Key developments in 2022
In February 2022, Grupa Azoty Kędzierzyn engaged in a campaign to promote mass vaccination against COVID-19.
COVID-19 pandemic
In association with Europe’s volleyball champions Grupa Azoty ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle, we ran the Champion the Decision campaign. During the last two weekends of January, a total of 829 individuals were vaccinated, including nearly one hundred children. The vaccination campaign was organised by the local branch of the National Health Fund (NFZ) and the Opole Province Governor.
War in Ukraine
We did not remain indifferent to the war in Ukraine and fate of the Ukrainian refugees, having promptly launched a comprehensive aid effort. Together with our employees, the Group also engaged in providing aid to refugees fleeing the war and Ukrainians who were forced or chose to stay in Ukraine.
Our initiatives included:
- financial support of PLN 1 million given to charities (Caritas Polska and the Polish Red Cross),
- provision of accommodation and transport,
- donation of special clothing, equipment and medical supplies to Ukrainian firefighters,
- blood donation drives hosted by the Grupa Azoty Group’s Clubs of Honorary Blood Donors,
- help in arranging transport and logistics to transfer people from reception to destination points,
- encouraging employee participation in the Parcel for Ukraine campaign, organised by Caritas.
BEST PRACTICE
Filip Grzegorczyk, Vice President of the Grupa Azoty S.A. Management Board and President of the Grupa Azoty Kędzierzyn Management Board, took part in the panel discussion entitled ‘Do Poland and Ukraine have a chance to ease the global food crisis by forging closer cooperation in agriculture?’ during the 16th Polish-Ukrainian Business Days International Forum.
Temporary stoppage of selected production lines due to high gas prices driven by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine
As a consequence of Russian invasion of Ukraine, from February 24th 2022 natural gas prices on the European exchanges started soaring to extraordinary, historically high levels. Over six months, gas prices surged from EUR 72/MWh (February 22nd 2022) to EUR 276/MWh (August 22nd 2022).
Prompted by the record high prices of natural gas, the main feedstock used by the Grupa Azoty Group to produce nitrogen fertilizers, in the summer of 2022 some of the Group companies (Grupa Azoty Puławy, Grupa Azoty S.A. and Grupa Azoty Kędzierzyn) decided to temporarily shut down their fertilizer and melamine production units.
It should be noted that until August 22nd 2022 the Group had maintained fertilizer production at maximum capacity, while major European manufacturers significantly curtailed or halted their production.
Meeting fertilizer demand of the domestic market is a priority for the Grupa Azoty Group and thus, over the first seven months of 2022, its domestic supplies were significantly higher, as a result of reduced exports, than in the same period of 2021 or in previous years.
The scaledown of fertilizer production was planned so as to ensure the continued availability of critical products, including liquid CO2 and dry ice. The production and deliveries of CO2 to customers of Grupa Azoty Puławy and Grupa Azoty Kędzierzyn were carried on as per the respective schedules and contracted volumes.
After the market conditions changed in October 2022, the Grupa Azoty Group companies decided to resume the production of fertilizers, which were offered at substantially lower prices.
