VANCOUVER (miningweekly.com) – Dual-listed Agrium has completed an expansion build-out at its Borger nitrogen operations, providing improved supply chain integration and product diversification and availability in the important agricultural region of Texas.
The company, which is in the process of merging with Canadian counterpart PotashCorp of Saskatchewan to create a new $36-billion entity, said Tuesday it was commissioning the new 610 000 t urea facility, of which 100 000 t of urea-tonne equivalent would be diesel exhaust fluid, a higher-priced product used to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions in diesel vehicles.
The merger is expected to close mid-2017, combining PotashCorp, the world's biggest crop nutrient company by capacity and Agrium, North America's largest farm retailer.
The combined company will be dominant in North America, controlling nearly two-thirds of potash capacity, 30% of phosphate production capability and 29% of nitrogen capacity. The tie-up comes amid fertiliser companies' profits falling, owing to excessive supply and weak demand.