Agrium

This article has been nominated to be checked for its neutrality. Discussion of this nomination can be found on the talk page. (July 2008)

Agrium Inc.

Type	Public company (NYSE: AGU) (TSX: AGU)
Industry	Chemicals
Founded	1931
Headquarters	Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Frank W. Proto (Director) (Chairman of the Board) Michael M. Wilson (President), (CEO) & (Director)
Products	Agricultural chemicals
Revenue	US$10.5 billion (2010)[1]
Operating income	$1.881 billion (2008)[1]
Net income	$1.244 billion (2008)[1]
Total assets	$9.818 billion (2008)[1]
Total equity	$4.110 billion (2008)[1]
Employees	6,618 (2008)[1]
Divisions	Agrium Retail Agrium Wholesale Agrium Advanced Technologies
Subsidiaries	Agrium U.S. Inc.
Website	Agrium.com

Agrium Inc. (NYSE: AGU TSX: AGU) is a major retail supplier of agricultural products and services in North and South America, a leading global wholesale producer and marketer of all three major agricultural nutrients and the premier supplier of specialty fertilizers in North America through its Advanced Technologies business unit.

Agrium was founded as Cominco Fertilizers, Limited (short for Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company Limited ^[2]). in 1931 and changed its name to Agrium, Incorporated. in 1995. Agrium is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Agrium U.S. Incorporated, a subsidiary company, is based in Denver, Colorado and is the location of Agrium's retail head office. The company is a part-owner of Canpotex, which manages all potash exporting from Saskatchewan.^[3]

Divisions

Agrium operates through three segments:

Retail

Agrium operates close to 500 retail agricultural centres in the U.S. and South America under the brand names Western Farm Service, Crop Production Services, and Agroservicios Pampeanos S.A.^[4]

On December 3, 2010 Agrium announced the completion of the acquisition of the Australian Wheat Board for a total acquisition price of $1.236-billion Australian dollars.^[5] This acquisition additions to the retail division of Agrium. Roughly 40% of the AWB holdings were sold to Cargill including the Commodity Management Business.^[6]

Wholesale

The Wholesale segment provides nitrogen-based fertilizers, sulphur, and phosphate-based fertilizers. This segment also engages in the ownership and operation of potash mine and production facility at Vanscoy No. 345, Saskatchewan, Canada, and phosphate mines in Kapuskasing, Ontario, Canada, and in Conda, Idaho, US.

The Wholesale segment engages in the ownership of nitrogen-based fertilizer plant in Bahía Blanca, Argentina. Expansion of a production facility in Damietta, Egypt, is projected to be completed in 2012.

Agrium Advanced Technologies

The Agrium Advanced Technologies segment focuses on environmentally friendly, controlled release fertilizer technologies. It produces micronutrients as well as specialty products for consumer, professional turf, horticulture and agricultural markets. Agrium is an international supplier of specialty products for the agricultural market. This segment markets its products through a network of distributors in Canada and the US.

Environmental and social impacts

In 2006 the U.S. EPA fined^[7] Agrium US$750,000 for violations of the Clean Air Act. Unpermitted modifications to the Ohio nitrogen products plant resulted in excessive releases of NOx. The US EPA report states that these nitrogen oxides "cause severe respiratory problems, contribute to childhood asthma, acid rain, climate change, smog and haze, and impairs visibility in national parks. Emissions from nitric acid plants can be carried significant distances downwind, causing air quality problems..." The plant in question was acquired in October 2006 during the takeover of Royster Clark.

In 2003 Agrium was issued an administrative compliance order for excessive emissions at a Kennewick plant.^[8] Agrium discovered the violations at the Kennewick facility through a comprehensive Clean Air Act audit of the facility in late 2000. Agrium promptly reported the audit findings to EPA under EPA’s policy on Incentives for Self-Policing, also referred to as the “Self-Disclosure Policy”. In 2005 Agrium was fined for failure to disclose release of toxic gases at this same plant.^[9]

An Agrium ammonia/urea plant is listed by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation as a contaminated site due to spillage of ammonia, arsenic, and other contaminants.^[10]

Awards

In October 2009, Agrium was named one of Canada's Top 100 Employers by Mediacorp Canada Inc., which was announced by Maclean's.^[11]

In October 2008, Agrium was named one of Alberta's Top Employers by Mediacorp Canada Inc., which was announced by the Calgary Herald^[12] and the Edmonton Journal.^[13][14]

References

External links

Companies portal

• Official site