Acron Group’s Output Up 6% in 2021

19 January 2022

Acron Group’s Output Up 6% in 2021

The Group’s Consolidated Output

(including operating results for Acron, Dorogobuzh,

and North-Western Phosphorous Company)

Product, ‘000 t	2021	2020	YOY, %
MINERAL FERTILISERS
Ammonia	2,909	2,729	6.6%
Incl. in-house consumption	2,845	2,617
Nitrogen fertilisers, including	5,058	4,707	7.5%
Incl. in-house consumption	921	690
AN	2,241	2,430	-7.8%
Incl. in-house consumption	339	213
Urea	1,463	1,180	23.9%
Incl. in-house consumption	582	477
Incl. prilled urea	400	485	-17.5%
Incl. in-house consumption	17	16
Incl. granulated urea	529	261	102.7%
Incl. in-house consumption	32	26
UAN	1,354	1,096	23.5%
Complex fertilisers, including	2,625	2,372	10.7%
Incl. in-house consumption	61	52
NPK	2,406	2,236	7.6%
Incl. in-house consumption	61	52
Bulk blends	219	136	61.0%
Total commercial output for Mineral Fertilisers	6,765	6,448	4.9%
INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS
Organic compounds, including	474	423	12.1%
Incl. in-house consumption	246	213
Methanol	105	98	7.7%
Incl. in-house consumption	91	78
Formalin	169	151	12.4%
Incl. in-house consumption	150	131
Urea-formaldehyde resins	199	174	14.3%
Incl. in-house consumption	6	4
Non-organic compounds, including:	1,187	1,035	14.6%
Low-density and technical-grade AN	469	318	47.5%
Industrial urea	170	140	22.1%
Calcium carbonate	483	515	-6.3%
Liquid carbon dioxide	57	55	3.1%
Argon	7	7	-2.3%
Total commercial output for Industrial Products	1,415	1,245	13.6%
RAW PHOSPHATES
Apatite concentrate	1,255	1,182	6.1%
Incl. in-house consumption	950	900
Total commercial output for Apatite Concentrate	305	283	7.9%
TOTAL COMMERCIAL OUTPUT	8,485	7,976	6.4%

Note:

Commercial output is output less in-house consumption.

Chairman of Acron’s Board of Directors Alexander Popov commented on the results:

‘Acron Group set a new record in 2021, ramping up commercial output 6% year-on-year to 8.5 million tonnes and outstripping the target set a year ago. As a key milestone in 2021 we can name completed Urea-6+ project that brought urea output to record 1.6 million tonnes.

‘Looking forward, we want to use the upward momentum of mineral fertiliser prices in 2021 and both accelerate ongoing investment projects and kick off new ones.

‘Upgrades to ammonia units 2 and 3 and urea units 1 through 4 are underway at Acron’s Novgorod-based site. We plan to complete these projects in 2023, which will boost ammonia capacity by 375 ktpa and urea capacity by 390 ktpa. At the same time, we will construct a second urea granulation unit.

‘In 2022, we plan to complete construction of a 100-ktpa calcium nitrate unit. We are undertaking production of this new water-soluble fertiliser in response to client demand around the world.

‘The Dorogobuzh site will see technical upgrades at its ammonia unit and the completion of a new nitric acid unit, which will result in a higher ammonium nitrate output and allow us to increase supplies to the domestic market, where this nitrogen fertiliser is traditionally popular.

‘We expect the Group’s commercial output to reach 8.7 million tonnes in 2022’.

Performance Analysis

In 2021, Acron Group’s total commercial output was up 6% to 8,485,000 tonnes. This increase was mainly due to a number of investment projects implemented at the Group’s Novgorod-based site in the recent years, including construction of a urea granulation unit in mid-2020, a capacity increase at the Ammonia-4 unit in late 2020, and a comprehensive overhaul of the Urea-6 unit in 2021. These efforts boosted output of nitrogen mineral fertilisers, industrial urea, and ammonium nitrate.

The Group’s mineral fertiliser output was up 5% to 6,765,000 tonnes last year. Industrial product output increased 14% to 1,415,000 tonnes following the Group’s success at promoting industrial-grade urea and ammonium nitrate in international markets. Output of these products was up 40% to 640,000 tonnes.

In 2021, the Group’s ammonia output was up 7% to 2,909,000 tonnes, and the volume of ammonia processed through to end products increased to 98% from 96%.

As production of industrial-grade ammonium nitrate went up last year, the Group saw an 8% dip in output of agricultural-grade ammonium nitrate to 2,241,000 tonnes. Output of agricultural-grade urea, however, was up 24% to 1,463,000 tonnes. The Group launched production of granulated urea in 2020 and doubled its output in 2021 year-on-year to 529,000 tonnes. UAN output was up 24% year-on-year to 1,354,000 tonnes due to a better price environment.

The Group’s output of complex fertilisers was up 11% in 2021 to 2,625,000 tonnes, backed by both a favourable price environment and increased production of apatite concentrate at the Oleniy Ruchey mine, where output was up 6% to 1,255,000 tonnes.

Market Trends

Global urea prices soared in Q4 2021. FOB Baltic Sea prices reached an all-time record high of USD 900 per tonne after a significant jump in natural gas prices with associated shutdowns of some capacity in Europe and export restrictions in China, Egypt, and Russia. Prices were further supported by strong demand from India and Brazil and high demand for urea in the industrial sector. In January 2022, urea prices adjusted as the import season came to a close in India and Brazil. That said, prices continue to be supported by high gas prices in Europe and export restrictions in China, Russia, and Egypt.

Like urea, ammonium nitrate and UAN prices increased rapidly in Q4 2021. FOB Baltic Sea prices set new records (USD 750 and USD 630 per tonne of AN and UAN respectively) backed by higher urea prices, which serve as a benchmark for these fertilisers, and higher production costs for these products in Europe resulting from soaring gas prices. Despite these issues, Russian producers continue to meet their commitments to support the domestic market and supply fertilisers to Russian growers at prices far below the global market.

NPK prices were on the rise in Q4 2021, driven mainly by higher prices for the basic products (urea, DAP, and potassium chloride). The increase in basic product prices outstripped blends because of their higher liquidity, so NPK 16-16-16 sold at a 5% discount to the basic product basket despite its historical average premium of about 20%. The premium over the basic products is expected to return to normal in the coming months.

Average Indicative Prices, USD/t, FOB Baltic/Black Sea

	Q4 2021	Q3 2021	Q4 2020	Q4 2021 / Q3 2021 change	Q4 2021 / Q4 2020 change
NPK 16-16-16	579	425	262	36.2%	121.0%
AN	646	309	166	109.1%	289.2%
UAN	612	308	119	98.7%	414.3%
Urea	807	445	234	81.3%	244.9%
Ammonia	822	571	211	44.0%	289.6%

	2021	2020	2021/2020
NPK 16-16-16	416	256	62.5%
AN	355	167	112.6%
UAN	356	125	184.8%
Urea	480	222	116.2%
Ammonia	543	204	166.2%

Media contacts:

Sergey Dorofeev

Anastasia Gromova

Tatiana Smirnova

Public Relations

Phone: +7 (495) 777-08-65 (ext. 5196)

Investor contacts:

Ilya Popov

Investor Relations

Phone: +7 (495) 745-77-45 (ext. 5252)

Background Information

Acron Group is a leading vertically integrated mineral fertiliser producer in Russia and globally, with chemical production facilities in Veliky Novgorod (Acron) and Smolensk region (Dorogobuzh). The Group owns and operates a phosphate mine in Murmansk region (North-Western Phosphorous Company, NWPC) and is implementing a potash development project in Perm Krai (Verkhnekamsk Potash Company, VPC). It owns transportation and logistics infrastructure, including three Baltic seaport terminals and distribution networks in Russia and China. Acron subsidiary North Atlantic Potash Inc. (NAP) holds mining leases and an exploration permit for ten parcels of the potassium salt deposit at Prairie Evaporite, Saskatchewan, Canada. Acron also holds a minority stake (19.8%) in Polish Grupa Azoty S.A., one of the largest chemical producers in Europe.

In 2020, the Group sold 7.8 million tonnes of its main products to 74 countries, with Russia, Brazil, Europe, and the United States as key markets.

In 2020, the Group posted consolidated IFRS revenue of RUB 119,864 million (USD 1,661 million), with EBITDA of RUB 35,311 million (USD 489 million). Acron’s shares are traded on the Moscow Exchange, and its global depositary receipts are traded at the London Stock Exchange (ticker AKRN). Acron employs over 11,000 people.r

For more information about Acron Group, please visit www.acron.ru/en.

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