Fertilizer International articles from January 2005

Fertilizer International archives from January 2005

It is time to embrace the 21st century.(Editorial)
January 1, 2005... The New Year has begun on the most sombre of notes, as the world struggles to come to terms with the devastation that followed the earthquake off the coast of Aceh province, Indonesia and the resulting tsunami. This may be the greatest...

Prices.(Markets)
January 1, 2005... * Ammonia bears prevail * Urea loses ground * Mosaic puts pressure on DAP prices * Sulphur producers target price rises * Indian buyers settle potash contracts New ammonia business for January exports has been scarce as...

AFA celebrates its 30th anniversary.(Preview)
January 1, 2005... The 11th Arab Fertilizer Association (AFA) International Annual Conference will be held in Cairo between 1-3 February 2005.The meeting will attract over 400 participants among the major fertilizer producers from around the world, as well as...

Agrotain carves a niche: Mike Stegmann, president of Lange-Stegmann Company and Agrotain International, LLC, talks to FI.(Interview)
January 1, 2005... Can you describe the company background and how it came to be what it is today? Lange-Stegmann Company was founded in 1926 by two brothers, Henry and Dewey Lange, and has been in the fertilizer business ever since. We are a...

MicroSticker improves agronomic efficiencies in Brazil.(Micronutrients)
January 1, 2005... ARR-MAZ do Brasil has developed a liquid additive that fixes powdered micronutrients on to the surface of bulk blended NPK fertilizers. This paves the way for the more widespread application of micronutrients in a crucial market, Brazil, as...

Call SGS when you need to be sure: cargo inspectors perform a vital role in ensuring the flow of fertilizers from manufacturing plant to the final customer. The Geneva-based company, SGS, enjoys global market leadership and is playing a pro-active role in encouraging the international fertilizer industry to streamline its practices and boost efficiency.(Inspection)
January 1, 2005... From its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, SGS has gained renown as the world's leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognised for setting a global benchmark for quality and integrity. The company...

The implications for energy, agriculture and fertilizers.(Biofuels)
January 1, 2005... Biofuels are in vogue. They are seen by some as providing both the assurance of future fuel sufficiency and a solution to global warming. Do these beliefs bear detailed examination? And would a programme to produce biofuels have significant...

Bucket elevator retrofits bring double benefits: retrofitting bucket elevators for larger capacities also increases reliability, as described by Richard Skroski, Director of Marketing and Training at Rexnord Industries, Inc.(Equipment)
January 1, 2005... IMC Global's New Wales plant, located near Mulberry, Florida, is one of several fertilizer plants that have increased capacity and improved reliability by retrofitting existing elevators with new buckets and drive components. At the plant,...

Tessenderlo Group's double investment: Tessenderlo Group, the speciality fertilizer and chemical producer, enjoys a significant niche as a leading supplier of potassium sulphate. Buoyant demand for the product has prompted the company to invest in a major increase in capacity, which is now coming on stream, as described here.(Potassium Sulphate)
January 1, 2005... Strong demand for potassium sulphate has prompted Tessenderlo Group to invest in additional production capacity at its plant in Ham, eastern Belgium, and inaugurate a new [K.sub.2]S[O.sub.4] facility in northern France. The recent upsurge in...

NIUIF's 85th anniversary: the NIUIF Ya. V. Samoilov Scientific Research Institute for Fertilizers, Insecticides and Fungicides is 85 years old. Three members of the Institute, B.V. Levin, V.I. Souhodolova and V.S. Suschev, describe its work and achievements.(Profile)
January 1, 2005... On 12 September 2004, the Moscow-based NIUIF institute for research on fertilizers, raw materials, and insecticides and fungicides celebrated its 85th birthday. The Institute was founded in 1919 by order of the Supreme Soviet of the National...

Calendar.(Calendar)
January 1, 2005... JANUARY 24-25 2nd Annual Crop Nutrients Council Symposium, Fairmont Winnipeg Hotel, WINNIPEG, Manitoba, Canada. Contact: Josette Lopes, Canadian Fertilizer Institute (CFI), Suite 802, 350...

British sulphur conference & exhibition diary.(Calendar)
January 1, 2005... FEBRUARY 27-2 Nitrogen 2005, Intercontinental Hotel, BUCHAREST, Mar Romania. MARCH 13-15 16th Fertilizer Latin America International Conference & Exhibition, Intercontinental Santo Domingo, SANTO ...

P and phytochemicals.(Agronomic Update)
January 1, 2005... Phosphorus is essential for improving the quality of fruits and vegetables, and it also can increase the levels of health-functional phytochemicals, such as anthocyanins, flavonoids and lycopene. Phytochemicals are compounds made uniquely by...

Best management practices for fertilizers.(Agronomic Update)
January 1, 2005... PPI has published a timely reminder of the best management practices for fertilizers, based on scientific findings and guided by principles that ensure the efficient use of resources while minimising impacts on the environment. These...

Aussie AN concern.(Agronomic Update)
January 1, 2005... Australian farmers are concerned that tough new regulations on ammonium nitrate may be the precursor to further restrictions on a range of other critically important fertilizers, according to Peter Corish, President of the National Farmers'...

Kemira invests in new sludge treatment method.(Agronomic Update)
January 1, 2005... The Kappala Association in Stockholm and Kemira have signed a licensing agreement to market Kemicond, a new method for reducing sludge volumes and enhancing sludge quality. Sewage sludge can be dewatered by means of chemical pre-treatment to...

How P benefits forage and beef production.(Agronomic Update)
January 1, 2005... Trials in Texas showed that phosphate fertilizer increased the three-year average winter wheat forage yield by 55% during early production from planting to March. The yield over the full season increased by 35% after the application of P...

Mosaic is launched to "harvest cost synergies".(People)
January 1, 2005... Mosaic Co. was officially launched on 25 October 2004, becoming the newest Fortune 500-sized company on the New York Stock Exchange. CEO Fritz Corrigan declared that its goal was to "plan to harvest cost synergies, reduce phosphate mining and...

More Mosaic marketing slots filled.(People)
January 1, 2005... Warren (Bud) Gresham has assumed the role of Mosaic's new Regional Vice President, International, with responsibilities for southern half of the South American continent, Japan and Korea. He is based in Minneapolis and was previously Regional...

Steve Hoffman steps down.(People)
January 1, 2005... On 1 December 2004, Steve Hoffman retired from his positions as Head of PhosChem and Senior Vice President with Mosaic. Steve Hoffman is very much an industry stalwart, having served IMC Global (IGL) for 31 years, including 23 years in the...

Spearheading Canpotex in Latin America and Asia.(People)
January 1, 2005... Canpotex has appointed Max de Armendi as Vice President of Marketing for Latin America. He took up his new responsibilities on 1 January 2005, and is based in Vancouver, reporting to Canpotex CEO Steve Dechka. Previously, Max de Armendi...

Kemira appointments.(People)
January 1, 2005... Pekka Ojanpaa has been appointed Executive Vice President, Procurement and Logistics, and a member of the management board of Kemira Oyj. He took up his new appointment on 3 January 2005. He joined Kemira from a similar position with Nokia....

CF chief steps down.(People)
January 1, 2005... CF Industries' Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer John Sultenfuss decided to retire with effect from 1 January 2005. He had served the company in a variety of capacities over a period of 32 years.

FAI resignation.(People)
January 1, 2005... Viren Kaushik resigned as Director General of the Fertiliser Association of India (FAI) with effect from 28 October 2004. His successor is H.C. Grover, Vice Chairman of Paradeep Phosphates Ltd. (PPL). He is also a Senior Adviser at Chambal...

IFDC elects new Chairman.(People)
January 1, 2005... The Board of Directors at IFDC elected Dr. Peter McPherson as its new Chairman. Announcing the appointment, IFDC's outgoing Chairman, Dr. E. Travis York, said, "I am extremely delighted that Peter McPherson has agreed to chair the IFDC. I...

AIC board elections.(People)
January 1, 2005... Following its Annual General Meeting on 12 October 2004, AIC (Agricultural Industries Confederation) announced the re-election of Richard Banks of Banks Cargill Agriculture as Chairman and David Hutchison of HL Hutchison as Treasurer....

Kemira GrowHow marketing contact.(People)
January 1, 2005... Herve Pierrvet has succeeded Simone Warland as Marketing Manager for Kemira GrowHow. His contact details are: Tel: +32 10 23 298 05 E-mail: herve.pierrvet@kemiragrowhow.com

Streamlining at Agrotain.(People)
January 1, 2005... Andrew M. Semple has assumed the role of Vice President, Global Marketing at Agrotain International. He previously managed Agrotain's International Business Unit and will continue to oversee it until a replacement is appointed. Other...

All change in Indonesia.(People)
January 1, 2005... The Indonesian government has announced a series of changes at the various state-owned fertilizer companies, all taking effect on 1 October 2004. At PT Pupuk Sriwidjaja (Pusri), Ir. Dadang Heru Kodri has taken over as President Director from...

Haifa restructures sales and marketing.(People)
January 1, 2005... With effect from 1 December 2004, Haifa Chemicals Ltd. reorganised its sales and marketing functions, with the goal of consolidating its market position and focus on sales. As a result, in place of the previous three functional divisions, all...

IPI relocates.(People)
January 1, 2005... Having taken over as Director of the International Potash Institute (IPI), Hillel Magen has announced that the office will move from Basel to Horgen, near Zurich. From 23 December 2004, IPI's contact details are: Tel: +41 43 810 49 22. Fax:...

Dr. Joseph J. Jacobs.(People)
January 1, 2005... Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. regrets to announce the death of the company's founder and Chairman, Dr. Joseph J. Jacobs, at the age of 88. Dr. Jacobs founded the business in 1947 as a one-man company, operating as both a chemical engineering...