Further strengthening of our growing position in Poland

Exactly on the date marking the 50th anniversary of ZA Puławy’s establishment, the Company is celebrating the completion of one of the largest investment projects executed in recent years in the Polish chemical sector. The projects undertaken jointly with Air Liquide Polska under an over-the-fence arrangement have involved the construction of an air separation unit (a new oxygen generation plant) and intensification of ammonia and urea production (urea revamping). Their cost has run to nearly half a billion PLN. The projects have been carried out in the Puławy Subzone of the Starachowice Special Economic Zone, established in October 2007.

Rui Coelho, President of the Management Board of Air Liquide Polska says: “The launch of two new air separation units at ZA Puławy is a part of the strategic investment plan of the Air Liquide Group for Poland. The new facility will allow us to further support the development of our customers and solidify our leading position on the large industries market in Poland.”

The capacity of the new oxygen generation plant is 295,000 thousand cubic metres of oxygen per year, a gain of 102,000 cubic metres compared with the old oxygen units, which have reached the end of their useful lives. Using oxygen from the new unit at the Ammonia Plant II, the Company will be able to reduce gas input for the production of ammonia (by approx. 5.4%) and ammonia input for the production of urea (by over 3.5%).

The construction of the air separation unit was the first project executed in the Puławy Subzone of the Starachowice Special Economic Zone. Instruments designed to support the unit set up in Puławy were manufactured by Air Liquide in China and transported by sea from Shanghai to Gdańsk, and then by the Vistula river to a place near Puławy, from where they were carried by special vehicles to ZA Puławy. The largest components were 40 metres long and weighed as much as 60 tonnes.

The intensification of ammonia production has involved an increase of the production capacity by approx. 170 thousand tonnes per year, to 1,125 thousand tonnes per year, while the modernisation of the urea unit has increased the urea production capacity by over 270 thousand tonnes per year, to 1,215,000 tonnes per year. This, in turn, has made it possible to increase the production capacity of AdBlue (water solution of urea) from 30 to 100 thousand tonnes per year. In addition, it will make the melamine units independent from the operation of the Urea Plant, while reducing emissions from the units. The urea revamping was based on a technology licensed from Urea Casale, a Swiss company.

“We have strengthened our position as the second largest European producer of urea. The market itself has proved that we have made the right investment decisions. Furthermore, we have already commenced work on further conversion of urea into advanced PULGRAN and PULASKA fertilisers,” says Paweł Jarczewski, President of the Management Board of ZA Puławy. “Our intention is to mark the special anniversary with tangible accomplishments,” he adds.