demand for heat exchangers in developed countries is
expected to continue as firms upgrade their facilities for greater efficiency
and regulatory compliance. To ensure adequate capacity for anticipated growth in
demand in heat exchangers, a major expansion of the Company's facilities was
recently completed.
 
     The Company's principal competitors for heat exchangers are Linde,
Sumitomo, IMI, Kobe and Nordon. Management believes that the Company is the only
producer of large brazed aluminum heat exchangers in the United States, and has
the leading market share in the global market for heat exchangers. Major
customers for the Company's heat exchangers in the industrial gas market
 
                                       23
<PAGE>   24
 
include Air Liquide, Air Products, BOC, MG Industries and Praxair, and in the
hydrocarbon processing market producers including AMOCO, ARCO, EXXON and
contractors including ABB Randall, Bechtel, and M.W. Kellogg.
 
     Cold Boxes.  The Company is a leading designer and fabricator of cold
boxes. Cold boxes are highly engineered systems used to reduce significantly the
temperature of gas mixtures to the point where component gases liquefy and can
be separated and purified for further use in multiple industrial, scientific and
commercial applications. In the industrial gas market, cold boxes are used to
separate air into its major atmospheric components, including nitrogen, oxygen
and argon, used in a diverse range of applications such as the quick-freezing of
food, wastewater treatment and industrial welding. In the hydrocarbon processing
market, the Company's cold box systems are used in natural gas processing and in
the petrochemical industry. The construction of a cold box generally consists of
one or more heat exchangers and other equipment packaged in a "box" consisting
of metal framing and a complex system of piping and valves. Cold boxes, which
are designed and fabricated to order, sell in the approximate price range of
$500,000 to $10 million, with the majority of cold boxes priced between $1
million and $2 million. In anticipation of growing demand for high purity
atmospheric gases and for hydrocarbon applications, the Company increased its
cold box manufacturing capacity and improved its shipping ability in 1995 by
establishing a fabrication facility in New Iberia, Louisiana.
 
     The Company has a number of competitors for fabrication of cold boxes,
including E.S. Fox, Ivor J. Lee, McShane and NAPTech. In addition, the Company's
customers may decide to fabricate cold boxes themselves, purchasing the majority
of the components from third parties including the Company. Principal customers
for the Company's cold boxes include Air Liquide, ABB Randall, AMOCO, Bechtel,
BOC, MG Industries, M.W. Kellogg, Mesa Petroleum and Praxair.
 
     Cryogenic Storage Tanks.  The Company is a leading supplier of cryogenic
tanks, trailers, intermodal containers and railcars. Using sophisticated vacuum
insulation systems placed between inner and outer tanks, these tanks are able to
store and transport liquefied industrial gases and hydrocarbon gases at
temperatures nearing absolute zero. The Company has experienced substantial
growth in its storage tank sales as the demand for liquefied industrial gases
and liquefied hydrocarbon gases has increased, particularly within the
semiconductor industry for use in the microchip manufacturing process. Customers
for the Company's cryogenic storage tanks include industrial gas producers,
chemical producers, manufacturers of electrical components and businesses in the
oil and natural gas industry. Prices for the Company's cryogenic storage tanks
range from $25,000 to $500,000. Principal customers for the Company's cryogenic
storage tanks are AGA, Air Liquide, Air Products, BOC, Jack B. Kelly and
Praxair. The Company competes chiefly with MVE and Harsco for cryogenic storage
tank customers.
 
     Cryogenic Components.  The Company's line of cryogenic components,
including high pressure cryogenic pumps, valves, vacuum jacketed piping systems
and specialty components, are recognized in the market for their reliability,
quality and performance. These products are sold to the Company's heat exchanger
and cold box customers in the industrial gas and hydrocarbon processing
industries, as well as to a diverse group of customers in those and other
industries. The Company competes with a number of other suppliers of cryogenic
components, including MVE, Cryogenic Industries, CCI and Acme Cryogenics.
 
     Special Products.  The Company designs and manufactures thermal vacuum
systems marketed to a customer base that includes the aerospace industry,
government agencies, universities and national research facilities. The Company
is a leading domestic supplier of space simulation systems used to test
satellites and related components. The Company also manufactures large vacuum
chambers for telescope mirror aluminizing, a process in which aluminum is
vaporized to coat the surface of a large telescope mirror to restore its
reflectivity. Management believes that the Company, as a pioneer in the
development of this technology, has supplied the majority of these
 
                                       24
<PAGE>   25
 
systems worldwide. The Company's major competitors in the market for thermal
vacuum products and systems for aerospace and research applications include
Tenney Vacuum and Bemco.
 
     The Company's experience and technological advancements in the high-vacuum
area have resulted in its involvement, commencing in 1995, in equipping the LIGO
project, a scientific research project sponsored by the National Science
Foundation and jointly managed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and
the California Institute of Technology. The observatories will be dedicated to
the detection and measurement of cosmic gravitational waves and the harnessing
of these waves for scientific research. The Company has a three-year contract
under which it supplies all of the required LIGO vacuum equipment, including
vacuum chambers, large pipe spools, valves, vacuum pumps, controllers and
modular clean rooms. Management believes that expertise in the field of high
vacuum technology developed by the Company through its involvement in the LIGO
project may have a number of new commercial applications.
 
     The Company produces small diameter stainless steel tubing for sale to
distributors to satisfy their customers' requirements for quick delivery. The
Company's manufacturing strategy is to focus on custom sizes and smaller
production runs, which management believes gives the Company a competitive
advantage in providing a superior quality product while meeting customer demands
for dependable, fast delivery. With its production and marketing efforts
directed principally to customers relying on prompt delivery, the Company is
able to compete primarily on the basis of service rather than price. Numerous
manufacturers of stainless steel tubing are able to compete with the Company in
this market.
 
BUSINESS STRATEGY
 
     Recognized as a leader in the design, engineering and fabrication of
cryogenic systems and equipment, the Company currently faces the challenge of
enhancing its leadership position in markets that are global and growing.
Management expects continued strong demand for cryogenic products by the
industrial gas and hydrocarbon processing markets in North America and in
developed countries overseas. In addition, the accelerated pace of
industrializing efforts by emerging economies holds new and promising growth
opportunities for the Company to penetrate markets where its products currently
have little or no presence. To position the Company for continued growth in an
expanding international marketplace, management has developed the following five
key strategies:
 
     Focus on High-Margin, Niche Products.  The Company has developed a
particular expertise in the design, engineering and manufacture of cryogenic
systems and equipment. The Company will continue to focus on markets requiring
such specialized engineering and technical capability, rather than on
broader-based markets in which competition is largely based on price. The
Company believes that, by focusing on the market niche for cryogenic
applications, it has fewer competitors and higher margins for its products than
producers in markets that use standardized or high-volume products. The
Company's gross margin in the first six months of 1997 was 30.5%.
 
     Leveraging Customer Relationships.  The Company's engineers and sales
personnel work closely with its customers to customize and improve the
performance of its products and to develop and design new products. Through this
continued interaction the Company has built and sustained long-term
relationships with many of its major customers. Most of the Company's largest
customers have been customers of the Company for the last 10 years or more, and
a substantial quantity of the Company's annual sales are made to the same major
customers. As the Company's customers grow domestically and internationally,
they take the Company's products into new growth markets. Virtually all of the
Company's 1996 international sales were made to its long-term customers and
their international affiliates.
 
     Expanding International Direct Sales.  Although the Company is a leading
producer of cryogenic products and systems in North America, its direct sales of
such products outside North America are
 
                                       25
<PAGE>   26
 
relatively modest. In 1996, the Company's international sales constituted
approximately 25% of the Company's total sales. Most of its international sales
in 1996 were to North American customers which incorporated the Company's
products into their own exported products. The Company believes that demand for
the Company's products both in developed countries and emerging economies is
accelerating. The Company is in the process of "globalizing" its marketing to
increase its sales to customers in international markets. The Company intends to
expand its independent sales representative network outside North America in
order to strengthen its market share in selected markets in South America, the
Pacific Rim and the Middle East.
 
     Continued Emphasis on Operating Efficiencies.  The Company has devoted
considerable efforts to maximizing its production efficiency. Management
believes that such efforts have resulted in substantial improvements in
throughput, utilization of existing capacity and organizational efficiency,
which in turn have contributed to higher marginal returns. The Company intends
to continue to seek ways to improve its operating performance.
 
     Pursuing Strategic Acquisitions.  A key component of the Company's growth
strategy is the acquisition of complementary businesses that can effectively
increase the Company's market share and operating efficiencies, while
simultaneously expanding the Company's customer base and presence in geographic
regions which it does not currently serve. As it proceeds with efforts to
penetrate international markets, the Company anticipates extending its
operations overseas through one or more acquisitions abroad. The Company
continually reviews acquisition opportunities, and management believes that a
number of complementary acquisition opportunities exist. Management believes
that the combination of the high level of ability and experience of its senior
managers in evaluating and consummating acquisition opportunities, along with
the Company's low debt levels following the Offering and working capital
requirements, position the Company favorably to complete strategic acquisitions.
 
     Management anticipates that its experience in managing acquired businesses
will facilitate the execution of its acquisition strategy. The Company is a
successor to a group of complementary businesses acquired commencing in 1986
with the purchase of ALTEC, which had net sales of $13.3 million in that year.
Since the acquisition of ALTEC, the Company has grown to $148.4 million in net
sales in 1996 primarily through complementary acquisitions which subsequently
were integrated successfully into the Company's operations. The addition of
Cryenco's business to the Company's operations in July 1997 represents the most
recent effort by the Company to expand by acquiring complementary businesses.
The following businesses have been acquired and consolidated into the Company.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
  YEAR OF
ACQUISITION             ACQUISITION                    PRINCIPAL PRODUCTS           TOTAL REVENUES(1)
- ------------    ----------------------------    --------------------------------    -----------------
                                                                                      (IN MILLIONS)
<S>              <C>                            <C>                                 <C>
    1986        ALTEC International             Heat exchangers                           $13.3
    1987        Greenville Tube Corporation     Specialty stainless steel tubing           24.8
    1990        Process Engineering Inc.        Cryogenic tanks                            26.6
    1991        Process Systems
                International, Inc.             Cold boxes and vacuum equipment            35.8
    1991        NPS Products, Inc.              Nuclear pipe hangers                        8.2
    1994        CVI                             Cryogenic components                       11.1
    1997        Cryenco Sciences, Inc.          Cryogenic tanks                            30.6
</TABLE>
 
- ---------------
 
(1) Total revenues shown are for the first full calendar year following the date
    of acquisition included in the Company's results of operations, except with
    respect to ALTEC, for which revenues for the 12 months ended December 31,
    1986 are shown, and with respect to Cryenco, for which revenues for the 12
    months ended November 30, 1996 are shown.
 
                                       26
<PAGE>   27
 
ENGINEERING AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
 
     The Company's engineering and product development activities are primarily
associated with assisting in the design of products or modifications to execute
specific customer orders. The Company's engineering, technical and marketing
employees actively assist customers in specifying their needs and in determining
appropriate products to meet those needs. For example, the Company's product
development activities led to the introduction of the Core-in-Kettle(R) heat
exchanger in 1990, which has met with widespread customer acceptance by the
hydrocarbon processing market. The Company also has invested in the development
of new heat exchanger fins to enhance the performance of its products. A portion
of the Company's engineering expenditures typically are charged to customers
either as a separate item or as a part of product cost. The Company does not
devote a material amount of resources to unfunded research and development
activities.
 
COMPETITION
 
     Management believes the Company can compete effectively for new projects
around the world and that it is a leading competitor in its markets. Competition
is based primarily on performance and the ability to provide the design,
engineering, fabrication and manufacturing capabilities required to complete
projects in a timely and cost-efficient manner. Contracts are usually awarded on
a competitive bid basis. Quality, technical expertise and timeliness of
completion are the principal competitive factors within the industry. Price and
terms of sale are also important competitive factors but only after technical
expertise and ability to perform have been established. Because reliable market
share data are not available, it is difficult to estimate the Company's exact
position in its markets, although the Company believes it ranks among the
leaders in its markets.
 
MARKETING
 
     The Company's principal operating units currently market products and
services in North America primarily through 37 direct sales personnel, and
supplement these direct sales through 45 independent sales representatives and
distributors. The technical and custom design nature of the Company's products
requires a professional, highly trained sales force. Each salesperson is
expected to develop a highly specialized knowledge of one product or group of
products and to sell that product or group of products in all markets in which
the product is used, rather than to sell many products to a single market.
Substantially all of the Company's sales personnel have engineering or technical
experience.
 
     The Company uses independent sales representatives nearly exclusively to
conduct its sales in the foreign countries which the Company serves. These
independent sales representatives supplement the Company's direct sales force in
dealing with language and cultural matters. The Company's domestic and foreign
independent sales representatives earn commissions on sales which vary by
product type.
 
                                       27
<PAGE>   28
 
ORDERS AND BACKLOG
 
     The Company considers orders to be those for which the Company has received
a signed purchase order or other written contract from the customer. Such orders
are included in backlog until recognized as revenue or cancelled. The table
below sets forth orders and backlog for the periods presented.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                           JUNE 30,                       DECEMBER 31,
                                     ---------------------     ----------------------------------
                                       1997         1996         1996         1995         1994
                                     --------     --------     --------     --------     --------
                                                            (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                  <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>
ORDERS
Industrial Gas Equipment...........  $ 38,290     $ 32,425     $ 77,623     $ 72,483     $ 38,688
Hydrocarbon Processing Equipment...    26,354       28,352       54,173       30,212       22,150
Special Products...................    17,920       17,996       33,895       66,948       32,127
                                     --------     --------     --------     --------     --------
     Total.........................  $ 82,564     $ 78,773     $165,691     $169,643     $ 92,965
                                     ========     ========     ========     ========     ========
BACKLOG
Industrial Gas Equipment...........  $ 48,292     $ 46,957     $ 48,134     $ 44,456     $ 22,034
Hydrocarbon Processing Equipment...    53,211       33,814       45,200       21,424       15,126
Special Products...................    25,141       43,650       34,944       45,107       16,663
                                     --------     --------     --------     --------     --------
     Total.........................  $126,644     $124,421     $128,278     $110,987     $ 53,823
                                     ========     ========     ========     ========     ========
</TABLE>
 
     The Company has experienced growth in orders and backlog since 1994 in the
industrial gas market. The acquisition of Cryenco should further increase
orders, particularly for this market. Hydrocarbon processing market orders have
been steady for the last 18 months at approximately a $50 million annualized
rate, resulting in increased backlog because of the long lead time for the
typical hydrocarbon project. Special products orders in 1995 include the $39
million LIGO project which is a three-year project running through 1998. The
reduction in backlog in special products is primarily the result of progress in
completing this order.
 
     Approximately half of the June 30, 1997 backlog is scheduled to be
recognized as sales during 1997, and the remainder is scheduled to be recognized
as sales in 1998. The Company's backlog fluctuates from time to time and the
amounts set forth above are not necessarily indicative of future backlog levels
or the rate at which they will be recognized as sales.
 
CUSTOMERS
 
     Ten customers accounted for 53% of consolidated sales in 1996. The
Company's sales to particular customers fluctuate from period to period.
Management believes the Company's relationships with its customers are good.
 
PATENTS AND TRADEMARKS
 
     Although the Company has a number of patents, trademarks and licenses
related to its businesses, no one of them or related group of them is considered
by the Company to be of such importance that its expiration or termination would
have a material adverse effect on the Company's businesses. In general, the
Company depends upon technological capabilities, manufacturing quality control
and application of know-how, rather than patents or other proprietary rights in
the conduct of its business.
 
     The Company holds a group of patents for its Ryan/Holmes technology, which
is used primarily in treating associated gases produced from tertiary oil
recovery projects. In addition to fabricating recovery plants on a turnkey basis
for customers, the Company also grants licenses under this
 
                                       28
<PAGE>   29
 
technology to customers for use in their own construction and operation of such
facilities. The revenues received by the Company attributable to this technology
are not material.
 
     The Company has a licensing agreement with Praxair under which the Company
licenses technology related to the design of nitrogen rejection units, a type of
cold box used in the natural gas processing industry to purify methane by the
removal of nitrogen. The agreement provides for the joint marketing by the
Company and Praxair of products using the licensed technology, prohibits the
sale of such products to certain competitors of Praxair and may be terminated by
either party upon not less than six months' notice to the other party.
 
RAW MATERIALS AND SUPPLIERS
 
     The Company manufactures most of the products it sells. The raw materials
used in manufacturing include aluminum fin stock, brazing sheets, bars, plate
and piping, stainless steel hollows, strip, heads, plate and piping, carbon
steel heads and plate, and 9% nickel steel heads and plate. Most raw materials
are available from multiple sources of supply.
 
     Commodity metals used by the Company have experienced fluctuations in
price. The Company has generally been able to recover the costs of such price
increases through its contracts with customers. The Company foresees no acute
shortages of any raw materials which would have a material adverse effect on its
operations.
 
EMPLOYEES
 
     As of August 1, 1997, the Company had approximately 1,250 employees,
including approximately 340 salaried, 360 union hourly and 550 non-union hourly
employees. The salaried employees included approximately 120 engineers and
draft-persons and 220 other professional, technical and clerical personnel.
 
     The Company is a party to two collective bargaining agreements. ALTEC's
agreement with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
covering 267 employees expires February 7, 1998. PEI's agreement with the
International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths,
Forgers and Helpers covering 93 employees expires August 27, 1999. Since the
acquisition of each of its operating units, the Company has not had any work
stoppages or strikes. The Company believes its employee relations are good. See
"Risk Factors -- Collective Bargaining Agreements."
 
FACILITIES
 
     The Company has nine principal manufacturing locations. The Company
occupies a total of approximately 900,000 square feet, with the majority,
approximately 800,000 square feet, devoted to manufacturing, assembly and
storage. Of the approximately 900,000 square feet occupied, approximately
500,000 square feet are owned and 400,000 square feet are occupied under
operating leases. The Company considers its manufacturing facilities sufficient
to meet its current and planned operational needs. The Company leases
approximately 1,500 square feet of space for its executive offices in Eastlake,
Ohio.
 
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS
 
     In 1996, approximately 11% of the Company's revenues were derived from
contracts or subcontracts with, or funded by, the United States government,
mostly related to LIGO. These contracts and subcontracts contain standard
provisions permitting the government to terminate them at its option, without
cause. In the event of such termination, the Company is entitled to receive
reimbursement on the basis of work completed (costs incurred plus a reasonable
profit). In addition, these contracts and subcontracts are subject to
renegotiation of profits. The Company has
 
                                       29
<PAGE>   30
 
no knowledge of any pending or threatened renegotiation or termination of any
material government contract or subcontract.
 
ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS
 
     The Company's operations involve and have involved the handling and use of
substances, such as various cleaning fluids used to remove grease from metal,
that are subject to federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations
that impose limitations on the discharge of pollutants into the soil, air and
water, and establish standards for their storage and disposal. The Company
monitors and reviews its procedures and policies for compliance with
environmental laws. Company management is familiar with these regulations, and
supports an ongoing capital investment program to maintain the Company's
adherence to required standards.
 
     As part of its ongoing environmental compliance and monitoring programs,
the Company is voluntarily developing work plans for remediation of
environmental conditions involving certain of its operating facilities. Based
upon the Company's study of the known conditions and its prior experience in
investigating and correcting environmental conditions, the Company estimates
that the potential costs of these site remediation efforts will not have a
material adverse effect on the Company's financial position or liquidity.
Approximately $1.9 million is recorded at June 30, 1997 as reserves for known
environmental matters. These expenditures are expected to be made mostly in the
next 18 to 24 months, if the necessary regulatory agency approvals of the
Company's work plans are obtained. Although the Company believes it has
adequately provided for the cost of all known environmental conditions, the
applicable regulatory agencies could insist upon different and more costly
remediative measures than those the Company believes are adequate or required by
existing law. Except for its continuing remediative efforts described above, the
Company believes that it is currently in substantial compliance with all known
material and applicable environmental regulations.
 
                                   MANAGEMENT
 
     The following table sets forth certain information as of August 31, 1997,
regarding each of the Company's directors and executive officers:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
         NAME             AGE                         POSITION
- ----------------------    ---     -------------------------------------------------
<S>                       <C>     <C>
Arthur S. Holmes          56      Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and a Director
James R. Sadowski         56      President and Chief Operating Officer
Don A. Baines             54      Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and a Director
Richard J. Campbell       67      Director
Lazzaro G. Modigliani     64      Director
Robert G. Turner, Jr.     50      Director
</TABLE>
 
     Arthur S. Holmes has been Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the
Company since its formation in June 1992, and was President until December 1993.
He also has been President and the principal owner of Holmes Investment
Services, Inc. ("HIS"), a management consulting firm, since 1989. Mr. Holmes is
currently the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ALTEC, and served as
President of ALTEC from 1985 through 1989. From 1978 through 1985, he served in
a variety of management capacities for Koch Process Systems, Inc., the
predecessor of the Company's Process Systems International, Inc. subsidiary,
most recently as Vice President-Manager of the Gas Processing Division. Mr.
Holmes is the co-inventor of the Company's patented Ryan/Holmes technology. See
"Business -- Patents and Trademarks." Mr. Holmes holds a B.S. and M.S. in
Chemical Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University and an M.B.A. from
Northeastern University.
 
                                       30
<PAGE>   31
 
     James R. Sadowski has been President and Chief Operating Officer of the
Company since December 1993. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Sadowski served
as Group Vice President of Parker Hannifin Corporation's Bertea Aerospace Group
("Bertea") from 1991 to 1993. Prior to his service at Bertea he served in
various managerial capacities at Parker Hannifin Corporation and TRW, Inc. Mr.
Sadowski holds a B.S. in Engineering from Case Institute of Technology and an
M.S. degree from the same institution in Mechanical Engineering.
 
     Don A. Baines has been Chief Financial Officer of ALTEC since 1986 and has
been the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of the Company since its
formation in June 1992. He also has served as Chief Financial Officer for HIS
since 1989. From 1986 through 1989, Mr. Baines served as Vice President, Manager
of Finance for ALTEC. From 1976 through 1985, Mr. Baines served in a variety of
management capacities, most recently Controller, in the Process/Transport
Division of the Trane Company, which included the predecessor of ALTEC. Mr.
Baines is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a B.B.A. in Accounting from
St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas.
 
     Richard J. Campbell has served as President of Multistack, Inc., a
manufacturer of commercial, industrial and process modular water chillers, since
1995. Mr. Campbell also served as Senior Vice President of American Standard,
Inc. ("American Standard") from 1984 until his retirement in 1986 and was in
charge of American Standard's Trane Division. Mr. Campbell was President, Chief
Operating Officer and a Director of Trane from 1977 until American Standard's
acquisition of Trane in 1984. Mr. Campbell has served as a Director of the
Company since July 1992.
 
     Lazzaro G. Modigliani has been a full-time consultant to Raytheon Engineers
and Constructors, Inc., an international engineering and construction firm and a
wholly owned subsidiary of the Raytheon Company ("Raytheon Engineers"), since
June 1994. From March 1993 until June 1994, Mr. Modigliani served as the
President and Chief Executive Officer of The Badger Company, Inc. ("Badger"),
which now constitutes a part of Raytheon Engineers. He served in a variety of
senior management positions with Badger since joining it in 1966. From 1986
until 1988, Mr. Modigliani was Vice President and General Manager of Badger's
European operations. From 1988 to 1989 he was Chief Operating Officer of Badger.
Mr. Modigliani has served as a Director of the Company since July 1992.
 
     Robert G. Turner, Jr. is the founder and owner of Turner & Company, Inc., a
public accounting firm, where he specializes in business valuation, merger and
acquisition, and accounting and tax compliance matters. Prior to forming Turner
& Company, Inc. in 1988, Mr. Turner was a national partner in the accounting
firm of Pannell Kerr Forster, where his practice focused principally on
management, accounting and tax services. Mr. Turner received his B.B.A. in
Accounting from Cleveland State University and is a Certified Public Accountant
and Certified Valuation Analyst. Mr. Turner was appointed a Director of the
Company in August 1997.
 
                                       31
<PAGE>   32
 
                       PRINCIPAL AND SELLING STOCKHOLDERS
 
     The following table sets forth certain information with respect to the
beneficial ownership of the Company's Common Stock as of August 31, 1997, unless
otherwise noted, including beneficial ownership by each person who is known by
the Company to own beneficially more than 5% of the Common Stock, by each of the
Company's Directors and executive officers, and by all current Directors and
executive officers as a group. Except as otherwise noted, the Company believes
that the persons named in the table have sole voting and sole investment power
with respect to all shares of Common Stock owned by them.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                      SHARES BENEFICIALLY
                                        OWNED PRIOR TO                            SHARES BENEFICIALLY
                                           OFFERING             SHARES TO        OWNED AFTER OFFERING
                                     ---------------------       BE SOLD       -------------------------
               NAME                   NUMBER       PERCENT     IN OFFERING       NUMBER       PERCENT(1)
- ----------------------------------   ---------     -------     -----------     ----------     ----------
<S>                                  <C>           <C>         <C>             <C>            <C>
Arthur S. Holmes(2)                  5,311,238      36.78%          75,000      5,236,238        33.27%
James R. Sadowski(3)                    62,595          *                          62,595            *
Don A. Baines(4)                        48,236          *                          48,236            *
Lazzaro G. Modigliani                   40,500          *                          40,500            *
Richard J. Campbell(5)                  43,789          *                          43,789            *
Robert G. Turner, Jr.(6)                 1,200          *                           1,200            *
Charles S. Holmes(7)                 1,437,707       9.96        1,425,000         12,707            *
Gintel Asset Management, Inc.(8)       975,000       6.75                         975,000         6.19
All Directors and executive
  officers as a group (6 persons)    5,507,558      37.97           75,000      5,432,558        34.38
</TABLE>
 
- ---------------
 
  * Less than one percent.
 
(1) Does not give effect to the exercise of the Underwriters' over-allotment
    option. If the over-allotment option is exercised in full, the Company will
    issue and sell to the Underwriters an additional 420,000 shares of Common
    Stock.
 
(2) Includes 2,691,841 shares held by the Arthur S. Holmes Trust of which Mr.
    Holmes is trustee; 2,557 shares held for Mr. Holmes's account by the Chart
    Industries, Inc. 401(k) Investment and Saving Plan; and 2,616,840 shares
    owned by the Christine H. Holmes Trust of which Christine H. Holmes, Mr.
    Holmes's wife, is trustee. Arthur S. Holmes is the brother of Charles S.
    Holmes. Of the 75,000 shares to be sold in the Offering, 37,500 are held by
    the Arthur S. Holmes Trust and 37,500 shares are held by the Christine H.
    Holmes Trust. Mr. Holmes is Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and a Director
    of the Company. See "Management."
 
(3) Includes 4,095 shares held for Mr. Sadowski's account by the Chart
    Industries, Inc. 401(k) Investment and Saving Plan; 24,000 shares which Mr.
    Sadowski has the right to acquire within 60 days upon the exercise of
    options; and 6,000 shares owned by his wife.
 
(4) Includes 3,589 shares held for Mr. Baines's account by the Chart Industries,
    Inc. 401(k) Investment and Saving Plan and 24,000 shares which Mr. Baines
    has the right to acquire within 60 days upon the exercise of options.
 
(5) Includes 15,000 shares which Mr. Campbell has the right to acquire within 60
    days upon the exercise of options and 1,500 shares owned by his wife.
 
(6) Includes 450 shares owned by his wife and 750 shares held by the Turner &
    Company, Inc. Employees Profit-Sharing Plan, of which Mr. Turner is a
    trustee.
 
(7) Includes 4,500 shares owned by his daughter. Charles S. Holmes was a
    Director of the Company from June 1992 until June 1997, and is the brother
    of Arthur S. Holmes.
 
(8) Based on information provided to the Company by Gintel Asset Management,
    Inc.
 
                                       32
<PAGE>   33
 
                                  UNDERWRITING
 
     Each of the Underwriters named below has severally agreed, subject to the
terms and conditions of the Underwriting Agreement, to purchase from the Company
and the Selling Stockholders the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock set
forth opposite their respective names.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                UNDERWRITER                                NUMBER OF SHARES
    --------------------------------------------------------------------   ----------------
    <S>                                                                    <C>
    Schroder & Co. Inc..................................................       1,010,000
    McDonald & Company Securities, Inc..................................       1,010,000
    BT Alex. Brown Incorporated.........................................          60,000
    Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation..............................          60,000
    Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation.................          60,000
    Goldman, Sachs & Co.................................................          60,000
    Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated..................          60,000
    Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated...................................          60,000
    Oppenheimer & Co., Inc. ............................................          60,000
    PaineWebber Incorporated............................................          60,000
    Smith Barney Inc....................................................          60,000
    William Blair & Company, L.L.C. ....................................          30,000
    Dain Bosworth Incorporated..........................................          30,000
    EVEREN Securities, Inc..............................................          30,000
    Janney Montgomery Scott Inc.........................................          30,000
    NatCity Investments, Inc............................................          30,000
    Neidiger, Tucker, Bruner, Inc.......................................          30,000
    The Ohio Company....................................................          30,000
    Parker/Hunter Incorporated..........................................          30,000
                                                                               ---------
         Total..........................................................       2,800,000
                                                                               =========
</TABLE>
 
     Schroder & Co. Inc. and McDonald & Company Securities, Inc., as
representatives for the several Underwriters (the "Representatives"), have
advised the Company and the Selling Stockholders that the Underwriters propose
to offer the shares of Common Stock to the public initially at the public
offering price set forth on the cover page of this Prospectus; that the
Underwriters propose initially to allow a concession not in excess of $0.69 per
share to certain dealers, including the Underwriters; that the Underwriters and
such dealers may initially allow a discount of not in excess of $0.10 per share
to other dealers; and that the public offering price and the concession and
discount to dealers may be changed by the Representatives after the commencement
of the Offering.
 
     The Company has granted to the Underwriters an option, expiring at the
close of business on the 30th day after the date of the Underwriting Agreement,
to purchase up to an additional 420,000 shares of Common Stock at the public
offering price less underwriting discounts and commissions, all as set forth on
the cover page of this Prospectus. The Underwriters may exercise the option, in
whole or in part, only to cover over-allotments, if any, in the sale of shares
of Common Stock in connection with the Offering. To the extent that the
Underwriters exercise this option, each Underwriter will be committed, subject
to certain conditions provided in the Underwriting Agreement, to purchase a
number of the additional shares proportionate to such Underwriter's initial
commitment.
 
     The Company has signed an engagement letter providing that for one year
commencing March 1, 1997, Schroder & Co. Inc. will serve as the Company's
exclusive financial advisor, act as its lead financial advisor in transactions
involving divestitures, mergers, acquisitions or the issue of debt or equity for
cash, and have the right to serve as lead manager of any such issue.
 
     The Company, the Selling Stockholders and the Underwriters have agreed to
indemnify each other against certain liabilities, including liabilities under
the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act").
 
                                       33
<PAGE>   34
 
     The Company, its Directors and executive officers, and the Selling
Stockholders have agreed not to offer, sell, contract to sell, or otherwise
dispose of any shares of Common Stock for a period of 180 days after the date of
this Prospectus without the prior written consent of Schroder & Co. Inc.
 
     The Representatives have advised the Company that, pursuant to Regulation
M, certain persons participating in the Offering may engage in transactions,
including stabilizing bids, syndicate covering transactions or the imposition of
penalty bids, which may have the effect of stabilizing or maintaining the market
price of the Common Stock at a level above that which might otherwise prevail in
the open market. A "stabilizing bid" is a bid for or the purchase of Common
Stock on behalf of the Underwriters for the purpose of fixing or maintaining the
price of the Common Stock. A "syndicate covering transaction" is the bid for or
the purchase of Common Stock on behalf of the Underwriters to reduce a short
position incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the Offering. A
"penalty bid" is an arrangement permitting the Representatives to reclaim the
selling concession otherwise accruing to an Underwriter or syndicate member in
connection with the Offering if the shares of Common Stock originally sold by
such Underwriter or syndicate member are purchased by the Representatives in a
syndicate covering transaction and have therefore not been effectively placed by
such Underwriter or syndicate member. The Representatives have advised the
Company that such transactions may be effected on the New York Stock Exchange or
otherwise and if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.
 
     The Company intends to use net proceeds from the Offering to repay amounts
under the New Credit Facility, resulting in payment of more than 10% of the net
proceeds to a bank affiliated with NatCity Investments, Inc., which is one of
the Underwriters. Accordingly, the Offering is being made pursuant to the
provisions of Rule 2710(c)(8) of the Conduct Rules of the National Association
of Securities Dealers, Inc.
 
                INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
 
     The following documents heretofore filed by the Company with the Commission
(File No. 1-11442) pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the
"Exchange Act") are incorporated by reference in this Prospectus and shall be
deemed to be a part hereof:
 
          1. The Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
     December 31, 1996;
 
          2. The Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the periods ended
     March 31, 1997 and June 30, 1997 (and related 10-Q/A filed October 3,
     1997);
 
          3. The Company's Current Reports on Form 8-K dated May 1, 1997, July
     31, 1997 and September 17, 1997; and
 
          4. The description of the Company's Common Stock set forth in the
     Company's Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed October 2, 1992.
 
     All documents filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section
13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this Prospectus
and prior to the termination of the Offering shall be deemed to be incorporated
by reference in this Prospectus and to be a part hereof from their respective
dates of filing. Any statement contained herein or in any document incorporated
or deemed to be incorporated shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for
all purposes of this Prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in this
Prospectus or in any subsequently filed document which also is deemed to be
incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any
statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified
or superseded, to constitute a part of this Prospectus.
 
     THE COMPANY HEREBY UNDERTAKES TO PROVIDE WITHOUT CHARGE TO EACH PERSON TO
WHOM A COPY OF THIS PROSPECTUS HAS BEEN DELIVERED, UPON WRITTEN OR ORAL REQUEST
OF SUCH PERSON, A COPY OF ANY AND ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT HAS BEEN
INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE IN THIS PROSPECTUS (OTHER THAN EXHIBITS TO THE
INFORMATION THAT IS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE UNLESS SUCH EXHIBITS ARE
SPECIFICALLY
 
                                       34
<PAGE>   35
 
INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE INTO THE INFORMATION THAT THIS PROSPECTUS
INCORPORATES). REQUESTS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO SECRETARY, CHART INDUSTRIES, INC.,
AT THE COMPANY'S PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES, 34799 CURTIS BOULEVARD, EASTLAKE,
OHIO 44095, TELEPHONE NUMBER (440) 946-2525. PERSONS REQUESTING COPIES OF
EXHIBITS TO SUCH DOCUMENTS THAT WERE NOT SPECIFICALLY INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
IN SUCH DOCUMENTS WILL BE CHARGED THE COSTS OF REPRODUCTION AND MAILING.
 
                            VALIDITY OF COMMON STOCK
 
     The validity of the Common Stock offered hereby will be passed upon for the
Company and the Selling Stockholders by Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP,
Cleveland, Ohio. Thomas F. McKee, Secretary of the Company, is a partner of the
firm of Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP. Certain matters will be passed upon for
the Underwriters by Arter & Hadden, Cleveland, Ohio.
 
                                    EXPERTS
 
     The consolidated financial statements of the Company at December 31, 1996
and 1995, and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 1996,
appearing in this Prospectus and Registration Statement have been audited by
Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors, as set forth in their report thereon
appearing elsewhere herein, and are included in reliance upon such report given
upon the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
 
     The consolidated financial statements of Cryenco at August 31, 1996 and
1995, and for each of the three years in the period ended August 31, 1996,
appearing in the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K dated July 31, 1997, for
the year ended August 31, 1996, have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP,
independent auditors, as set forth in their report thereon included therein and
incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements are
incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such report given upon the
authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
 
                             AVAILABLE INFORMATION
 
     The Company is subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange
Act, and in accordance therewith files reports, proxy statements and other
information with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"). Such
reports, proxy statements and other information can be inspected and copied at
the public reference facilities maintained by the Commission at Room 1024, 450
Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549, and at the Commission's regional
offices located at Seven World Trade Center, 13th Floor, New York, New York
10048 and 500 West Madison Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois 60661. Copies
of such material can also be obtained at prescribed rates by writing the
Commission, Public Reference Section, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.
20549. The Commission maintains a Web site, the address of which is
http://www.sec.gov, that contains reports, proxy and information statements and
other information regarding registrants, including the Company, that file
electronically with the Commission. The Company's Common Stock is listed on the
New York Stock Exchange, and reports, proxy statements and other information
concerning the Company may also be inspected at the offices of the New York
Stock Exchange, Inc., 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005.
 
     The Company has filed with the Commission a registration statement (the
"Registration Statement," which term shall include any amendments thereto) on
Form S-3 under the Securities Act, with respect to the shares of Common Stock
offered hereby. This Prospectus does not contain all the information set forth
in the Registration Statement and the exhibits and schedules thereto, certain
parts of which are omitted in accordance with the rules and regulations of the
Commission, and to which reference is hereby made. For further information,
reference is hereby made to the Registration Statement and the exhibits and
schedules thereto.
 
                                       35
<PAGE>   36
 
                      (This page intentionally left blank)
<PAGE>   37
 
                   INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S>                                                                               <C>
Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)
     Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of June 30, 1997 and December 31,
      1996........................................................................    F-2
     Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations for the three- and six-month
      periods ended June 30, 1997 and 1996........................................    F-3
     Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the six months ended June
      30, 1997 and 1996...........................................................    F-4
     Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.........................    F-5
 
Consolidated Financial Statements
     Report of Independent Auditors...............................................    F-7
     Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 1996 and 1995.................    F-8
     Consolidated Statements of Operations for the years ended December 31, 1996,
      1995 and 1994...............................................................    F-9
     Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity for the years ended December
      31, 1996, 1995 and 1994.....................................................    F-10
     Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 1996,
      1995 and 1994...............................................................    F-11
     Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements...................................    F-12
</TABLE>
 
                                       F-1
<PAGE>   38
 
                    CHART INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
                     CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
 
                                  (UNAUDITED)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                      JUNE 30,    DECEMBER 31,
                                                                        1997          1996
                                                                      --------    ------------
                                                                       (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT
                                                                         PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
<S>                                                                   <C>         <C>
                               ASSETS
Current Assets
  Cash and cash equivalents.........................................  $     41      $  4,304
  Restricted cash...................................................     4,597         5,104
  Accounts receivable...............................................    21,993        25,922
  Inventories.......................................................    19,984        21,727
  Other current assets..............................................     5,478         3,630
                                                                      --------      --------
Total Current Assets................................................    52,093        60,687
Property, plant & equipment, net....................................    20,864        17,882
Other assets, net...................................................     2,324         2,627
                                                                      --------      --------
Total Assets........................................................  $ 75,281      $ 81,196
                                                                      ========      ========
                 LIABILITIES & SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current Liabilities
  Accounts payable..................................................  $  5,755      $  8,582
  Customer advances.................................................    15,359        12,698
  Billings in excess of contract revenue............................     2,325        11,444
  Accrued expenses and other liabilities............................    13,641        14,955
  Current portion of long-term debt.................................     2,896           361
                                                                      --------      --------
Total Current Liabilities...........................................    39,976        48,040
Long-term debt......................................................     4,238         4,469
Deferred income taxes...............................................       591           591
Shareholders' Equity
Preferred stock, 1,000,000 shares authorized, none issued or
  outstanding
Common stock, par value $.01 per share -- 30,000,000 shares
  authorized, 15,325,800 and 15,304,800 shares issued at June 30,
  1997 and December 31, 1996, respectively..........................       153           102
Additional paid-in capital..........................................    18,709        18,118
Retained earnings...................................................    21,685        14,321
Treasury stock, at cost, 897,957 and 543,878 shares at June 30, 1997
  and December 31, 1996, respectively...............................   (10,071)       (4,445)
                                                                      --------      --------
                                                                        30,476        28,096
                                                                      --------      --------
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY..........................  $ 75,281      $ 81,196
                                                                      ========      ========
</TABLE>
 
     The balance sheet at December 31, 1996 has been derived from the audited
consolidated financial statements at that date but does not include all of the
information and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles
for complete financial statements.
 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated
financial statements.
 
                                       F-2
<PAGE>   39
 
                    CHART INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
                CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
 
                                  (UNAUDITED)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                   THREE MONTHS ENDED        SIX MONTHS ENDED
                                                        JUNE 30,                 JUNE 30,
                                                   ------------------       ------------------
                                                    1997       1996          1997       1996
                                                   -------    -------       -------    -------
                                                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
<S>                                                <C>        <C>           <C>        <C>
Sales............................................  $41,758    $30,612       $84,198    $65,339
Cost of products sold............................   28,284     20,828        58,556     45,538
                                                   -------    -------       -------    -------
Gross Profit.....................................   13,474      9,784        25,642     19,801
Selling, general & administrative expense........    6,326      4,383        11,712      9,290
                                                   -------    -------       -------    -------
Operating Income.................................    7,148      5,401        13,930     10,511
Interest expense, net............................       26        181            18        418
                                                   -------    -------       -------    -------
Income Before Income Taxes.......................    7,122      5,220        13,912     10,093
Income taxes.....................................    2,421      1,672         4,730      3,336
                                                   -------    -------       -------    -------
Net Income.......................................  $ 4,701    $ 3,548       $ 9,182    $ 6,757
                                                   =======    =======       =======    =======
Net Income per Common Share......................  $  0.32    $  0.23       $  0.62    $  0.45
                                                   =======    =======       =======    =======
Shares used in per share calculations............   14,733     15,195        14,846     15,167
</TABLE>
 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated
financial statements.
 
                                       F-3
<PAGE>   40
 
                    CHART INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
                CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
 
                                  (UNAUDITED)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                         SIX MONTHS ENDED
                                                                             JUNE 30,
                                                                       --------------------
                                                                         1997        1996
                                                                       --------    --------
                                                                          (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                                                    <C>         <C>
OPERATING ACTIVITIES
  Net income.........................................................  $  9,182    $  6,757
  Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by
  operating activities:
     Depreciation and amortization...................................     1,364       1,422
     Contribution of treasury stock to 401K plans....................       338         305
     Deferred income taxes...........................................         0        (110)
     Increase (decrease) in cash resulting from changes in operating
     assets and liabilities:
       Accounts receivable...........................................     3,929       6,747
       Inventory and other current assets............................      (105)     (3,963)
       Accounts payable and accrued liabilities......................    (4,141)      1,140
       Billings in excess of contract revenue and customer
        advances.....................................................    (6,458)      7,501
                                                                       --------    --------
  Net Cash Provided By Operating Activities..........................     4,109      19,799
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
  Capital expenditures...............................................    (4,239)     (1,609)
  Purchase of land and building at PSI...............................         0      (3,578)
  Other investing activities.........................................       196          62
                                                                       --------    --------
  Net Cash Used In Investing Activities..............................    (4,043)     (5,125)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
  Repayments of long-term debt.......................................      (196)     (3,053)
  Repayments on credit facility......................................    (7,750)    (24,000)
  Borrowings on credit facility......................................    10,250      14,500
  Treasury stock and stock option transactions.......................    (5,373)       (382)
  Dividends/distributions paid to shareholders.......................    (1,767)     (1,399)
                                                                       --------    --------
  Net Cash Used In Financing Activities..............................    (4,836)    (14,334)
                                                                       --------    --------
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents.................    (4,770)        340
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period.....................     9,408         229
                                                                       --------    --------
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period...........................  $  4,638    $    569
                                                                       ========    ========
</TABLE>
 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated
financial statements.
 
                                       F-4
<PAGE>   41
 
                    CHART INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
              NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
 
                                  (UNAUDITED)
 
                                 JUNE 30, 1997
 
NOTE A -- BASIS OF PREPARATION
 
     The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have
been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles for
interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article
10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information
and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles for complete
financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting
of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have
been included. Operating results for the six-month period ended June 30, 1997
are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year
ending December 31, 1997.
 
     All share and per-share amounts have been adjusted for a 3-for-2 stock
split which was distributed to shareholders on June 30, 1997.
 
NOTE B -- INVENTORIES
 
     The components of inventory consist of the following:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                  JUNE 30,      DECEMBER 31,
                                                                    1997            1996
                                                                  --------      ------------
                                                                        (IN THOUSANDS)
    <S>                                                           <C>           <C>
    Raw materials..............................................   $ 10,080        $ 11,507
    Work in process............................................     10,220          10,536
    Finished goods.............................................         25              25
    LIFO reserve...............................................       (341)           (341)
                                                                  --------        --------
                                                                  $ 19,984        $ 21,727
                                                                  ========        ========
</TABLE>
 
NOTE C -- EARNINGS PER SHARE
 
     In February 1997, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Statement
No. 128, Earnings per Share, which is required to be adopted on December 31,
1997. At that time, the Company will be required to change the method currently
used to compute earnings per share and to restate all prior periods. Under the
new requirements for calculating basic earnings per share, the dilutive effect
of stock options will be excluded. The impact is expected to result in basic
earnings per share for the six-months ended June 30, 1997 and 1996 of $.63 and
$.45 per share, respectively. Fully diluted earnings per share for these
quarters should not be materially different than the currently disclosed
earnings per share.
 
NOTE D -- REVENUE RECOGNITION
 
     The Company uses the percentage of completion method of accounting for
significant contracts. In other cases, revenue is recognized using the completed
contract method. Management performs a monthly assessment of major significant
contracts to determine if contract costs will exceed contract revenues. For
those projects where the estimated costs exceed estimated revenues, appropriate
estimated losses are recorded. The effects of any change orders are accounted
for when agreed to by the Company's customers.
 
                                       F-5
<PAGE>   42
 
                    CHART INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
       NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- CONTINUED
 
NOTE E -- SUBSEQUENT EVENT
 
     On July 31, 1997, the Company completed the acquisition of Cryenco
Sciences, Inc. ("Cryenco") (NASDAQ:CSCI). Total consideration for the merger
consisted of $20.7 million for all outstanding common stock, preferred stock,
and common stock warrants.
 
                                       F-6
<PAGE>   43
 
                         REPORT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
 
To the Shareholders and Board of Directors
of Chart Industries, Inc.
 
     We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Chart
Industries, Inc. and subsidiaries as of December 31, 1996 and 1995, and the
related consolidated statements of operations, shareholders' equity and cash
flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 1996. These
financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our
responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on
our audits.
 
     We conducted our audits in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting
the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes
assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by
management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.
We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
 
     In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above
present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of
Chart Industries, Inc. and subsidiaries at December 31, 1996 and 1995, and the
consolidated results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the
three years in the period ended December 31, 1996, in conformity with generally
accepted accounting principles.
 
                                            ERNST & YOUNG LLP
 
Cleveland, Ohio
February 3, 1997
 
Except for Note K, as to which
the date is June 30, 1997
 
                                       F-7
<PAGE>   44
 
                    CHART INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
                          CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                            DECEMBER 31
                                                                         ------------------
                                                                          1996       1995
                                                                         -------    -------
                                                                           (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                                                      <C>        <C>
                                ASSETS
Current Assets
  Cash and cash equivalents............................................  $ 4,304    $   229
  Restricted cash......................................................    5,104
  Accounts receivable, net of allowances of $329 and $202..............   25,922     26,614
  Inventories, net.....................................................   21,727     20,871
  Unbilled contract revenue............................................    1,402        791
  Deferred income taxes................................................    1,365      1,809
  Prepaid expenses.....................................................      863        947
                                                                         -------    -------
Total Current Assets...................................................   60,687     51,261
Property, plant and equipment, net.....................................   17,882     11,734
Other assets, net......................................................    2,627      3,511
                                                                         -------    -------
Total Assets...........................................................  $81,196    $66,506
                                                                         =======    =======
                 LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current Liabilities
  Accounts payable.....................................................  $ 8,582    $ 7,764
  Customer advances....................................................   12,698      7,408
  Billings in excess of contract revenue...............................   11,444      6,027
  Accrued salaries, wages and benefits.................................    6,810      4,760
  Contract and warranty reserves.......................................    4,710      2,743
  Accrued expenses and other liabilities...............................    3,435      2,802
  Current portion of long-term debt....................................      361      2,007
                                                                         -------    -------
Total Current Liabilities..............................................   48,040     33,511
Long-term debt.........................................................    4,469     12,566
Deferred income taxes..................................................      591      1,996
Shareholders' Equity
  Preferred stock, par value $.01 per share -- 1,000,000 shares
     authorized, none issued or outstanding
  Common stock, par value $.01 per share -- 30,000,000 shares
     authorized, 15,304,800 and 15,141,891 shares issued at December
     31, 1996 and 1995, respectively...................................      102        101
  Additional paid-in capital...........................................   18,118     17,024
  Retained earnings....................................................   14,321      2,294
  Treasury stock, at cost, 543,878 and 244,737 shares at December 31,
     1996 and 1995, respectively.......................................   (4,445)      (986)
                                                                         -------    -------
                                                                          28,096     18,433
                                                                         -------    -------
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity.............................  $81,196    $66,506
                                                                         =======    =======
</TABLE>
 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial
statements.
 
                                       F-8
<PAGE>   45
 
                    CHART INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
                     CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                               YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31
                                                         -----------------------------------
                                                           1996          1995         1994
                                                         --------      --------      -------
                                                           (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE
                                                                      AMOUNTS)
<S>                                                      <C>           <C>           <C>
Sales..................................................  $148,400      $112,479      $84,258
Cost of products sold..................................   103,398        81,704       68,450
                                                         --------      --------      -------
Gross profit...........................................    45,002        30,775       15,808
Selling, general and administrative expenses...........    21,745        18,108       15,020
Restructuring charge...................................                                2,151
                                                         --------      --------      -------
Operating income (loss)................................    23,257        12,667       (1,363)
Interest expense -- net................................      (623)       (1,858)        (996)
                                                         --------      --------      -------
Income (loss) before income taxes......................    22,634        10,809       (2,359)
Income tax expense (benefit):
  Current..............................................     8,566         4,556          (50)
  Deferred.............................................      (961)         (810)        (846)
                                                         --------      --------      -------
                                                            7,605         3,746         (896)
                                                         --------      --------      -------
Net income (loss)......................................  $ 15,029      $  7,063      $(1,463)
                                                         ========      ========      =======
Net income (loss) per share............................  $    .99      $    .47      $  (.10)
                                                         ========      ========      =======
Shares used in per share calculations..................    15,186        15,099       15,053
</TABLE>
 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial
statements.
 
                                       F-9
<PAGE>   46
 
                    CHART INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
                CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                ADDITIONAL    RETAINED                    TOTAL
                                         SHARES       COMMON     PAID-IN      EARNINGS    TREASURY    SHAREHOLDERS'
                                       OUTSTANDING    STOCK      CAPITAL      (DEFICIT)    STOCK         EQUITY
                                       -----------    ------    ----------    --------    --------    -------------
                                                         (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
<S>                                    <C>            <C>       <C>           <C>         <C>         <C>
Balance at January 1, 1994...........     9,827        $100      $ 19,871     $  (430)    $(1,123)       $18,418
  Net loss...........................                                          (1,463)                    (1,463)
  Dividends ($.19 per share).........                              (2,764)                                (2,764)
  Treasury stock acquisitions........       (11)                                              (44)           (44)
  Stock options, net of tax
    benefit..........................                                 (57)        (47)         47            (57)
  Contribution of treasury stock to
    employee benefit plans...........        69                      (134)                    408            274
                                          -----        ----      --------     -------     -------        -------
Balance at December 31, 1994.........     9,885         100        16,916      (1,940)       (712)        14,364
  Net income.........................                                           7,063                      7,063
  Dividends ($.19 per share).........                                          (2,787)                    (2,787)
  Treasury stock acquisitions........       (97)                                             (664)          (664)
  Stock options, net of tax
    benefit..........................        97           1            68         (40)        150            179
  Contribution of treasury stock to
    employee benefit plans...........        46                        40          (2)        240            278
                                          -----        ----      --------     -------     -------        -------
Balance at December 31, 1995.........     9,931         101        17,024       2,294        (986)        18,433
  Net income.........................                                          15,029                     15,029
  Dividends ($.20 per share).........                                          (3,002)                    (3,002)
  Treasury stock acquisitions........      (255)                                           (3,732)        (3,732)
  Stock options, net of tax
    benefit..........................       115           1           737                      28            766
  Contribution of treasury stock to
    employee benefit plans...........        50                       357                     245            602
                                          -----        ----      --------     -------     -------        -------
Balance at December 31, 1996.........     9,841        $102      $ 18,118     $14,321     $(4,445)       $28,096
                                          =====        ====      ========     =======     =======        =======
</TABLE>
 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial
statements.
 
                                      F-10
<PAGE>   47
 
                    CHART INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
                     CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                               YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31
                                                           --------------------------------
                                                             1996        1995        1994
                                                           --------    --------    --------
                                                                    (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                                        <C>         <C>         <C>
OPERATING ACTIVITIES
  Net income (loss)......................................  $ 15,029    $  7,063    $ (1,463)
  Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash
     provided by operating activities:
     Depreciation and amortization.......................     2,708       2,742       2,698
     Deferred income taxes...............................      (961)       (810)       (846)
     Contribution of treasury stock to employee benefit
       plans.............................................       602         278         274
     Increase (decrease) in cash resulting from changes
       in operating assets and liabilities:
       Accounts receivable...............................       692      (6,720)     (4,740)
       Inventory and other current assets................    (1,383)     (3,779)      3,342
       Accounts payable and accrued liabilities..........     5,468       4,042       3,862
       Billings in excess of contract revenue and
          customer advances..............................    10,707       6,022       3,628
                                                           --------    --------    --------
  Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities..............    32,862       8,838       6,755
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
  Capital expenditures...................................    (4,868)     (2,111)     (1,333)
  Acquisition of the PSI building........................    (3,578)
  Acquisition of net assets from CVI Incorporated........                              (650)
  Other investing activities.............................       474          75        (640)
                                                           --------    --------    --------
  Net Cash Used in Investing Activities..................    (7,972)     (2,036)     (2,623)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
  Borrowing under Industrial Revenue Bond................     5,000
  Principal payments on long-term debt...................    (3,243)     (2,007)        (15)
  Repayments on credit facility..........................   (44,750)    (40,500)    (32,000)
  Borrowings on credit facility..........................    33,250      39,000      30,250
  Purchase of treasury stock.............................    (3,732)       (664)        (44)
  Stock options exercised................................       766         179         (57)
  Dividends paid to shareholders.........................    (3,002)     (2,787)     (2,764)
                                                           --------    --------    --------
  Net Cash Used in Financing Activities..................   (15,711)     (6,779)     (4,630)
                                                           --------    --------    --------
Net increase (decrease) cash equivalents.................     9,179          23        (498)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year...........       229         206         704
                                                           --------    --------    --------
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF YEAR.................  $  9,408    $    229    $    206
                                                           ========    ========    ========
</TABLE>
 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial
statements.
 
                                      F-11
<PAGE>   48
 
                    CHART INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
 
NOTE A -- NATURE OF OPERATIONS
 
     The Company is involved in the engineering and manufacturing of industrial
equipment and systems for the cryogenic and process industries and various
research applications. Substantially all of the Company's sales and trade
accounts receivable are related to the air separation, hydrocarbon and chemical
processing and power generation industries and laboratories related to space and
high physics research located throughout the world. The Company requires
customer advances when appropriate to reduce risk and provide working capital.
Sales to U.S. government funded projects accounted for 11%, 5% and 3% of
consolidated sales in 1996, 1995 and 1994, respectively and an $800,000 accounts
receivable balance at December 31, 1996. Ten customers accounted for 53% of
consolidated sales in 1996.
 
NOTE B -- SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
 
     Principles of Consolidation:  The consolidated financial statements include
the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries. Intercompany accounts and
transactions are eliminated in consolidation. Certain items in previous
financial statements have been reclassified to conform to 1996 presentation.
 
     Cash and Cash Equivalents:  The Company considers all investments with an
initial maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents.
The 1996 amount includes $5,104,000 of proceeds and interest income related to
the issuance of the industrial revenue bond in 1996 which have not yet been
released from escrow for the ALTEC expansion (see Note C).
 
     Intangible Assets:  Intangible assets are carried at cost less applicable
amortization and amounted to $2,258,000 at December 31, 1996 and $2,860,000 at
December 31, 1995. The accumulated amortization included in these amounts was
$387,000 and $190,000 in 1996 and 1995, respectively. Intangibles are amortized
on the straight-line method over the periods of expected benefit, but not in
excess of 15 years. Such amounts are classified as other assets in the
accompanying balance sheets. Total amortization was $507,000, $499,000 and
$321,000 in 1996, 1995 and 1994, respectively.
 
     Inventories:  Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market with
cost being determined by both the last-in, first-out ("LIFO") method
(approximately 75% and 69% of total inventory at December 31, 1996 and 1995,
respectively), and the first-in, first-out ("FIFO") method. The components of
inventory on a first-in, first-out basis are as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                           DECEMBER 31
                                                                      ----------------------
                                                                        1996          1995
                                                                      --------      --------
                                                                          (IN THOUSANDS)
    <S>                                                               <C>           <C>
    Raw materials and supplies.....................................   $ 11,507      $ 12,538
    Work in process................................................     10,536         8,784
    Finished goods.................................................         25           181
    LIFO reserve...................................................       (341)         (632)
                                                                      --------      --------
                                                                      $ 21,727      $ 20,871
                                                                      ========      ========
</TABLE>
 
     Property, Plant and Equipment:  Property, plant and equipment are stated on
the basis of cost. Expenditures for maintenance, repairs and renewals are
charged to expense as incurred, whereas major betterments are capitalized. The
cost of applicable assets is depreciated over their estimated useful lives.
Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method for financial reporting
purposes and accelerated methods for income tax purposes. The following table
shows original costs and the estimated useful lives of the different types of
assets:
 
                                      F-12
<PAGE>   49
 
                    CHART INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
            NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- CONTINUED
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
              CLASSIFICATION                  EXPECTED USEFUL LIFE         1996         1995
  ---------------------------------------   ------------------------     --------     --------
                                                                            (IN THOUSANDS)
  <S>                                       <C>                          <C>          <C>
  Land and buildings.....................   20-35 years (buildings)      $ 10,831     $  6,753
  Machinery and equipment................   3-12 years                     14,724       13,287
  Furniture and fixtures.................   3-5 years                       2,256        2,050
  Construction in process...........................................        2,793          171
                                                                         --------     --------
                                                                           30,604       22,261
  Less accumulated depreciation.....................................       12,722       10,527
                                                                         --------     --------
       Total Property, Plant and Equipment..........................     $ 17,882     $ 11,734
                                                                         ========     ========
</TABLE>
 
     The property, plant and equipment at PEI was evaluated for impairment
during 1994 and a writedown of $320,000 was included in a restructuring charge
taken in the second quarter of 1994.
 
     Property, plant and equipment along with the intangible assets are
periodically evaluated for impairment. The Company assesses impairment for each
of its operating units by measuring future cash flows against the carrying value
of these long-lived assets. If the future undiscounted cash flows are less than
the carrying amount, an impairment reserve is recorded.
 
     Revenue Recognition:  The Company uses the percentage of completion method
of accounting for significant contracts. Earned revenue is based on the
percentage that incurred costs to date bear to total estimated costs after
giving effect to the most recent estimates of total cost. Earned revenue on jobs
in process totalled $52.6 million at December 31, 1996. Timing of amounts billed
on contracts varies greatly from contract to contract causing high variation in
working capital needs. Amounts billed on percentage completion jobs in process
totalled $62.6 million at December 31, 1996. The cumulative impact of revisions
in total cost estimates during the progress of work is reflected in the period
in which these changes become known. Earned revenue reflects the original
contract price adjusted for agreed upon claim and change order revenue, if any.
Losses expected to be incurred on jobs in process, after consideration of
estimated minimum recoveries from claims and change orders, are charged to
income as soon as such losses are known. Otherwise, revenue is recognized when
the products are completed or shipped.
 
     Use of Estimates:  The preparation of financial statements in conformity
with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make
estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial
statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those
estimates especially in regards to the percentage of completion method of
revenue recognition.
 
     Deferred Income Taxes:  The Company and its subsidiaries file a
consolidated federal income tax return. Deferred income taxes are provided for
temporary differences between financial reporting and the consolidated tax
return in accordance with the liability method.
 
     Net Income (Loss) Per Share:  The weighted average number of common shares
and common share equivalents (stock options) outstanding in each year is used to
compute net income (loss) per share.
 
     Employee Stock Options:  The Company has elected to follow Accounting
Principles Board Opinion No. 25, "Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees" (APB
25) and related Interpretations in accounting for its employee stock options.
Under APB 25, because the exercise price of the Company's employee stock options
equals the market price of the underlying stock on the date of grant, no
compensation expense is recognized.
 
                                      F-13
<PAGE>   50
 
                    CHART INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
            NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- CONTINUED
 
NOTE C -- LONG-TERM DEBT
 
     The Company currently maintains a consolidated credit and revolving loan
facility ("Facility") which provides for loans of up to $25 million, of which
$10 million may be available for the issuance of letters of credit. The Company
had no borrowings at December 31, 1996 and $11.5 million outstanding at December
31, 1995. The Facility extends to June 30, 1998. The Facility provides the bank
with a secured interest in substantially all of the property, plant and
equipment of the Company.
 
     Under the terms of the Facility, loans (including draws under any proposed
letters of credit) will bear interest, at the Company's option, at a rate equal
to the bank's base rate (8.25 percent at December 31, 1996) or LIBOR plus 1.25
percent per annum. Based on the Company's financial position, the Company and
its banks have agreed to adjust the LIBOR differential on a set schedule. The
Company is also required to pay a commitment fee of .375% per annum on the
unused portion of the Facility, payable quarterly in arrears.
 
     The Facility contains certain covenants and conditions which impose
limitations on the Company and its operating units, including meeting certain
financial tests and the maintenance of certain financial ratios on a
consolidated basis such as: minimum current ratio, minimum net worth, maximum
leverage, minimum interest coverage ratio and minimum fixed charge ratio. As of
December 31, 1996, the Company was in compliance with all covenants and
conditions. The Company has outstanding letters of credit totaling $2,635,000
all backed up by the Facility.
 
     As part of the expansion of the ALTEC facility, the Company issued
Industrial Development Revenue Bonds (IRB) totaling $5 million during 1996 ($4.8
million outstanding at December 31, 1996). The bonds are collateralized by the
equipment related to the expansion. These notes pay interest at 6.3 percent and
have maturities in the next five years as follows: 1997 -- $361,000;
1998 -- $405,000; 1999 -- $431,000; 2000 -- $459,000 and 2001 -- $489,000. The
Company is required to spend these monies on the current expansion and has
commitments with vendors covering this work. All funds should be released from
escrow by the end of 1997.
 
     The Company was able to repay during 1996 all remaining maturities of the
notes issued as part of the acquisition of CVI without any early retirement
costs.
 
     Interest paid was $688,000 in 1996, $1,799,000 in 1995, and $800,000 in
1994.
 
NOTE D -- RESTRUCTURING CHARGE
 
     During 1994, the Company elected to substantially restructure PEI's
operations. A restructuring charge was recorded during the second quarter of
1994 for the costs of employee severance (approximately $1.3 million),
lease-buyouts, excess inventory and machinery disposals (approximately $1.2
million) and the eventual sale of the land and buildings and other expenses
associated with the anticipated plant closure.
 
     In October 1994, the Company announced its intention to maintain the
operations of PEI at its current Plaistow, New Hampshire location. The decision
to continue operations followed the termination of a proposed joint venture and
identification of substantial restructuring opportunities and cost reductions at
the Plaistow facility. In addition, PEI reached an agreement with its union work
force which is expected to permit meaningful operating concessions.
 
     The original restructuring charge was reduced by $1.1 million reflecting
reductions in employee severance, lease buyouts and costs related to the
eventual sale of the land and buildings. The remaining $2.15 million
restructuring charge includes severance and other employee-related costs due to
the restructuring, write-off of inventory and equipment related to products no
longer
 
                                      F-14
<PAGE>   51
 
                    CHART INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
            NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- CONTINUED
 
manufactured, certain costs of the terminated joint venture negotiations and the
impairment in value of the land and building.
 
NOTE E -- INCOME TAXES
 
     Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effects of temporary differences
between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting
purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes. At December 31, 1996, the
Company had net operating loss carryforwards for income tax purposes of $947,000
that expire in years 2003 through 2006. These carryforwards resulted from the
Company's 1991 acquisition of Process Engineering and are subject to Separate
Return Limitation Year (SRLY) and Section 382 limitations imposed by the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations thereunder.
Significant components of the Company's deferred tax liabilities and assets are
as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                            DECEMBER 31
                                                                        --------------------
                                                                         1996         1995
                                                                        -------      -------
                                                                           (IN THOUSANDS)
    <S>                                                                 <C>          <C>
    Deferred tax liabilities:
      Property, plant and equipment..................................   $ 1,506      $ 1,524
      Inventory......................................................     1,243          959
      Other -- net...................................................       159          461
                                                                        -------      -------
         TOTAL DEFERRED TAX LIABILITIES..............................     2,908        2,944
    Deferred tax assets:
      Accruals and reserves..........................................     3,332        2,154
      Net operating loss carryforwards...............................       322          683
      Other -- net...................................................        28          290
                                                                        -------      -------
         TOTAL DEFERRED TAX ASSETS...................................     3,682        3,127
    Valuation allowance for deferred tax assets......................         0         (370)
                                                                        -------      -------
    Net deferred tax assets..........................................     3,682        2,757
                                                                        -------      -------
         NET DEFERRED TAX (ASSETS)/LIABILITIES.......................   $  (774)     $   187
                                                                        =======      =======
</TABLE>
 
     Significant components of the provision for income taxes attributable to
continuing operations are as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                    YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31
                                                                 ------------------------------
                                                                  1996        1995        1994
                                                                 -------     -------     ------
                                                                         (IN THOUSANDS)
    <S>                                                          <C>         <C>         <C>
    Current:
      Federal.................................................   $ 7,936     $ 4,015     $ (185)
      State...................................................       630         541        135
                                                                 -------     -------     ------
                                                                   8,566       4,556        (50)
    Deferred:
      Federal.................................................      (850)       (644)      (846)
      State...................................................      (111)       (166)
                                                                 -------     -------     ------
                                                                    (961)       (810)      (846)
                                                                 -------     -------     ------
                                                                 $ 7,605     $ 3,746     $ (896)
                                                                 =======     =======     ======
</TABLE>
 
                                      F-15
<PAGE>   52
 
                    CHART INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
            NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- CONTINUED
 
     The reconciliation of income tax attributable to continuing operations
computed at the U.S. federal statutory tax rates to income tax expense is:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                           YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31
                                       ----------------------------------------------------------------
                                              1996                   1995                   1994
                                       ------------------     ------------------     ------------------
                                       AMOUNT     PERCENT     AMOUNT     PERCENT     AMOUNT     PERCENT
                                       ------     -------     ------     -------     ------     -------
                                                      (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PERCENTAGES)
<S>                                    <C>        <C>         <C>        <C>         <C>        <C>
Tax at U.S. statutory rates.........   $7,922       35.0%     $3,684       34.0%     $(802)      (34.0%)
State income taxes, net of federal
  tax benefit.......................      337        1.5         248        2.3         89         3.8
Reversal of valuation allowance.....     (370)      (1.6)
Federal tax benefit of Foreign Sales
  Corp..............................     (213)       (.9)       (122)      (1.1)       (96)       (4.1)
Other -- net........................      (71)       (.4)        (64)       (.5)       (87)       (3.7)
                                       ------       ----      ------       ----       ----       -----
                                       $7,605       33.6%     $3,746       34.7%     $(896)      (38.0%)
                                       ======       ====      ======       ====       ====       =====
</TABLE>
 
     The Company paid approximately $8 million and $3.1 million in income taxes
in 1996 and 1995, respectively.
 
NOTE F -- EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS
 
     The Company has two defined benefit pension plans which cover approximately
41% of their workforce. The plan benefits are based on either an average of the
employee's compensation for certain periods during their employment or fixed
amounts per year of service as negotiated with the employees' collective
bargaining unit. The Company's funding policy is to contribute at least the
minimum funding amounts required by law. Plan assets consist primarily of U.S.
Treasury notes and corporate stocks and bonds.
 
     The actuarially computed combined pension cost included the following
components for the years ended December 31:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                    1996      1995     1994
                                                                    -----     ----     ----
                                                                        (IN THOUSANDS)
    <S>                                                             <C>       <C>      <C>
    Service cost of current period.............................     $281      $204     $198
    Interest cost on projected benefit obligation..............      302       264      230
    Actual return on plan assets...............................     (290)     (530)      39
    Net amortization and deferrals.............................       18       296     (279)
                                                                    ----      ----     ----
      TOTAL PENSION COST.......................................     $311      $234     $188
                                                                    ====      ====     ====
</TABLE>
 
                                      F-16
<PAGE>   53
 
                    CHART INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
            NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- CONTINUED
 
     The following table sets forth the funded status and amounts recognized in
the balance sheets as of December 31:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                            ASSETS EXCEED          ACCUMULATED
                                                             ACCUMULATED         BENEFITS EXCEED
                                                               BENEFITS               ASSETS
                                                          ------------------    ------------------
                                                           1996       1995       1996       1995
                                                          -------    -------    -------    -------
                                                                   (DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
    <S>                                                   <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>
    Actuarial present value of benefit obligation
      Vested benefit obligation........................   $ 2,047    $ 1,992    $ 1,299    $ 1,131
                                                          =======    =======    =======    =======
      Accumulated benefit obligation...................     2,140      2,067    $ 1,544    $ 1,372
                                                          =======    =======    =======    =======
    Projected benefit obligation.......................     3,115      2,932    $ 1,544    $ 1,372
    Plan assets at fair value..........................     3,129      2,896      1,272        987
                                                          -------    -------    -------    -------
    Plan assets in excess of (under) projected benefit
      obligation.......................................        14        (36)      (272)      (385)
    Unrecognized prior service cost....................                             173        184
    Unrecognized net actuarial loss/(gain).............       766        727        (45)       (36)
                                                          -------    -------    -------    -------
         Prepaid Assets (Liabilities)..................       780        691       (144)      (165)
                                                          =======    =======    =======    =======
</TABLE>
 
     The assumptions used in determining pension cost and funded status
information are as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                            1996      1995
                                                                            ----      ----
    <S>                                                                     <C>       <C>
    Discount rate........................................................      7%       7%
    Rate of increase in compensation.....................................    4-5%     4-5%
    Expected long-term rate of return on assets..........................      8%       8%
</TABLE>
 
     The Company has defined contribution savings plans that cover most of its
employees. Company contributions to the plans are based on employee
contributions and the level of Company match and discretionary contributions.
Expenses under the plans totaled $1,127,000, $907,000, and $871,000 for the
years 1996, 1995 and 1994, respectively.
 
                                      F-17
<PAGE>   54
 
                    CHART INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
            NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- CONTINUED
 
NOTE G -- STOCK OPTION PLANS
 
     In July 1992, the Company adopted a Key Employee Stock Option Plan which
provides for the granting of options to purchase shares of Common Stock to
certain key employees of the Company. In May 1996, shareholders approved an
increase in the amount of shares authorized for the Plan to 922,500 shares of
Common Stock. Nonqualified stock options are exercisable for up to 10 years at
an option price determined by the Compensation Committee of the Board of
Directors.
 
     Certain information for 1996, 1995 and 1994 relative to the Key Employee
Stock Option Plan is summarized below:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                            1996                     1995                     1994
                                    ---------------------    ---------------------    ---------------------
                                                 WEIGHTED                 WEIGHTED                 WEIGHTED
                                                 AVERAGE                  AVERAGE                  AVERAGE
                                     NUMBER      EXERCISE     NUMBER      EXERCISE     NUMBER      EXERCISE
                                    OF SHARES     PRICE      OF SHARES     PRICE      OF SHARES     PRICE
                                    ---------    --------    ---------    --------    ---------    --------
<S>                                 <C>          <C>         <C>          <C>         <C>          <C>
Outstanding at beginning of
  year............................    453,497     $ 1.76       500,703     $ 1.76       519,593     $ 1.63
Granted...........................    180,000       9.39       101,250       4.00        15,000       2.75
Exercised.........................   (146,747)      1.07      (145,456)       .17       (33,890)       .12
Expired or canceled...............         --                   (3,000)      3.67            --
                                      -------     ------       -------     ------       -------     ------
Outstanding at end of year........    486,750     $ 5.72       453,497     $ 1.76       500,703     $ 1.76
                                      =======     ======       =======     ======       =======     ======
Exercisable at end of year........    128,250                  208,997                  305,703
                                      =======                  =======                  =======
Weighted-average fair value of
  options granted during the
  year............................                $ 3.69                   $ 1.57                      N/A
                                                  ======                   ======                   ======
Participants at end of year.......         35                       32                       32
                                      =======                  =======                  =======
Available for future grant at end
  of year.........................     34,658                   64,658                   87,908
                                      =======                  =======                  =======
</TABLE>
 
     Exercise prices for options outstanding as of December 31, 1996 ranged from
$.12 to $10.583. The weighted-average remaining contractual life of those
options is 8.2 years. Certain information for ranges of exercise prices is
summarized below:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                      OUTSTANDING                        EXERCISABLE
                                         --------------------------------------     ----------------------
                                                           WEIGHTED AVERAGE                       WEIGHTED
                                                       ------------------------                   AVERAGE
                                          NUMBER       EXERCISE     CONTRACTUAL      NUMBER       EXERCISE
             EXERCISE PRICE              OF SHARES      PRICE          LIFE         OF SHARES      PRICE
- ---------------------------------------- ---------     --------     -----------     ---------     --------
<S>                                      <C>           <C>          <C>             <C>           <C>
Less than $6.67.........................   314,250      $ 3.61          7.4           128,250      $ 3.33
Equal to or greater than $6.67..........   172,500        9.57          9.6                 0          --
</TABLE>
 
     In May 1996, the Shareholders approved the 1996 Outside Directors Stock
Option Plan which provides for the granting of options to purchase up to 112,500
shares of Common Stock. The option price for options granted under the Plan to
outside Directors will be equal to the fair market value of a share of Common
Stock on the date of grant and will be exercisable for a period of ten years
from the date of grant exercisable in 33.3% increments on each of the first
through the third anniversaries of the date of grant.
 
                                      F-18
<PAGE>   55
 
                    CHART INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
            NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- CONTINUED
 
     Certain information for 1996, 1995 and 1994 relative to the Outside
Directors Stock Option Plans is summarized below:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                  1996                     1995                     1994
                                          ---------------------    ---------------------    ---------------------
                                                       WEIGHTED                 WEIGHTED                 WEIGHTED
                                                       AVERAGE                  AVERAGE                  AVERAGE
                                           NUMBER      EXERCISE     NUMBER      EXERCISE     NUMBER      EXERCISE
                                          OF SHARES     PRICE      OF SHARES     PRICE      OF SHARES     PRICE
                                          ---------    --------    ---------    --------    ---------    --------
<S>                                       <C>          <C>         <C>          <C>         <C>          <C>
Outstanding at beginning of year.......     45,000      $ 2.86       30,000      $ 2.67            0
Granted................................     15,000        5.25       15,000        3.25       30,000      $ 2.67
Exercised..............................    (25,002)       2.79
Expired or canceled....................
                                           -------      ------      -------      ------      -------      ------
Outstanding at end of year.............     34,998        3.94       45,000        2.86       30,000        2.67
                                           =======      ======      =======      ======      =======      ======
Exercisable at end of year.............          0                   10,000                        0
                                           =======                  =======                  =======
Weighted-average fair value of options
  granted during the year..............                 $ 1.52                   $  .94                      N/A
                                                        ======                   ======                   ======
Participants at end of year............          2                        2                        2
                                           =======                  =======                  =======
Available for future grant at end of
  year.................................     97,500                   60,000                   45,000
                                           =======                  =======                  =======
</TABLE>
 
     Pro forma information regarding net income and earnings per share is
required by FASB Statement No. 123, "Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation",
which also requires that the information be determined as if the Company has
accounted for its employee stock options granted subsequent to December 31,
1994, under the fair value method of that Statement. The fair value for these
options was estimated at the date of grant using a Black-Scholes option pricing
model with the following weighted-average assumptions for 1996 and 1995:
risk-free interest rates of 6.7%; dividend yields of 2%; volatility factors of
the expected market price of the Company's common stock of .38; and a
weighted-average expected life of the option of six (6) years for key employee
options and three (3) years for outside directors options.
 
     The Black-Scholes option valuation model was developed for use in
estimating the fair value of traded options which have no vesting restrictions
and are fully transferable. In addition, option valuation models require the
input of highly subjective assumptions including the expected stock price
volatility. Because the Company's Key Employee and Outside Directors stock
options have characteristics significantly different from those of traded
options, and because changes in the subjective input assumptions can materially
affect the fair value estimate, in management's opinion, the existing models do
not necessarily provide a reliable single measure of the fair value of these
stock options.
 
     For purposes of pro forma disclosures, the estimated fair value of the
options is amortized to expense over the options' vesting period. The Company's
pro forma information follows (in thousands except for earnings per share
information):
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                             1996          1995
                                                                           --------      --------
     <S>                                                                   <C>           <C>
     Pro forma net income.............................................     $ 14,971      $  7,051
     Pro forma earnings per share.....................................     $    .99      $    .47
</TABLE>
 
     Because FASB Statement No. 123 is applicable only to options granted
subsequent to December 31, 1994, its pro forma effect will not be fully
reflected until 1999.
 
NOTE H -- LEASE COMMITMENTS
 
     The Company had $774,000, $800,000 and $417,000 of rental expenses in 1996,
1995 and 1994, respectively. At December 31, 1996, future minimum lease payments
for non-cancelable
 
                                      F-19
<PAGE>   56
 
                    CHART INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
            NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- CONTINUED
 
operating leases for the next five years totaled $2.1 million and are payable as
follows: 1997 -- $679,000; 1998 -- $542,000; 1999 -- $435,000; 2000 -- $275,000;
and 2001 -- $216,000.
 
NOTE I -- CONTINGENCIES
 
     The Company's operating units are parties, in the ordinary course of their
businesses, to various legal actions related to performance under contracts,
product liability and other matters, several of which actions claim substantial
damages. The Company believes these legal actions will not have a material
effect on the Company's financial position or liquidity. The Company is subject
to federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations concerning, among
other matters, waste water effluents, air emissions and handling and disposal of
hazardous materials such as cleaning fluids.
 
     As part of its ongoing environmental compliance and monitoring programs,
the Company is voluntarily developing work plans for environmental conditions
involving certain of its operating facilities. Based upon the Company's study of
the known conditions and its prior experience in investigating and correcting
environmental conditions, the Company estimates that the potential costs of
these site remediation efforts will not be material to the financial position or
liquidity of the Company. Approximately $1.4 million for these costs is recorded
in accrued liabilities at December 31, 1996 for known environmental matters.
These expenditures are expected to be made mostly in the next year, if the
necessary regulatory agency approvals of the Company's work plans are obtained.
Though the Company believes it has adequately provided for the cost of all known
environmental conditions, the applicable regulatory agencies could insist upon
different and more costly remediative measures than those the Company believes
are adequate or required by existing law. Otherwise, the Company believes that
it is currently in compliance with all known material and applicable
environmental regulations.
 
NOTE J -- QUARTERLY DATA (UNAUDITED)
 
     Selected quarterly data for the years ended December 31, 1996 and 1995 are
as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                      YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1996
                                    -----------------------------------------------------------------
                                      FIRST        SECOND         THIRD        FOURTH
                                     QUARTER       QUARTER       QUARTER       QUARTER        TOTAL
                                    ---------     ---------     ---------     ---------     ---------
                                                (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
<S>                                 <C>           <C>           <C>           <C>           <C>
Sales.............................  $  34,727     $  30,612     $  37,970     $  45,091     $ 148,400
Gross profit......................     10,017         9,784        11,277        13,924        45,002
Operating income..................      5,110         5,401         5,951         6,795        23,257
Net income........................      3,209         3,548         3,813         4,459        15,029
Net income per share..............        .21           .23           .25           .29           .99
</TABLE>
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                      YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1995
                                    -----------------------------------------------------------------
                                      FIRST        SECOND         THIRD        FOURTH
                                     QUARTER       QUARTER       QUARTER       QUARTER        TOTAL
                                    ---------     ---------     ---------     ---------     ---------
                                                (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
<S>                                 <C>           <C>           <C>           <C>           <C>
Sales.............................  $  25,521     $  29,236     $  26,704     $  31,018     $ 112,479
Gross profit......................      6,608         7,867         7,266         9,034        30,775
Operating income..................      1,722         3,119         3,501         4,325        12,667
Net income........................        780         1,648         2,057         2,578         7,063
Net income per share..............        .05           .11           .13           .17           .47
</TABLE>
 
                                      F-20
<PAGE>   57
 
                    CHART INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
 
            NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- CONTINUED
 
NOTE K -- SUBSEQUENT EVENT
 
     All shares of common stock (except for the shares outstanding in the
Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity) and per share amounts have been
adjusted to give retroactive effect to a three-for-two stock split effected in
the form of a 50% stock dividend distributed on June 30, 1997 to shareholders of
record on June 16, 1997.
 
     In February 1997, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Statement
No. 128, "Earnings Per Share," which is required to be adopted on December 31,
1997. At that time, the Company will be required to change the method currently
used to compute earnings per share and to restate all prior periods. Under the
new requirements for calculating primary earnings per share, the dilutive effect
of stock options will be excluded. The impact of Statement 128 on the
calculation of primary and fully diluted earnings per share for these years is
not expected to be material.
 
                                      F-21
<PAGE>   58
 



 
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<PAGE>   59




 
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<PAGE>   60
 
======================================================
 
     NO DEALER, SALESPERSON OR OTHER INDIVIDUAL HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED TO GIVE ANY
INFORMATION OR TO MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS NOT CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS IN
CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING COVERED BY THIS PROSPECTUS. IF GIVEN OR MADE, SUCH
OTHER INFORMATION OR REPRESENTATIONS MUST NOT BE RELIED UPON AS HAVING BEEN
AUTHORIZED BY THE COMPANY, THE SELLING STOCKHOLDERS OR THE UNDERWRITERS. THIS
PROSPECTUS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL, OR A SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER
TO BUY, ANY SECURITY OTHER THAN THE COMMON STOCK, NOR DOES IT CONSTITUTE AN
OFFER OR SOLICITATION IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE, OR TO ANY PERSON TO WHOM, IT IS
UNLAWFUL TO MAKE SUCH OFFER OR SOLICITATION, OR AN OFFER OR SOLICITATION BY
ANYONE IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE PERSON MAKING SUCH OFFER OR SOLICITATION
IS NOT QUALIFIED TO DO SO. NEITHER THE DELIVERY OF THIS PROSPECTUS NOR ANY SALE
MADE HEREUNDER SHALL, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, CREATE ANY IMPLICATION THAT THERE
HAS NOT BEEN ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORTH IN THIS PROSPECTUS OR IN THE
AFFAIRS OF THE COMPANY SINCE THE DATE HEREOF.
 
                            ------------------------
 
                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                        PAGE
                                        ----
<S>                                     <C>
Prospectus Summary....................    3
Risk Factors..........................    7
Recent Developments...................    9
Use of Proceeds.......................   10
Price Range of Common Stock and
  Dividend Policy.....................   11
Capitalization........................   12
Pro Forma Financial Data..............   13
Selected Consolidated Financial
  Data................................   16
Management's Discussion and Analysis
  of Financial Condition and Results
  of Operations.......................   17
Business..............................   22
Management............................   30
Principal and Selling Stockholders....   32
Underwriting..........................   33
Incorporation of Certain Documents by
  Reference...........................   34
Validity of Common Stock..............   35
Experts...............................   35
Available Information.................   35
Index to Consolidated Financial
  Statements..........................  F-1
</TABLE>
 
======================================================
======================================================
 
                                2,800,000 SHARES
 
                         [CHART INDUSTRIES, INC. LOGO]
 
                             CHART INDUSTRIES, INC.
 
                                  COMMON STOCK
                                ($.01 PAR VALUE)
                              SCHRODER & CO. INC.
 
                               MCDONALD & COMPANY
                                SECURITIES, INC.

                                OCTOBER 9, 1997
 
======================================================


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