Yara Invests $263M to Boost Urea Production in Sluiskil
- Yara is investing $263 million in Sluiskil, Netherlands.
- The new urea granulator will have an annual capacity of 660,000 tons.
- Construction starts in 2015 and completes in the second half of 2017.
- UAN production will decrease by 230,000 tons annually, enabling 130,000 tons of additional CAN production.
Investment and Capacity Expansion
Yara is investing USD 263 million in Sluiskil, Netherlands, to increase granulation capacity. This investment will enable the production of 660,000 tons of granular urea with sulphur annually, replacing an old prilling unit that produced 400,000 tons of urea per year.
Production Adjustments
In parallel with the increased urea production, Sluiskil will reduce UAN production by around 230,000 tons per annum. This reduction will free up nitric acid capacity, allowing for an additional 130,000 tons per annum of CAN production.
Timeline
Construction of the new plant will start in 2015, with completion expected in the second half of 2017. The new plant will utilize technology developed by Yara.
Market Demand
The investment addresses the growing demand for sulphur-enriched fertilizers, which are essential for improving crop yield and quality. This is particularly important as agricultural soils in Europe and other regions are increasingly lacking sulphur.