URALCHEM announces increased production for the first 9 months of 2008

30.10.2008

Moscow, RussiaOctober 30, 2008 – URALCHEM, OJSC, (“the Company” or “URALCHEM”), one of the largest producers of nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers in Russia and the CIS, reports its production results for the first 9 months of 2008.

According to the Company’s production results for the first 9 months of 2008, URALCHEM produced 3,550,696 tonnes of commercial output, which was an 11% increase over the same period in 2007 (including Azot, OJSC and Voskresensk Mineral Fertilizers, OJSC). Gross ammonia production increased 12% to 1,574,733 tonnes. Gross nitric acid production grew by 4% to 1,539,129 tonnes.

Production of Key Commercial Output for the first 9 months of 2008/2007 (tonnes)

Production

9 months of 2008 (including Voskresensk Mineral Fertilizers, OJSC)

9 months of 2007

9 months of 2007 (including Azot, OJSC and Voskresensk Mineral Fertilizers, OJSC)

(I-III)/III

 

I

II

III

IV

Ammonium nitrate and its derivatives

1,732,841

892,005

1,605,850

8%

Ammonia

389,240

180,488

362,536

7%

Urea

312,529

253,740

23%

Complex fertilizers

354,994

296,484

296,484

20%

DAP

169,770

168,803

1%

MAP

235,342

223,456

5%

Other mineral fertilizers

51,976

6,467

26,216

98%

Phosphoric acid

15,171

20,584

(26%)

Sulphuric acid

140,456

101,902

38%

Other chemical products

148,377

877

138,399

7%

Total

3,550,696

1,376,321

3,197,970

11%

Dmitry Osipov, Chief Executive Officer of URALCHEM, commented: “The Company has achieved excellent results over the first 9 months of 2008 as production of commercial output increased by 11% compared to the same period of 2007. The Company was able to increase production volumes for all of its key fertilizers, following the completion of a number of investment projects to increase capacity, as well as by raising the proportion of high-margin products in our portfolio to meet the increased market demand for such products. Thus, urea production volumes increased by 23%, complex fertilizers by 20%, ammonium nitrate and its derivatives by 8%”.