2014-2015_factbook_2

historyAgrium was formed to facilitate the reorganization of thefertilizer division of Cominco Ltd. and the acquisition of thefertilizer assets of Alberta Energy Company in 1993. Agrium’sshares were first publicly listed on the Toronto StockExchange in 1993 and traded on the New York Stock Exchangeon October 4 th , 1996.Agrium established its agricultural Retail division throughthe acquisitions of Crop Production Services (CPS) in September1994 and Western Farm Service (WFS) in January1995. Also in 1995, Agrium established an internationalpresence in Argentina under the trade name AgroserviciosPampeanos S.A. (ASP). In 2006, Agrium continued to buildits retail franchise through the acquisition of Royster-Clark’sretail operations. Retail expansion continued in 2007 withthe acquisition of ADM’s 18 retail centers and 14 satellitesin Kansas and Oklahoma. In 2008, Agrium completed theacquisition of United Agri Products (UAP), the Company’slargest acquisition to date. This was a transforming transactionfor Agrium, as the acquisition further expanded ourretail presence in the United States, improved our earningsdiversification by increasing the profit contribution from ourRetail business unit and diversified Agrium’s product mixby increasing our sales in crop protection products (CPP).Upon completion of the acquisition of UAP, Agrium’s retailbranches in the United States increased from 489 locationsto 826. Agrium continued its Retail division growth withthe establishment of 65 retail outlets in Western Canadathrough a number of transactions in 2009 and 2010, theacquisition of 24 retail outlets in Argentina in July 2010, andour entry into Australia with the acquisition of AWB Limited’sLandmark business in December 2010. Most recently,in October 2013, Agrium acquired the majority of Viterra’sAgri-products business, which increased our Canadian Retailpresence by over 200 locations.In 1998, Agrium expanded into the Argentina market witha 50 percent ownership in Profertil S.A. with production inBahía Blanca, Argentina. In 2005, Agrium acquired the WesternCanadian fertilizer distribution assets from Imperial Oil.In 2008, Agrium acquired a 70 percent equity position inCommon Market Fertilizers S.A. (CMF), one of WesternEurope's largest fertilizer distribution companies; in April2010 the remaining 30 percent was also acquired and CMFbecame Agrium Europe.In 2008, Agrium entered into an agreement with MOPCOof Egypt, whereby MOPCO acquired the previous EAgriumproject, and EAgrium shareholders obtained a 26 percentequity interest in the combined entity. The combined entityincludes an existing 650,000 tonne urea facility. In late 2009,MOPCO secured financing for tripling the production of theexisting nitrogen facility.In 2014, Agrium completed the tie-in of the brownfield expansionof the Vanscoy Potash Operations in Saskatchewan,Canada, and we will be ramping up production to the fullone million incremental tonnes over the next two and a halfyears. The 610,000 tonne urea expansion of our Borger,Texas nitrogen facility is scheduled to be completed by theend of 2015.The growth of Agrium’s Wholesale business was initiatedwith the acquisition of Nu-West Industries, a phosphateproducer in Idaho in 1995. Agrium subsequently mergedwith Viridian in December 1996, substantially increasingthe size of the company. In 1997, Agrium announced thedevelopment of the phosphate rock reserve at Kapuskasing,Ontario to obtain a domestic rock supply for the Redwaterfacility. Production at the mine began in July 1999. In1998, Agrium also acquired a phosphate rock mine locatedclose to our Conda facility in Idaho to establish security ofsupply. Agrium acquired UNOCAL’s (Union Oil of California)agricultural products division in September of 2000.FACT BOOK 2015 Agrium 05