Anuvia Plant Nutrients, Zellwood, Fla., announced on Sept. 24 that it has entered into a long-term strategic relationship with The Mosaic Co., Plymouth, Minn., to help meet the increased demand for its bio-based sustainable and environmentally friendly plant nutrients. Anuvia will utilize a portion of Mosaic’s shuttered Plant City phosphate production facility (GM June 21, p. 1) and repurpose existing infrastructure to increase its production capacity to up to 1.2 million st/y. The company’s Zellwood facility, which produces 80,000 st/y, opened in 2016 (GM May 13, 2016).
As production increases, the company plans to add approximately 135 new employees with an average salary of $70,000 at Plant City. It will be Anuvia’s second Florida location, and is expected to be operational by second-quarter 2020.
“In the three years since the Zellwood plant went online, the market has been receptive to our products and their unique benefits,” said Anuvia CEO Amy Yoder. “And now in response to the increased demand, we are increasing our production capacity. It is gratifying that farmers are realizing the performance and environmental benefits Anuvia products bring to crop production.”
“Mosaic has been looking to partner with successful, innovative companies, and this arrangement, which includes an equity position, is an excellent fit for us,” said Walt Precourt, Mosaic Senior Vice President, Strategy and Growth. “Both companies are committed to operating safely and sustainably while providing customers with high-quality crop nutrient solutions. We look forward to exploring opportunities to further expand our relationship.”
The companies did not divulge the percentage of Mosaic’s equity stake in Anuvia.
Mosaic indicated in its second-quarter earnings call that it was in negotiations for an alternative use of the Plant City plant (GM Aug. 9, p. 1), while Anuvia has been surveying sites for a second plant (GM April 6, 2018).
Anuvia told Green Markets that it would be focusing Plant City production on its agricultural-grade product and will be ratcheting up production over time. Anuvia’s products include SymTRX™ for the ag sector, GreenTRX™ for the turf industry, and Anugreen for the consumer residential lawn market.
All of Anuvia’s products include organic matter, which contributes to the products’ slow-release capabilities. Content is approximately 16 percent. While the company has a major contract to source organic material from Smithfield Foods Inc., Smithfield, Va. (GM April 6, 2018), the company said the Plant City plant will source product from Smithfield and multiple organic sources and suppliers, including food waste and peanut hulls. The end products also include nitrogen, phosphate, and sulfur, and these, too, will be sourced from multiple suppliers.
Anuvia has the ability to vary the nutrient content of its fertilizers. In the ag category, two combinations currently marketed are 16-20-0-12S and 16-1-0-20S. It is a dry fertilizer that the company said can easily be blended. With both nitrogen and sulfur content, some see the product as a competitor with ammonium sulfate, which also provides the two nutrients nitrogen and sulfur, though Anuvia also adds phosphates.
According to its website, Anuvia is already supplying ag grade product to Nutrien Ag Solutions (select locations); Tennessee Farmers Cooperative; Southern States Cooperative; MFA Inc.; B&B Farm Service, Ohio; Barrett Farm Supply, Minnesota; CFG Ag Services; Greenpoint Ag (select locations); Meherrin Ag; Tri County Farmers; and Wedgworth Inc.