Chemical fertilisers

InterAgro S.A. specialises in the export of agricultural chemical fertilisers. In December 1997, S.C. InterAgro S.A. became the majority shareholder in two of the largest chemical fertiliser plants in Romania: S.C. Sofert S.A. Bacau and S.C. Azochim S.A. Savinesti - Piatra Neamt.

S.C. Viromet S.A., a Group company, has taken over in 2004 a fertiliser plant, the former Turnu Magurele Fertiliser Plant, in present acting as S.C. Donawchem S.R.L.

S.C. SOFERT S.A. BACAU

S.C. Sofert S.A. was founded in 1990 following the takeover of the Chemical Fertiliser Plant first constructed in 1975.

S.C. Sofert S.A. is an integrated chemical complex with facilities that use technology licensed from Kellogg (USA) for ammonia and Stamicarbon (Netherlands) for urea and also Romanian technology from IPROCHIM Romania.

S.C. InterAgro S.A.'s financial power and its policy of extending business relationships led to new opportunities and a new position on the market. Therefore, about 80% of the annual urea production is sold to foreign markets and the Group's target is to continuously develop the business relationships with foreign partners and to penetrate new markets worldwide.

In this respect, S.C. InterAgro S.A. places great emphasis on the quality of its products. In February 2000 S.C. Sofert S.A. obtained the ISO 9002 / 1994 Certificate and the present goal is to acquire a Quality System according to SREN ISO 9001 / 1994.

In the summer of 2000, AEROQ S.A. Bucharest granted a Quality System to S.C. Sofert S.A. Bacau according to SREN ISO 9002 / 95.

Environmental protection is top priority on the agenda of the InterAgro Group. The ongoing modernisation of the plant facilities continues to reduce pollutant emissions. In 1999 the Company was granted Environment Authorisation and continues to strive for improved environmental quality.
KELLOGG AMMONIA INSTALLATION

Production capacity: 300,000 tons / year
Year of commissioning: 1979

Kellogg - modernized USA technology provides efficient and highly automated (95%) production.

STRIPPING - STAMICARBON UREA INSTALLATION

Production capacity: 420,000 tons / year
Year of commissioning: 1980

Striping Stamicarbon technology with total recycling provides a 95% degree of automation.

SULPHURIC ACID INSTALLATION
Production capacity: 400,000 tons / year
Year of commissioning: 1978

Two production lines were first commissioned under the licence of IPROCHIM Romania utilizing sulphur as raw material.

PHOSPHORIC ACID INSTALLATION

Production capacity: 110,000 tons (P2O5) / year
Year of commissioning: 1979

The phosphoric acid installation was commissioned under the licence and engineering of I.I.T.P.I.C. Bucharest.

COMPLEX FERTILISERS INSTALLATION (with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium)

Production capacity: 100,000 tons (P2O5) / year
Year of commissioning: 1978
Technology: IPROCHIM Romania

In 1998 the D.A.P. installation under the licence of Kaltenbach Turing France was upgraded and pollutant emissions were significantly reduced. Also in the C.E.T. Installation carbon monoxide emissions from fuel combustion were reduced. The SULPHURIC ACID PLANT was significantly updated.

S.C. Sofert S.A. offers a large range of high quality products for both the domestic and international market:

1. Main products

  • Urea 46 % N prilled
  • Diammonium Phosphate (18-46-0)
  • Complex fertilisers: NPK 15-15-15, 16-16-16, 17-17-17
  • Compound fertilisers: 20-20-0, 23-21-0, 25-25-0, 32-20-0
  • Foliated fertilisers

2. Secondary products

  • Sulpuric acid, technical and for batteries
  • Oleum / fuming sulphuric acid 21 %
  • Anhydrous ammonia 99.8 %
  • Technical nitrogen and oxygen

S.C. DONAWCHEM S.R.L.

In autumn 2004 S.C. Viromet S.A. acquired Turnu Magurele Chemical Plant, currently doing business as S.C. Donawchem S.R.L. Upon acquiring, the plant was revamped to be an important integrated producer of ammonia as semi-finished product and of the entire range of chemical fertilisers as final products (urea, ammonium nitrate, CAN, complex and liquid fertilisers), taking into account the location of the plant on the Danube River giving strategic and geographical advantage.

The ammonia resulting from the chemical synthesis of methane gas and hydrogen is obtained in a facility that uses the Kellogg method at 150 barr. The ammonia is the raw material for complex fertilisers, ammonium nitrate, urea and nitric acid.

Installation Licence The capacity of the installation

Ammonia
Urea
Ammonium nitrate
NP-NPK2
UAN

KELLOGG
STAMICARBON
GIAP, KALTENBACH
NORSK -HIDRO
300,000 tons / year
500,000 tons / year
300,000 tons / year
600,000 tons P2O2 / year
300,000 tons / year

Urea is obtained in two facilities under the licence of Stamicarbon using ammonia and carbon dioxide as raw materials.

The ammonium nitrate is obtained in a plant under the licence Kaltenbach through the neutralisation of nitric acid with ammonia and represents a granulated product or an intermediate product for complex fertilisers.

Currently the plant produces CAN with min. 27% N.

CAN is obtained by adding dolomite into ammonium nitrate.

NPK complex fertilisers are produced in two facilities under NORSK - HYDRO licence. On demand, the plant could produce other type of fertilisers: with sulphur, magnesium or microelements.

All prilled or granular fertilisers are treated against caking.

The chemical plant also produces UAN fertiliser.

This is a product obtained by mixing ammonium nitrate and urea with 20% water and 32% nitrogen.

S.C. AZOCHIM S.A. Savinesti - Piatra Neamt

First commissioned in 1956, S.C. Azochim S.A. was the first nitrogenous chemical fertiliser plant in Romania. The plant is situated in a region with extensive agricultural potential (over 2 million hectares of arable land) and adjacent to large industrial consumers for its semi-finished products. S.C. Azochim S.A. Savinesti has always held a strong position on the market and has produced up to now over 3.5 million tons of nitrogenous fertilizers, and also significant quantities of secondary and semi-finished products.

The first production capacities of S.C. Azochim S.A. were commissioned between 1962 and 1963: the GIAP ammonia plant - 150,000 tons / year, the nitric acid plant - 190,000 tons / year, the ammonium nitrate / CAN plant - 210,000 tons / year and the crystallized urea plant - 10,000 tons / year. A new fertiliser production unit was commissioned during 1970 and 1973 and includes the Salzgitter ammonia plant - 300,000 tons / year and the urea plant 300,000 tons / year.

The precipitated calcium carbonate unit was added in 1975 with a production of 20,000 tons / year.

The plant operates its own thermoelectric power station.

In 1990 S.C. Azochim S.A. started a modernisation programme for its ammonia installation and ammonium nitrate plant.

In December 1997 S.C. InterAgro S.A. acquired Azochim S.A.'s majority shareholding and this change of ownership has stemmed an intensive modernisation process.

The Salzgitter ammonia installation was modernised together with assistance from MANNESMANN DEMAG German Company with commissioning in 2001 and the Ammonium Nitrate /Calcium Ammonium Nitrate plant was revamped with assistance from KRUPP-UHDE and NEUE COTHINO CARO Companies with commissioning taking place in 1999. These investments resulted in increased productivity and to the introduction of granular fertiliser production to the Romanian market.

The uniformity of the granule with its low humidity and high crush resistance has been well received domestically and internationally. The advantages for its end-users are better nitrogen absorption into the soil, assimilation by plants and good anti-caking properties.

S.C. Azochim S.A. products include:
1. Main products
  • Ammonium nitrate, granular, min. 33.5 % N
  • CAN, granular, 26 - 28 % N
  • Urea, prilled, min. 46 % N
  • Liquid fertilisers UAN type, 28 - 32 % N
2. Secondary products
  • Technical ammonia 99.8 %
  • Technical nitric acid 47 %
  • Technical hydrogen
  • Gaseous and liquid nitrogen
  • Technical and alimentary carbon dioxide
  • Technical oxygen

3. High purity, precipitated calcium carbonate