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Pursell Agri-Tech: the 114-year old start-up

Summary

Alabama-based Pursell Agri-Tech, although a relatively new start-up, can draw on a long heritage of fertilizer industry innovation. The company's chairman, Taylor Pursell, talks to Fertilizer International in an exclusive interview.

Abstract

Pursell Agri-Tech officially opened an innovative new fertilizer coating plant in Sylacauga, Alabama, in June with its partner and shareholder Stamicarbon. The low-cost, modular plant applies an innovative polymer coating using a proprietary coating process. Keywords: Interview, Taylor Pursell, Pursell Agri-Tech, Start-up, North America, Unites States, Stamicarbon, Alabama, Production, Coating plant, Urea, CRFs, Controlled release fertilizers, Broad acre, Row crops, Corn, Yield, Margin

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Boron bestows benefits

Summary

Boron is a key micronutrient required by crops such as alfalfa, corn, cotton, rice, sugar cane, oil palm, potato and soybean. We look at the agricultural importance of boron and the wide range of products on the market.

Abstract

Boron is essential for plant growth. It helps plants to synthesise structural carbohydrates and build strong, stable cell walls. Boron also enables sugars to form in leaves and then helps transport these to parts of the plant where they are required – especially new growth and the root system. Keywords: Crop nutrition, Micronutrients, Boron, Yield, Deficiency, Soybean, Corn, Cotton, Legumes, Alfalfa, Potato, Canola, Sugar cane, Sugarcane, North America, United States, Borax, Granubor, Fertibor, Solubor, Mosaic, Aspire, Compass Minerals, Wolf Trax, ProAcqua, 3-Trax, Nachurs, Alpine, ATP Nutrition, Ruffin-Tuff, Kinetic Boron

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Enhancing efficiency for greater growth

Summary

The imposition of new environmental regulations in key markets will drive greater use of controlled-release and slow-release fertilizers. Global demand for these environmentally-friendly and more efficient alternatives to conventional fertilizers is growing strongly in China and the United States, explains Ralf Gubler, director of research & analysis, fertilizer & industrial gases at IHS Markit.

Abstract

Producing efficient fertilizers that directly deliver nutrients to plants in exactly the right amounts has clear economic and environmental benefits. Aligning nutrient release from fertilizers to plant uptake requirements is generally achieved by modifying products in one of two ways: by reducing their solubility chemically or by physically encapsulating granules within a semi-permeable coating. Keywords: Speciality fertilizers, Specialty fertilizers, IHS Markit, Slow release fertilizers, SRFs, Controlled release fertilizers, CRFs, SCRFs, Enhanced efficiency, Market growth, Forecast, Demand, Production, Supply, Consumption, Costs, Benefits, Yield, China, United States, Europe, EU, Japan, Regulation, Environment, Climate change, Nutrient losses, Nutrient use efficiency, Sustainability, Farming, Nutrien, ICL, Lebanon Seaboard Corp, Haifa Chemicals, Compo, Kingenta, Sadepan Chimica, Aglukon, Jcam Agri, Stamicarbon, Pursell Agri-Tech, Evogene, Compass Minerals, Produquimica

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Water-soluble fertilizers: quality and compatibility

Summary

The high quality of water-soluble fertilizers is valued by growers and distributors alike. The use of low-quality products, or incompatibilities between fertilizers and irrigation water, can damage expensive drip irrigation equipment. We look at the quality and compatibility of water-soluble fertilizers and how this affects their performance.

Abstract

Fertigation involves supplying plants with nutrients via a drip irrigation system. It allows nutrients to be applied precisely to crops where and when they are most needed during the growing season. Tailoring fertilizer use in this way helps to optimise crop yields, cuts input costs by avoiding over application, and also helps to reduce environmental impacts by preventing nutrient losses. Keywords: Speciality fertilizers, Specialty fertilizers, Water soluble fertilizers, Monoammonium phosphate, MAP, Monopotassium phosphate, MKP, Potassium Sulphate, Sulphate of Potash, SOP, Potassium Nitrate, NOP, Calcium nitrate, CN, Chelates, Solubility, pH, Insoluble, Fertigation, Drip irrigation, Equipment damage, Quality, Compatibility, Precipitation, Bicarbonate, Calcium, Magnesium, Clogging, Blocking, Blockage, Tubing, Pipes, Emitters, Netafim, Prayon, Calcium Nitrate EXTRA, Hortipray, Anticalc, SQM, Ultrasol Magnum, Uralchem

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Southeast Asia's nitrogen market

Summary

Extra capacity is altering nitrogen market trade dynamics in Southeast Asia. New ammonia-urea plants in Indonesia, Malaysia and Borneo look set to ease import reliance and turn the region into a net exporter.

Abstract

A gas-rich region Southeast Asia is richly endowed in gas resources. But geography has held-back the development of a regional gas economy– with fragmented island chains and mountain barriers making pipeline building difficult and/or prohibitively costly. Keywords: Regional report, Southeast Asia, South East Asia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Brunei, Natural gas, Ammonia, Urea, Nitrogen projects, Nitrogen market, Plants, Producers, Production, Supply, Demand, Capacity, Exports, PT Pupuk, Petronas, Samur, Uhde, Haldor Topsoe, Saipem, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Hanichemco, Myanmar Petrochemical Enterprise, Matsui, Brunei Fertiliser Industries, thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions, tkIS, Stamicarbon,

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CVM: creating and capturing value

Summary

Customer Value Management (CVM) can provide fertilizer producers with a greater insight into the needs of their customers and what drives value within their businesses. Phil Allen of CVMe and Dimitrios Dimitriou of Nexant explain how traditional, low-cost, commodity-based producers can use CVM to move downstream and get closer to customers. In doing so, they can differentiate products to create and capture more value – and radically improve their profitability and market position in the process.

Abstract

Combatting commoditisation The fertilizer market remains overwhelmingly commodity-based. For the most part, urea, potash and DAP (diammonium phosphate) are mass-produced as undifferentiated products and traded internationally with little or no regard to who produced them. The same applies to feedstocks used in their manufacture, such as sulphur, ammonia and phosphate rock. Keywords: Business strategy, Products, Commodities, Value chain, Supply chain, Sales, Marketing, CVM€, Nexant

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Uniting the micro with the macro

Summary

Plant nutrients work best together in unison. To maximise crop yields, a wide spectrum of nutrients needs to be delivered in the right place at the right time in the right macro and micro amounts. The innovative micronutrient delivery system (MDS) from Omex Agrifluids does this by applying and keeping macronutrients and micronutrients together, as agronomist Dr Terry Mabbett explains.

Abstract

Crops fertilization involves the application of larger amounts of macronutrients and smaller amounts of micronutrients. Mixing micronutrients evenly and in the correct proportions with macronutrients remains a technical challenge, due to the disparities in the amounts required by crops. Keywords: Micronutrients, Omex Agrifluids, Micronutrient Delivery System, MDS, Speciality fertilizers, Specialty fertilizers, Blending, Coating, Zinc, Manganese, Boron, Copper, UK, China, Sri Lanka, Canada, Brazil, Rice, Maize, Canola, Soybean

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Wave goodbye to sulphur melter emissions

Summary

The MECS® DynaWave® scrubber from DuPont Clean Technologies is an innovative yet surprisingly simple solution for reducing sulphur melter emissions. Yves Herssens, global licensing manager, scrubbing technologies, DuPont Clean Technologies, explains more in this case study of an installation at The Mosaic Company's New Wales site in Florida.

Abstract

Globally, the vast majority of sulphur used to produce sulphuric acid is shipped in solid form, either as bulk granules or prills. It is then melted and filtered by end-users at sulphuric acid plants prior to use. Melting solid sulphur is a relatively straightforward process. But the agitation and heating involved causes the release of dissolved sulphur dioxide (SO2) and hydrogen sulphide (H2S), along with sulphur vapour that condenses into fine dust. Keywords: Scrubbing technology, DuPont Clean Technologies, MECS, DynaWave, Sulphur, Melting, Melter Scrubbing, Sulphur dioxide, Hydrogen sulphide, Emissions, Dust, Mosaic, Florida, New Wales

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Sulphur supply shifts east

Summary

Most of the new sulphur supply capacity expected globally over the next few years will come from a rise in sour gas production. New projects are concentrated in the Middle East, Central Asia and China. We review major new sulphur recovery projects in these three regions.

Abstract

The rise of sour gas Sour gas processing has transformed how sulphur is supplied and where it is sourced from. In recent times, it has resulted in a wholesale shift in sulphur production, away from direct Frasch mining of underground sulphur deposits towards the involuntary production of sulphur recovered from natural gas. Sour gas processing originated in western Canada and the United States. Keywords: Sulphur, Sour gas, Projects, Supply, Imports, Exports, Market, Habshan, Shah, Bab, North Field, Ras Laffan, Wasit, Fadhili, Yibal Khuff Sudair, Rabab Harweel, South Pars, Astrakhan, Tengiz, Kashagan, South Yolotan, Puguang, Yuanba, Chuandongbei, China National Petroleum Corp, Sinopec, North Caspian Operating Company, KazMunaiGaz, PDO, Rasgas, Qatargas, Adnoc, Gazprom, TengizChevroil, China, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Iran, Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

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Rapid phos acid process monitoring

Summary

Incitec Pivot has adopted a new computer-controlled thermal analysis method to monitor the P2O5 content of phosphoric acid at its Phosphate Hill plant in Queensland, Australia. The rapid hourly measurements obtained help improve filtration efficiency and reduce co-crystallised losses, explains Stewart Bache, Incitec Pivot's chemist at Phosphate Hill.

Abstract

Thermometric titration is a well-known thermal analysis method. In this article, we describe how this method can rapidly determine P2O5 by measuring the exothermic reaction associated with the formation of struvite (MgNH4PO4.6H2O). This reaction, by releasing energy as heat, produces a measurable inflection in the titration curve. Keywords: Phosphate process technology, Monitoring , Analysis, Measurement, Process, Production, Phosphoric acid, Phosphates, Thermal analysis, Australia, Queensland, Phosphate Hill, Incitec Pivot

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Canpotex – Canada's export colossus

Summary

We profile Canpotex, Canada's export consortium, highlighting its continuing success in Asian and Latin American markets, and reviewing its major transport, terminal and shipping capabilities and investments.

Abstract

Introduction Canpotex is the world’s premier potash exporter, and has been exclusively marketing and distributing Canadian potash internationally since 1972. The consortium is jointly owned by two North American potash producers, Nutrien Ltd and The Mosaic Company. Keywords: Canpotex profile, Canada, Potash, Canpotex, Mosaic, Nutrien, IPNI, Logistics, Transport, Ports, Terminals, Trains, Vessels, Shipments, Exports, Supply, Consumption, Markets, India, Brazil, China, Indonesia, Malaysia

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Belarus aims high

Summary

Belarus, alongside Canada and Russia, is a front-ranking potash-producing nation. The completion of large-scale projects, financed with the help of foreign investors, could further transform the Belarussian potash industry, reports Eugene Gerden.

Abstract

The potash industry in Belarus is undergoing a major expansion in capacity thanks to two large-scale projects currently under development. Slavkaliy project now well-advanced The $2 billion and two million tonne capacity Slavkaliy project is one well-advanced example. Keywords: Belarus potash report, Belarus, Potash, Projects, Plants, production, Mining, Mines, Investment, Capacity, Supply, Slavkaliy, Lyuban, Minsk, Starobinsky, Soligorsk, Belaruskali, Potassium nitrate, NOP

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