Ravensdown’s Hornby location in Christchurch, N.Z., will be serving customers some 48 hours after a fire affected the eastern section of the 14 hectare site. Customers will be able to order and collect product starting at 8:00 a.m. Oct. 11.

No one was injured in the Oct. 9 fire, which severely damaged four of the company’s 13 storage buildings. The company said the fire started during some maintenance work and spread along the roof line when a rubber conveyor belt ignited. The company said the buildings were insured and will be replaced. The buildings were new fiberglass construction and did not contain asbestos.

The company said the fire did not impact the manufacturing part of the plant. It said the plant does not store explosives materials and that two small bangs heard during the fire were likely caused by gas bottles being used during maintenance work.

An Oct. 9 fire at Ravensdown’s Hornby manufacturing facility in Christchurch, N.Z., is out, according to the company. No injuries to the 57 employees were reported. However, the company said that while parts of the plant were badly damaged, manufacturing and dispatch operations seem undamaged. The company told the local press that it is looking at “many millions” in repairs.

“The fire started at the eastern end of our storage store but it’s too early to know the cause,” said CEO Greg Campbell. “We will be working closely with an investigation team to identify the cause.”

Campbell said Ravensdown was already working with its customers and transporters to keep them informed and help them with alternative supply options.

Sources reported Monday, Oct. 8, that the Indian government is focusing on East Coast deliveries from the MMTC tender that closed Oct. 5.

Dreymoor had the lowest offer into an East Coast port at $356/mt CFR. With a total cost package close to $20/mt, sources said the netback to China is $335-$337/mt FOB. While the price is significantly higher than what MMTC paid in its last tender, sources report Chinese producers are holding out for $340/mt FOB.

EuroChem Group AG, Zug, Switzerland, on Oct. 8 announced the expansion of its North American distribution network via the assumption of dry and liquid fertilizer transport and storage assets from international merchandising and trading firm Trammo Inc., New York City.

The fertilizer group said the move substantially expands its fertilizer storage capacity in the U.S., and will enable it to strengthen its presence into Western Canada as well as on the East Coast. EuroChem now operates 25 warehouses in the U.S. with a current storage capacity of about 500,000 mt.

It said the U.S. market accounted for about 11 percent of group sales in 2017. The group expanded its presence in the U.S. in October 2015 with the acquisition of Ben-Trei, a fertilizer distribution business historically focused on sales within the country’s heartland.

“The agreement with Trammo will substantially increase our storage capacity, while also broadening our geographic reach,” said EuroChem North America Managing Director Charlie Bendana. “It will support the ongoing expansion of our U.S. business, allowing us to fulfil growing demand from local farmers for high-quality fertilizers.”