All Posts from January 10, 2012

Howard announces new North Carolina facility

Howard Fertilizer and Chemical Co., Orlando, Fla., announced on Jan. 10 that it will open a new location this month near Charlotte, N.C. The company said the new facility expands its footprint along the East Coast and strengthens its coverage of key turf markets in the Southeast.

Mike Gregory has joined Howard’s Southeast sales team and will head up the new location. Gregory has some 30 years of experience in the industry, and will focus his efforts in the Carolinas, concentrating on golf and lawn care markets.

The Southeast sales team’s core responsibilities include sales of chemicals, seed, fertilizer, and other supplies, and their service areas include Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, and North Carolina.

Family owned and operated for nearly 80 years, Howard Fertilizer and Chemical Co. specializes in blending custom fertilizers for agriculture, commercial pest control, lawn care, sod growers, golf courses, and ornamentals.

The company manages plants in Orlando and is transitioning to locations in Lake Placid and Groveland, Fla. It has distribution centers in Florida locations at Orlando, Bowling Green, Homestead, Immokalee, and Delray Beach, and in Georgia at Alpharetta. In addition, Howard provides sales services as a partner with The Liquid Plant in Immokalee and Quincy, Fla.

TCP closes urea tender; calls another

The Trading Corp. of Pakistan closed its urea tender Jan. 9. The company awarded 50,000 mt to Transfert at $417.50/mt CFR immediately. Other offering companies were asked to match the Transfert offer by noon Jan. 10.

The difference between the Transfert and next closest offer was about $14. Sources said from the outset it would be unlikely if any of the companies accepted the Pakistan bids.

By close of business Jan. 10 it was clear that no other firm stepped up. Another open-ended tender was called to close Jan. 17.

The urea from the just-closed tender is in addition to the material Pakistan will buy from Sabic under a government to government development aid loan. The Saudi government is providing US$100 million to purchase about 250,000 mt.

Sources estimate the netback on the Transfert deal backs up reports of a stable to strengthening market. An Arab Gulf equivalent price for the Transfert tons is about $400/mt FOB. The Yuzhnyy/Black Sea equivalent is about $365/mt FOB.

There were rumors last week that TCP would push back the tender until the end of the month. Those rumors led to concern that the global urea price would halt its tentative rebound.

The new tender calls for a minimum of 50,000 mt per offer but does not specify the full quantity desired.

Table follows