December 2025

This issue begins with an insightful regional report by Gordon Cope, which addresses the growing fertilizer demand in the Middle East and North Africa, and confronts the challenges posed by regional turmoil. This issue also includes articles discussing plant reliability and asset integrity, blending and bagging, water management, corrosion protection, compressors, turbomachinery, and granulation, prilling, and compaction.

This month's front cover is brought to you by UNICAT.

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Regional risks in fertilizer production
Gordon Cope, Contributing Editor, addresses growing fertilizer demand in the Middle East and North Africa, confronting the challenges posed by regional turmoil.

A catalyst for change
Dr Emmanuel Iro and Dr Adrien Serve, UNICAT, reveal how catalyst technologies can be used to optimise the efficiency of ammonia cracking and support ammonia’s role as a hydrogen carrier.

Upgrading ammonia plants
Tomohiro Masuda, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Compressor Corp., Japan, analyses how compressor and steam turbine modification or replacement can improve ammonia plant efficiency.

Shaping tomorrow’s fertilizers
Gabriele Marcon and Ken Monstrey, Technology Team, Casale, examine the application of nitrogen fertilizers and ammonium sulfate finishing technologies and how they can enhance granulation.

Seven tips for a smooth turnaround
Brian Rudary and Mike Aughenbaugh, Swagelok Co., consider how to successfully execute fertilizer plant turnarounds.

Step change maintenance improvement
Prithiv John, TÜV Rheinland, UK, discusses a step change maintenance programme at a phosphate plant in the Middle East.

Elevated temperature failures in ammonia plant equipment
Milo V. Kral and Daniel J. Benac, BakerRisk, USA, detail the major elevated temperature failure mechanisms common in ammonia plant equipment.

Best practices for corrosion protection
Matthias Walschburger, Knight Material Technologies, debates best practices for corrosion protection during the production of fertilizer.

The hidden lever for a low-carbon future
Greg Gedney, Greene Tweed, USA, argues that compressors present an overlooked opportunity to reduce costs and carbon emissions in the fertilizer industry, whilst enabling more sustainable ammonia production.

Designing for reliability
Brett Binnekade, Bagtech International, South Africa, outlines the design requirements necessary to ensure the long-term, safe, and efficient operation of fertilizer plants.

Precision and quality in fertilizer bagging
David Ranera, PAYPER, explores how to improve efficiency, precision, and quality when bagging fertilizers.

The role of water in blue ammonia production
Giulia Sporchia and Elisa Brocca, Cannon Artes S.p.a, Italy, examine the importance of the role of water in sustainable ammonia production.

December 2025

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