Agrium Inc. () is a major Retail supplier of agricultural products and services in North and South America, a leading global Wholesale producer and marketer of all three major agricultural nutrients and the premier supplier of specialty fertilizers in North America through our Advanced Technologies business unit. Agrium’s strategy is to grow across the value chain through acquisition, incremental expansion of its existing operations and through the development, commercialization and marketing of new products and international opportunities.

Agrium was founded as Cominco Fertilizers, Ltd. in 1931 and changed its name to Agrium, Inc. in 1995. Agrium is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Agrium U.S. Inc., a subsidiary company, is based in Denver, Colorado and is the location of Agrium's retail head office.

Divisions

Agrium operates through three segments:

Retail

The Retail segment offers farmers a complete range of seed, liquid and dry fertilizer products, along with primary crop protection services including herbicides, insecticides and fungicides. We now operate close to over 500 retail centres in the U.S. and South America. Agrium increased its geographical presence and prodcut diversity by acquition of UAP Holdings

Wholesale

The Wholesale segment provides nitrogen-based fertilizers, sulphur, and phosphate-based fertilizers. This segment also engages in the ownership and operation of potash mine and production facility at Vanscoy No. 345, Saskatchewan, Canada, and phosphate mines in Kapuskasing, Ontario, Canada, and in Conda, Idaho, US.

The Wholesale segment engages in the ownership of nitrogen-based fertilizer plant in Bahia Blanca, Argentina. Construction of a new production Facility in Damietta, Egypt was halted in April, 2008.

Agrium Advanced Technologies

The Agrium Advanced Technologies segment focuses on environmentally friendly, controlled release fertilizer technologies. It produces micronutrients as well as specialty products for consumer, professional turf, horticulture and agricultural markets. Agrium is an international supplier of specialty products for the agricultural market. This segment markets its products through a network of distributors in Canada and the US.

Environmental and Social Impacts

In 2006 the U.S. EPA fined Agrium U.S. $750,000 for violations of the Clean Air Act. Un-permitted modifications to the Ohio nitrogen products plant resulted in excessive releases of NOx. The US EPA report states that these nitrogen oxides "cause severe respiratory problems, contribute to childhood asthma, acid rain, climate change, smog and haze, and impairs visibility in national parks. Emissions from nitric acid plants can be carried significant distances downwind, causing air quality problems..." The plant in question was acquired in October of 2006 during the takeover of Royster Clark.

In 2003 Agrium was issued an administrative compliance order for excessive emissions at a Kennewick plant . Agrium discovered the violations at the Kennewick facility through a comprehensive Clean Air Act audit of the facility in late 2000. Agrium promptly reported the audit findings to EPA under EPA’s policy on Incentives for Self-Policing, also referred to as the “Self-Disclosure Policy”.

In 2005 Agrium was fined for failure to disclose release of toxic gases at this same plant An Agrium ammonia/urea plant is listed by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation as a contaminated site due to spillage of ammonia and other contaminants

Recent Events

The company agreed to close down and transfer its EAgrium assets in Damietta Egypt to an Egyptian Firm MOPCO in lieu of 26% stake in it.

Agrium acquired 70% stake in Common Market Fertilizers SA, one of Western Europe's leading fertlizer distribution company in July 2008

References