Agrium | Company Structure Information from ICIS

Agrium is a global producer and marketer of agricultural nutrients, industrial products and specialty fertilizers, and a major retail supplier of agricultural products and services in both North and South America. Agrium produces and markets three primary groups of nutrients: nitrogen, phosphate and potash as well as controlled release fertilizers and micronutrients.

Agrium’s headquarters are located in Calgary, Alberta, and the company is listed on the New York and Toronto Stock Exchanges under the symbol AGU. It had sales of around $10bn and 10,975 employees in 2008.

Agrium operates and reports its business through three major operating segments:

Retail; Wholesale; and Agrium Advanced Technologies, and also has a non-operating segment for corporate and inter-segment eliminations.

History

The company was founded as Cominco Fertilizers in 1931 and changed its name to Agrium in 1995.

Company movements

On 21 April 2009, CF Industries shareholders rejected Agrium's $3.6bn (€2.7bn) takeover bid.

In March 2009, Agrium filed a tender offer to buy all outstanding shares in CF Industries Holdings.

CF Industries had rejected the $3.6bn (€2.7bn) takeover bid from Agrium, which had been previously made in February 2009.

On 7 May 2008, Agrium completed its acquisition of United Agri Products (UAP) at a price of $39.00/share in cash.

In April 2008, Agrium had extended its previously announced tender offer for all of the common stock of UAP.

Previously in January 2008, Agrium withdraw and refiled its application to acquire UAP for $2.65bn (Euro1.80bn). Agrium initially filed its notification of the proposed acquisition under the act on 10 December 2007.

Wholesale

Agrium is a global marketer and producer and distributor of crop nutrients: nitrogen, phosphate, and potash fertilizers, and other agricultural products and services.

From 14 major production facilities in North America and Argentina, Agrium has the capacity to produce, market and distribute over 10m tonnes/year of fertilizer products. This includes about 6.1m tonnes/year of nitrogen, 2.1m tonne/year of potash and 1.3m tonne/year of phosphate. The facilities are claimed to be among the most modern and efficient in North and South America.

The same nutrients that help crops reach their full yield potential are also used in a wide variety of industrial uses. For example, urea is used for the production of resins in the lumber industry, potash for recycling of aluminium and phosphates are used as a retardant material to prevent the spread of forest fires.  Approximately 15% of its wholesale sales are to the industrial market.

North American Wholesale

Nitrogen

Phosphate

Potash

Speciality

South American Wholesale

Nitrogen

Other products

Retail

The acquisition of Royster-Clark in February 2006 almost doubled its retail operations close to $2bn in annual sales and will enhance its geographic diversity. Retail offers farmers a complete range of seed, liquid and dry fertilizer products, along with primary crop protection services including herbicides, insecticides and fungicides. It operates around 500 retail centres in the US and South America.

Fertilizers

Chemicals seed

Other products and services

Agrium Advanced Technologies

In addition to the major agricultural and industrial products, it also produces and markets controlled release products and micronutrients as part of its specialty products offerings. It has expanded the depth of its controlled release product line and total sales in this market segment through the acquisitions of Nu-Gro and certain fixed assets of Pursell Technologies.

Other

Corporate intersegment eliminations.

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Agrium Strategy & Financial Highlights

Agrium’s strategy for 2008 is to grow through incremental expansion of its existing operations and acquisitions as well as the development, commercialisation and marketing of new products and international opportunities. (Edited from: “Letter from the president and CEO” and “Letter from the board chair” annual report 2007). ICIS also provides you with key financial data listed in table form. More about Agrium Strategy & Financial Highlights

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