Sasol Nitro announces process to divest of five fertiliser blending plants

Monday, Sep 06, 2010

In July 2010 Sasol Nitro, a division of Sasol Chemical Industries Limited, undertook, as part of an agreement with the Competition Commission, to divest from five of its regional fertiliser blending plants. Nitro intends to sell the Bellville, Durban, Kimberley, Potchefstroom and Endicott fertiliser blending plants as going concerns before August 2011.

Sasol Nitro recently announced that it intends to increase its focus on upstream activities of its fertiliser value chain, which was supported by investments in several new fertiliser production facilities at its Secunda operations. Sasol Nitro will continue with the production of limestone ammonium nitrate (LAN), ammonium sulphate and a range of ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulphate based liquid and granular NPK fertiliser blends.

Sasol Nitro managing director, Marius Brand, says Sasol remains committed to the prosperity of agriculture in South Africa. "We are confident of our ability to implement these changes in a way that we believe will be beneficial to the South African fertiliser and agriculture industries at large", Brand said.

Sasol Nitro has received significant interest from parties regarding the possible sale of its regional fertiliser blending plants. The company is now embarking on a process to formally invite interested parties to submit proposals for the purchase of one or more of the blending plants.

Details of the divestiture process will be published in national and local press, and on Sasol's website (www.sasol.com). Interested parties are invited to respond to these notices on or before 13 September 2010.

Source: Sasol