Qafco celebrates 50 years of golden impact around world

Qatar Fertiliser Company (Qafco), the world’ largest single-site-producer of Ammonia and Urea, celebrated its Golden Jubilee yesterday in the presence of Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani and Crown Prince of the Kingdomof Norway Prince Haakon Magnus.

H E Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari, Minister of Commerce and Industry; H E Saad Sherida Al Kaabi, the Minister of State for Energy Affairs and President and CEO, Qatar Petroleum; Norway’s Minister of trade and Industry, Torbojorn Roe Isaksen and a number of chief executives, senior officials of Qatari and Norwegian companies in the field of oil, gas and energy, and guests attended the 50th Anniversary event of Qafco held at Qatar national Convention Centre (QNCC).

Addressing the event, Minister Al Kaabi noted Qafco was the first company established in Qatar on the principle of partnership with a foreign investor, and the first partnership model for many Qatari joint ventures with partners from around the world.

“Qafco was the first building block of Mesaieed Industrial City, the first Qatari petrochemical manufacturer to export its products from Mesaieed ports to the world, and the first company to train and develop Qatari capabilities to work in and lead the petrochemical sector”, the Minister said.

Recalling Qafco’s 50-year growth story, Al Kaabi said the company has become a bright industrial face of Qatar, starting production from its first factories in 1973 with a capacity of 900 tons of Ammonia and 1,000 tons of Urea per day, to become one of the largest producers of chemical fertilizers in the world, with a total annual production of the company 3.8 million tons of Ammonia and 5.6 million tons of Urea every year through six integrated production lines and are exported to all over the world, making Qafco the world’s largest producer of Urea and Ammonia from one location.

The Minister said that Qafco is also the cornerstone of the establishment of Industries Qatar, the largest listed company in the Qatari stock market.

This listing has benefited the public economy and was followed by the establishment of a Qatari experienced and leading company in the marketing of products and petrochemicals “Muntajat” which is exclusively responsible for the marketing of Qafco products throughout the world through its distinct marketing capabilities and expertise.

Qafco has maintained its unwavering commitment to environmental standards and developed new innovative products to enhance food production while minimising the negative impacts on nature. “This is a glimpse of our achievements over the past five decades. We will further work to strengthen over the coming decades to make Qafco a milestone on the global petrochemical map.” Minister Al Kaabi added: “We have built on this success by establishing multiple companies and joint ventures, such as Qatar Petrochemical Company (Qapco), Qatar Chemical Company Limited (Q-Chem), Qatar Petroleum Additives Company (Qafac), Qatar Steel Company and others.

Speaking of joint ventures, the minister noted Qatargas, a high-level liquefied natural gas (LNG) giant, plays a leading role in providing clean energy to consumers around the globe. “ We are also proud of our GTL industry through Oryx and Pearl GTL, the largest project of its kind in the world.”