Cultivating Excellence Fact Book 2015–2016

history
Agrium was formed to facilitate the reorganization of the
fertilizer division of Cominco Ltd. and the acquisition of
the fertilizer assets of Alberta Energy Company in 1993.
Agrium’s shares were first publicly listed on the Toronto
Stock Exchange in 1993 and traded on the New York Stock
Exchange on October 4, 1996.
Agrium established its agricultural Retail division through
the acquisitions of Crop Production Services (CPS) in September
1994 and Western Farm Service (WFS) in January
1995. Also in 1995, Agrium established an international
presence in Argentina under the trade name Agroservicios
Pampeanos S.A. (ASP). In 2006, Agrium continued to build
its retail franchise through the acquisition of Royster-Clark’s
retail operations. Retail expansion continued in 2007 with
the acquisition of ADM’s 18 retail centers and 14 satellites
in Kansas and Oklahoma. In 2008, Agrium completed the
acquisition of United Agri Products (UAP), the company’s
largest acquisition to date. This was a transforming transaction
for Agrium, as the acquisition further expanded our
retail presence in the United States, improved our earnings
diversification by increasing the profit contribution from our
Retail business unit and diversified Agrium’s product mix
by increasing our sales in crop protection products (CPP).
Upon completion of the acquisition of UAP, Agrium’s retail
branches in the United States increased from 489 locations
to 826. Agrium continued its Retail division growth with
the establishment of 65 retail outlets in Western Canada
through a number of transactions in 2009 and 2010, the
acquisition of 24 retail outlets in Argentina in July 2010, and
our entry into Australia with the acquisition of AWB Limited’s
Landmark business in December 2010. In October
2013, Agrium acquired the majority of Viterra’s Agri-products
business, which increased our Canadian Retail presence
by over 200 locations.
The growth of Agrium’s Wholesale business was initiated
with the acquisition of Nu-West Industries, a phosphate
producer in Idaho in 1995. Agrium subsequently merged
with Viridian in December 1996, substantially increasing
the size of the company. In 1997, Agrium announced the
development of the phosphate rock reserve at Kapuskasing,
Ontario to obtain a domestic rock supply for the Redwater
facility. Production at the mine began in July 1999. In
1998, Agrium also acquired a phosphate rock mine located
close to our Conda facility in Idaho to establish security of
supply. Agrium acquired UNOCAL’s (Union Oil of California)
agricultural products division in September of 2000.
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Agrium FACT BOOK 2015–2016