Tag Archives: phosphate fertilisers

URALCHEM Increased its Investments to $174 Million in 2013

In 2013 URALCHEM’s investments in development reached $174 million, an increase of 5.5% compared to the previous year.

Moscow, Russia (March 21, 2014) — In 2013 URALCHEM‘s investments in development reached $174 million, an increase of 5.5% compared to the previous year. $84 million was spent on the implementation of investment projects, $77 million was spent on capital investments in equipment upgrades and $13 million was allocated for capitalized repairs.

The company’s plant in Kirovo-Chepetsk made the biggest contribution to the development investments – $46 million. The main areas of investment in the plant included building facilities for the production of new products, as well as reconstruction of existing facilities to increase production of mineral fertilizers and chemical products. In particular, work was continued on the project to create a new product, calcium nitrate. Another completed project was the increase in the capacity of one of the two units of nitric acid, which had originally started in 2012. Work was begun to increase the capacity of the second nitric acid unit and work continued to increase the capacity of the ammonia unit.

The investments by the “Azot” plant in Berezniki totalled $41 million. The main areas of investment were projects aimed at increasing output and reducing raw material consumption. Major work was carried out on units of production of ammonia, urea and nitric acid. $26 million was spent on the development of the plant in Perm. Most of the funds were allocated to a large-scale programme of modernization of the ammonia unit. The implementation of this project will increase production and reduce raw material consumption. The total capital investments of the plant in Voskresenks amounted to more than $13 million, which was spent on the development of new products.

The company’s major infrastructure project for the year was the completion and launch of the fertilizer handling terminal at the port of Riga in the fourth quarter of 2013. The terminal has a capacity of 2 million tonnes per year. The total investment for this project was about $78 million, $34 million of which was spent in 2013. Also in 2013, the company continued increasing the number of units in its own rolling stock, extending its life and modernizing it.

Dmitry Konyaev, CEO of URALCHEM OJSC, commented, “In 2013, URALCHEM continued to implement a long-term investment programme aimed at the technical upgrade of existing facilities. The main goal of the programme is to increase production and to improve the efficiency of technological processes, reducing rates of raw materials consumption and improving the environmental safety of production.”

PR department
URALCHEM, OJSC
Tel: +7 (495) 721 89 89
Email: pr@uralchem.com
Web: http://www.uralchem.com

URALCHEM, OJSC is one of the largest producers of nitrogen and phosphate fertilisers in Russia and the CIS with production capacities of over 2.5 million tonnes of ammonium nitrate, 2.8 million tonnes of ammonia, 0.8 million tonnes of MAP and DAP, 0.8 million tonnes of complex fertilisers and 1.2 million tonnes of urea. URALCHEM, OJSC is the second largest ammonium nitrate producer in the world and number one in Russia, the second largest producer of nitrogen fertilisers in Russia. Key production assets of URALCHEM, OJSC include Azot Branch of URALCHEM, OJSC in Berezniki, Perm Region; OJSC Minudobrenia, Perm; MFP Kirovo-Chepetsk Chemical Works, OJSC Branch in Kirovo-Chepetsk, Kirov region; Voskresensk Mineral Fertilisers, OJSC in Voskresensk, Moscow region.

Some of the information in this press release may contain projections or other forward-looking statements regarding future events or the future financial performance of URALCHEM. We wish to caution you that these statements are only predictions. We do not intend to update these statements and our actual results may differ materially from those contained in our projections or forward-looking statements, including, among others, the achievement of anticipated levels of profitability, growth, cost and synergy of our recent acquisitions, the impact of competitive pricing, the ability to obtain necessary regulatory approvals and licenses, the impact of developments in the Russian economic, political and legal environment, financial risk management and the impact of general business and global economic conditions.

URALCHEM sets a record in Russia for the production of Ammonia

URALCHEM set an absolute record in 2013 for the highest output of ammonia in Russia, with the total output of 2.819 million tonnes. Compared with 2012, production grew by 1.3%. The market situation in the ammonia segment of the global fertilizer market allowed the company to steadily follow its general production strategy.

Moscow, Russia (February 5, 2014) — URALCHEM set an absolute record in 2013 for the highest output of ammonia in Russia, with the total output of 2.819 million tonnes. Compared with 2012, production grew by 1.3%. The increased production was achieved through stable work of the units during the year, the implementation of projects to increase daily production at the units in the group’s enterprises in the Perm region and in Kirovo-Chepetsk, as well as through shortening repair down-time. The market situation in the ammonia segment of the global fertilizer market allowed the company to steadily follow its general production strategy.

URALCHEM’s production of major commodity products in 2013 comprised 6.039 million tonnes, 0.3% higher than a year earlier. Production of ammonium nitrate and its derivatives was 2.789 million tonnes, an increase by 7% compared to the same period last year. Monitoring the market situation, the company adjusted its production to the existing demand. Production of ammonia was decreased by 3% to 768 thousand tonnes. Urea production decreased by 2% to 1.138 million tonnes. Production of compound fertilizers decreased by 5%, to 581 thousand tonnes. Production of phosphate fertilizers (MAP / DAP) decreased by 13%, to 433 thousand tonnes.

Dmitry Konyaev, CEO of URALCHEM, OJSC, commented on the results, “In 2013 URALCHEM cemented its leadership of the nitrogen segment. It retained first place in Russia for the production of ammonia and ammonium nitrate, and the second in the production of urea. At the same time, an unfavourable situation for manufacturers in the global fertilizer market has reduced the output of certain products, primarily phosphorus fertilizers. In difficult market conditions, URALCHEM showed its significant margin of safety and ability to develop. In 2013, we successfully completed our largest logistics project when we opened a terminal in Riga for transhipment of bulk fertilizers with the capacity of up to 2 million tonnes per year. We signed an agreement on cooperation with the world’s top developer and licensor of urea processes, Stamicarbon. At the end of 2013 we acquired a 19.99 % stake in Uralkali, which we see as a strategic investment in one of the most profitable and promising sectors of the fertilizer market.”

For more information, please visit the Company web site http://www.uralchem.com or use the following contact information:

PR Department
URALCHEM, OJSC
Tel: +7 (495) 721 89 89
Email: pr@uralchem.com
Web: http://www.uralchem.com

URALCHEM, OJSC is one of the largest producers of nitrogen and phosphate fertilisers in Russia and the CIS with production capacities of over 2.5 million tonnes of ammonium nitrate, 2.8 million tonnes of ammonia, 0.8 million tonnes of MAP and DAP, 0.8 million tonnes of complex fertilisers and 1.2 million tonnes of urea. URALCHEM, OJSC is the second largest ammonium nitrate producer in the world and number one in Russia, the second largest producer of nitrogen fertilisers in Russia. Key production assets of URALCHEM, OJSC include Azot Branch of URALCHEM, OJSC in Berezniki, Perm Region; OJSC Minudobrenia, Perm; MFP Kirovo-Chepetsk Chemical Works, OJSC Branch in Kirovo-Chepetsk, Kirov region; Voskresensk Mineral Fertilisers, OJSC in Voskresensk, Moscow region.

Some of the information in this press release may contain projections or other forward-looking statements regarding future events or the future financial performance of URALCHEM. We wish to caution you that these statements are only predictions. We do not intend to update these statements and our actual results may differ materially from those contained in our projections or forward-looking statements, including, among others, the achievement of anticipated levels of profitability, growth, cost and synergy of our recent acquisitions, the impact of competitive pricing, the ability to obtain necessary regulatory approvals and licenses, the impact of developments in the Russian economic, political and legal environment, financial risk management and the impact of general business and global economic conditions.

URALCHEM OJSC Reports Securing a Loan of US $4.5 Billion

URALCHEM has secured a loan of up to US $4.5 billion. The loan has been granted for a period of 84 months. A major part of the loan will be used to pay for the 20% of shares to be acquired in Uralkali.

Moscow, Russia (December 17, 2013) — URALCHEM OJSC has secured a loan of up to US $4.5 billion. The loan has been granted for a period of 84 months.

URALHEM OJSC and the plant in Kirovo-Chepetsk are the borrowers in the transaction. VTB Capital Plc is acting as the lender, the loan agent and the documentation agent. The loan guarantees are Voskresensk Mineral Fertilisers, OJSC in Voskresensk, URALCHEM Trading House Ltd, OJSC Minudobrenia in Perm, URALCHEM HOLDING P.L.C. and SIA URALCHEM Trading.

Out of the $4.5 billion loan, a major part will be used to pay for the 20% of shares to be acquired in OJSC Uralkali. Part of the borrowed funds can be used to repay the current loan liabilities of the URALCHEM Group and will be called on if the existing creditors of the Group require early repayment of liabilities due to changes in the credit portfolio of the Group.

On 4 December 2013, URALCHEM Group’s shareholders announced an agreement to acquire a package of shares and GDRs in OJSC Uralkali (MICEX-RTS: URKA; LSE: URKA), constituting 20% of total share capital of the company. Closure of the transaction is expected in the near future. These shares will be used as collateral for the loan borrowed from VTB Capital Plc.

PR Department
URALCHEM, OJSC
Tel: +7 (495) 721 89 89
Email: pr@uralchem.com
Web: http://www.uralchem.com

URALCHEM, OJSC is one of the largest producers of nitrogen and phosphate fertilisers in Russia and the CIS with production capacities of over 2.5 million tonnes of ammonium nitrate, 2.8 million tonnes of ammonia, 0.8 million tonnes of MAP and DAP, 0.8 million tonnes of complex fertilisers and 1.2 million tonnes of urea. URALCHEM, OJSC is the second largest ammonium nitrate producer in the world and number one in Russia, the second largest producer of nitrogen fertilisers in Russia. Key production assets of URALCHEM, OJSC include Azot Branch of URALCHEM, OJSC in Berezniki, Perm Region; OJSC Minudobrenia, Perm; MFP Kirovo-Chepetsk Chemical Works, OJSC Branch in Kirovo-Chepetsk, Kirov region; Voskresensk Mineral Fertilisers, OJSC in Voskresensk, Moscow region.

Some of the information in this press release may contain projections or other forward-looking statements regarding future events or the future financial performance of URALCHEM. We wish to caution you that these statements are only predictions. We do not intend to update these statements and our actual results may differ materially from those contained in our projections or forward-looking statements, including, among others, the achievement of anticipated levels of profitability, growth, cost and synergy of our recent acquisitions, the impact of competitive pricing, the ability to obtain necessary regulatory approvals and licenses, the impact of developments in the Russian economic, political and legal environment, financial risk management and the impact of general business and global economic conditions.