Nitric acid process plant awaits go-ahead

11 September 2000 00:00  [Source: ICB]

Czech fertiliser producer Lovochemie is set to replace its nitric acid production with a new process plant to be built by Prague-based Chemoprojekt.

The total investment, of Koruna1bn ($25m), awaits final approval by the company board. But if the project gets the go-ahead construction could be underway before the end of the year.

The new plant, intended to replace the original factory units built in 1954, will be based in Lovosice, North Bohemia, and should be operational by the end of 2002.

Chemoprojekt's fees will account for about 80% of the overall project cost.

New production will be slightly less than the current rate of 900 tonne/day, nearly 300 000 tonne/year.

Chief executive officer Ludek Peleska said: 'Grande Paroisse's monopressure technology will be at the heart of the new nitric acid manufacturing.'

He confirmed that more than 80% of Lovochemie's fertilisers are exported and that Germany is the main export market closely followed by Austria.

It is thought feedstock supplies of ammonia and other materials will come from Czech-based companies, and most of Lovochemie's nitric acid output will be used to make calcium ammonium nitrate and other fertilisers.

The company's other main product lines include liquid ammonium nitrate fertiliser, nitrogen phosphorus potassium compound and calcium nitrate fertilisers.

Fertiliser production first began on the Lovosice site in 1904 with the building of a sulphuric acid and superphosphate factory.

The joint-stock company Lovochemie was established on 1 November 1993 and its recent private status was completed in 1996, when Proferta became a major shareholder.

Citicorp Securities, a subsidiary of Citibank, acquired a 35% stake in the company late last month from Proferta, currently in liquidation.

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