OREANDA-NEWS. January 21, 2011. Acron Group releases 2010 operating results.

Group’s Consolidated Output (Operating Results for Acron, Dorogobuzh and Hongri Acron).

 

Stated in ‘000 tonnes

2010

2009

YOY

Ammonia

1,722.5 

1,682.1 

2.4% 

Incl. own use

1,465.5 

1,424.8 

 

Nitrogen fertilisers, including: 

2,260.9 

2,202.3 

2.7% 

incl. own use

313.2 

249.0 

 

Ammonium nitrate

1,298.2 

1,434.6 

-9.5% 

incl. own use

56.6 

62.6 

 

Urea

449.2 

450.0 

0%

incl. own use

256.6 

186.4 

 

Urea-ammonium nitrate (UAN)

513.5 

317.6 

61.7% 

Complex fertilisers, including:

2,447.1 

2,120.4 

15.4% 

incl. own use

33.6 

34.9 

 

NPK

2,225.4 

1,931.8 

15.2% 

incl. own use

33.6 

34.9 

 

Bulk blends

221.7 

188.6 

17.5% 

Organic compounds, including:

371.0 

355.4 

4.4% 

incl. own use

188.5 

183.3 

 

Methanol

81.7 

76.7 

6.5% 

incl. own use

69.1 

65.7 

 

Formalin

132.3 

126.1 

4.9% 

incl. own use

118.7 

116.7 

 

Urea-formaldehyde resins (UFR)

157.0 

152.5 

3.0%

incl. own use

0.7

0.9

 

Non-organic compounds, including:

952.9 

844.0 

12.9%

Low-density and technical-grade ammonium nitrate

180.5 

176.6 

2.2% 

Calcium carbonate

559.1 

527.3 

6.0% 

Liquid carbon dioxide

46.6 

41.3 

12.8%

Argon

6.7 

5.9 

13.6% 

Hydrochloric acid

160.0 

92.9 

72.2% 

TOTAL MERCHANT OUTPUT (output less own consumption)

5,753.6

5,312.2

8.3%

Comments:

In 2010 the Group’s total commercial output was up 8.3% year-on-year to 5,754 thousand tonnes. Commercial output of ammonia and mineral fertilisers rose 7.5% year-on-year to 4,618 thousand tonnes.

The increase was mainly due to the expansion of Acron’s commercial output by 8% to 3,257 thousand tonnes and expansion of Hongri Acron’s commercial output by 58.2% to 876,000 tonnes. Dorogobuzh experienced a 7.7% decline in its commercial production caused by a scheduled overhaul of the ammonia unit.

Nitrogen Fertilisers and Ammonia

In 2010 the Group’s consolidated ammonia output increased 2.4% and nitrogen fertilisers output rose 2.7% year-on-year. Due to strong demand for liquid fertilisers, Acron boosted its UAN production output 61.7%. Ammonia nitrate production was down 10.9% due to an overhaul of the ammonia unit at Dorogobuzh facilities and redistribution of Acron’s capacity utilisation in favour of UAN and complex fertilisers.

Complex fertilisers

In 2010 global demand for complex fertilisers fully recovered, and the Group’s consolidated output rose 15.7% in this segment. Due to high demand for complex fertilisers in China, Hongri Acron increased NPK production 57% to 691 thousand tonnes. Acron’s commercial output of complex fertilisers was up 8.9% to 1,120 thousand tonnes, and Dorogobuzh reduced its NPK output 2.4% to 602 thousand tonnes.

The Group did not face any shortages of raw materials for complex fertilisers, which also ensured positive production results.

Organic and Non-organic Compounds

The Group posted higher output of industrial products. In 2010 demand for industrial products continued to recover, allowing the Group to increase its commercial output of organic and inorganic synthesis products by 11.7% year-on-year to 1,135 thousand tonnes.

Higher output of complex fertilisers triggered an increase in output of Acron’s calcium carbonate and Hongri Acron’s hydrochloric acid. Recovery in the organic synthesis segment contributed to Acron’s increase in methanol, formaldehyde and UFR output.