Oklahoma City-LSB Industries Inc.’s chemical unit sales were up 21.5 percent for the third quarter ending Sept. 30, 2010, and operating income pulled out of the loss column. The unit saw increased sales volumes in its industrial and mining products, while agricultural sales were lower. LSB cited hot and dry weather in some markets and an extended plant turnaround at its Cherokee, Ala., facility, with those factors partially offset by higher sales prices. LSB reiterated that its Pryor, Okla., ammonia plant is again producing after some mid-October delays, after the facility came back up from a 90-day turnaround to rebuild the primary ammonia reformer that was severely damaged by fire June 18. LSB said its nitric acid and urea plants at Pryor are positioned to produce UAN. Third-quarter chemical income was $1.2 million on sales of $72.6 million, up from the year-ago loss of $3.3 million on sales of $59.7 million. Nine-month income was $12.3 million on sales of $253.8 million, compared to the year-ago $15.5 million on sales of $204.1 million. Company-wide, LSB reported third-quarter net income of $3.8 million ($.17 per diluted share) on sales of $138.9 million, up from the year-ago $1.1 million ($.05 per share) on sales of $127.8 million. LSB reported a 4.3 percent decline in sales in its climate control business in the third quarter. Nine-month net income was $11.5 million ($.52 per share) on sales of $437.7 million versus the year-ago $21.5 million ($.95 per share) on sales of $416.5 million.
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