Yara will permanently close NPK plant in Hungary

Oslo-Yara International ASA said May 27 that it will permanently close its NPK plant in Peremarton, Hungary. Production at the plant, which has an annual production capacity of 150,000 mt NPK, has been temporarily stopped since early October 2008. The plant became part of Yara with the acquisition of Kemira GrowHow in 2007, producing NPK fertilizer based on purchased nutrients. Yara said the plant lacks access to competitively-priced raw materials and would need significant investments to bring it up to Yara efficiency and quality standards. The plant, which has 110 employees, is not flexible enough to accommodate the new market requirements regarding nitrogen, phosphate, and potash combinations. Yara said it will continue to fulfill customer contracts from built-up stock and alternative product sourcing.