ICL Group Ltd (ICL), a leading global specialty minerals company, creates impactful solutions for humanity’s sustainability challenges in the food, agriculture, and industrial markets.
ICL leverages its unique bromine, potash, and phosphate resources, its global professional workforce, and its sustainability-focused research and development (R&D), and technological innovation capabilities, to drive the company's growth across its end markets. The company’s operations are organized under four se...
ICL Group Ltd (ICL), a leading global specialty minerals company, creates impactful solutions for humanity’s sustainability challenges in the food, agriculture, and industrial markets.
ICL leverages its unique bromine, potash, and phosphate resources, its global professional workforce, and its sustainability-focused research and development (R&D), and technological innovation capabilities, to drive the company's growth across its end markets. The company’s operations are organized under four segments: Industrial Products (Bromine), Potash, Phosphate Solutions, and Growing Solutions.
In July 2024, the company completed the acquisition of Custom Ag Formulators (CAF), a North American provider of customized agriculture formulations and products for growers.
In February 2024, the company completed the acquisition of Nitro 1000, a manufacturer, developer, and provider of biological crop inputs in Brazil.
The company’s principal assets include:
Access to one of the world’s richest, longest-life, and lowest-cost sources of potash and bromine (the Dead Sea).
A potash mine and processing facilities in Spain.
Bromine compounds processing facilities in Israel, the Netherlands, and China.
A unique integrated phosphate value chain that extends from phosphate rock mines in Israel and in China to value-added downstream products produced in facilities located in Israel, Europe, the US, Brazil, Australia, and China. The company’s specialty phosphates serve the food industry by providing texture and stability solutions to the meat, meat alternatives, poultry, seafood, dairy, and bakery markets, as well as numerous other industrial markets, such as metal treatment, water treatment, oral care, carbonated drinks, asphalt modification, paints and coatings, and more.
Polysulphate resources in the UK.
Customized, highly effective specialty fertilizers that provide improved value to the grower, as well as essential nutrition for plant development, optimization of crop yields, and reduced environmental impact.
A focused and highly experienced team of technical experts that develop production processes, new applications, formulations, and products for its agricultural and industrial markets.
A strong crop nutrition sales and marketing infrastructure that optimizes distribution channels of commodity, specialty, and semi-specialty fertilizers by leveraging its commercial excellence, global operational efficiency, region-specific knowledge, agronomic, and R&D capabilities, logistical assets, and customer relationships.
Research & Development and Innovation: The company benefits from its proximity to Israel’s global-leading high-tech and agri-tech ecosystem, as well as the company’s vast agronomy and chemistry knowledge that it has accumulated over decades. The company’s extensive global R&D infrastructure includes 24 R&D and Innovation centers around the world that employ 300 highly experienced personnel who have obtained its 707 active patents in 218 patent families.
An extensive global logistics and distribution network with operations in over 30 countries.
Markets and Industries
The company’s integrated business model is mainly structured around three mineral value chains – bromine, potash, and phosphate. These minerals are the main raw materials for most of the value-added downstream products in the company’s portfolio.
Segments
The company’s operations are organized under four reporting segments: Industrial Products, Potash, Phosphate Solutions, and Growing Solutions.
The company’s Industrial Products segment primarily operates its bromine value chain, which includes elemental bromine and bromine compounds for various industrial applications, including bromine-based flame retardants used in electronics components. This segment also operates several complementary businesses, mainly phosphorous-based flame retardants, primarily used in building and construction, and additional Dead Sea minerals for the pharmaceutical, food, oil and gas, and de-icing industries, among others.
The company’s Potash segment operates its potash value chain and includes primarily potash fertilizers and its magnesium business (a byproduct of potash production), which produces and sells pure magnesium and magnesium alloys, as well as chlorine and sylvinite.
The company’s Phosphate Solutions segment is based on its phosphate value chain. It includes specialty phosphate salts and acids used by many different end markets for a variety of applications, including food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, oral care, building and construction, paints and coatings, water treatment, and other industrial applications. Additionally, this segment produces commodity phosphates, which are used mainly as fertilizers. In 2023, the company announced a plan to build the first commercial lithium iron phosphate (LFP) facility in the US. The site is expected to produce cathode active materials (CAM) for LFP batteries, which will be used in electric vehicles (EVs) and for other energy storage applications. While the company is already supplying raw materials to the battery materials market from its YPH facility in China, it intends to expand into CAM, to help meet growing global demand for clean energy. In January 2025, the company signed a strategic agreement with Shenzhen Dynanonic Co., Ltd. to establish LFP production in Europe. The new facility is planned to be located at the company’s Sallent site, in Spain, and will substantially expand the company’s battery materials business.
The company’s fourth segment, Growing Solutions, includes its specialty fertilizers business. This segment strives to enhance its broad portfolio of solutions and achieve market leadership. In 2021, the company expanded its global presence, with two acquisitions in Brazil, which also balanced the segment's seasonality between the Northern and Southern hemispheres. Additionally, in 2024, the company acquired a biological solutions company in Brazil and a specialty plant nutrition company in North America. These acquisitions have helped position the company as the leading specialty plant nutrition company in Brazil and to expand its global reach overall. Growing Solutions also enhanced its presence in China in 2024, through a five-year agreement to market specialty water-soluble fertilizers with AMP Holdings Group Co. Ltd., one of China's top agricultural distribution companies.
Industrial and Food Markets
The company’s Industrial Products segment and specialty phosphates business serve various industrial and food markets.
Industrial Products
ICL's bromine solutions play an important role in a wide range of products, by enhancing the safety of consumer goods and promoting efficiency in industrial production. The largest commercial use of bromine is for flame retardants, which are used by a variety of end markets, including electronics and related components, automotive – both internal combustion engines (ICE) and electric vehicles (EVs) – and building and construction, as well as furniture and textiles. Bromine and its derivatives are also used in various other industrial applications, including rubber production, oil and gas drilling, water purification, and in the pharmaceutical and food industries.
Phosphate Specialties
The company’s phosphate specialties business is part of its Phosphate Solutions segment and has been traditionally focused on developing products for the food and industrial end markets. These products are centered around the company's vertical integration into phosphate rock and fertilizer-grade phosphoric acid, also known as green phosphoric acid, which undergoes a chemical process to become purified phosphoric acid, also referred to as white phosphoric acid (WPA). As part of the company’s value-add proposition, it produces and markets purified acids and phosphate salts, in addition to commodity phosphates.
In the food industry, phosphate salts are used as functional food ingredients and provide texture and stability solutions for the processed meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, beverage, and bakery industries. On the industrial side, the company's specialty phosphates are found in water and metal treatment supplies, cleaning and construction materials, paints and coatings, and more. Specialty phosphates are also found in cola beverages and oral care products.
In 2024, the company opened a new food specialty plant in China, which was designed to help customers easily partner with the company to create novel and innovative food offerings tailored to Chinese consumers’ palates.
In 2023, the company increased its food-grade WPA production at its YPH operation in China, in order to serve local food and industrial applications markets, as well as its battery-grade MAP sales to the rapidly growing lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery market in China.
Agriculture Markets
Fertilizers
The company’s potash and phosphate commodity fertilizers, FertilizerpluS, and specialty fertilizers businesses serve agriculture markets worldwide.
Strategy
The company’s strategy is to achieve or strengthen its leadership position in each of the business segments in which it operates - either in terms of market share, added value for customers – and to grow its businesses to create shareholder value. The company does this by leveraging its unique assets, strategic locations, deep domain expertise, and profound understanding of agronomy, chemistry, and customer needs, as well as by taking advantage of its access to leading global innovation and technology ecosystems.
Segment Information
Industrial Products Segment
The company’s Industrial Products segment produces bromine out of a solution as part of the potash production process in Sodom, Israel, as well as bromine-based compounds. Industrial Products uses most of the bromine it produces for self-production of bromine compounds at its production sites in Israel, the Netherlands, and China. Industrial Products is also engaged in the production and marketing of phosphorus-based products, which are produced in Germany and the US. In addition, the segment produces several magnesia, calcium carbonate, and salt products which are produced in Israel and France.
Products
Industrial Products focuses on three main sub-business lines:
Flame retardants – Bromine, phosphorus, and magnesium-based flame retardants are used in electronics, building and construction, automotive, textile, and furnishing applications. Flame retardants are added to plastics, textiles, and other combustible materials to prevent or inhibit fire or flames and to prevent the spread of fire.
Industrial solutions – Elemental bromine, bromine compounds, and phosphorus compounds are used in a number of industries worldwide, such as rubber, pharmaceuticals, electricity, agro, and polyester (to produce plastic fabrics and bottles). Clear brine fluids are used to balance pressure in the oil and gas drilling industry. Bromine-based biocides are used for treating industrial water.
Specialty minerals – Specialty minerals include magnesia, calcium carbonate, and salt products. The main applications of magnesia products are dietary supplements and pharma, oil and fuel additives, catalysts, and many other applications. The calcium carbonate main applications are dietary supplements and pharma. The salts include sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, and KCl which are mainly used for the food industry, oil drilling, deicing (MgCl2), and various industrial applications. Due to the uniqueness and high quality/purity of the company’s products, most of its sales are to niche markets.
Industrial Products also develops innovative products and new applications for existing products. New products introduced in recent years include, among others: bromine compounds for energy storage (electrolyte solutions used in flow batteries); VeriQuelR100 (a phosphorus-based reactive flame retardant for rigid polyurethane); Bromoquel (replacing ammonia and other chemicals as a more flexible and effective treatment in the event of bromine leakage); CareMag D, a new natural raw material for deodorants; CDA, for biofilm sustainable, non-toxic treatments that reduce or replace the use of toxic biocide standard treatments; and FruitMag, a magnesia-based product that serves as a firming agent for post-harvest treatments to increase the shelf life of citrus fruits; and TextiMag, a magnesia-based product that is used for body-odor absorption on textiles.
Production
The company’s Industrial Products segment's major manufacturing facilities are located in Israel (production of bromine, bromine compounds, magnesia, and salts products), the Netherlands (bromine compounds), Germany (phosphorus compounds), France (magnesia and calcium carbonate-based products), the US (phosphorus compounds), and China (bromine compounds).
In 2024, the company produced approximately 190 thousand tonnes of elemental bromine out of a potential annual maximum production capacity of approximately 280 thousand tonnes.
Competition
In 2024, the company and its two main competitors, Albemarle and Lanxess, accounted for the majority of worldwide production of bromine.
Sales, Marketing, and Distribution
Industrial Products’ principal markets are Western Europe, the US, China, Korea, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates. The Industrial Products segment sells its products primarily through a network of marketing companies, while a smaller portion of sales is conducted through agents and distributors throughout the world. A relatively large portion of the segment's sales are conducted via long-term agreements with an initial term of one year or more.
Industrial Products’ policy is to maintain adequate inventory levels, which vary from product to product to ensure orderly supply to customers in light of their distance from production centers and their demand for inventory availability while optimizing inventory storage costs. Therefore, a portion of finished product inventories are held in storage facilities in destination countries.
Potash Segment
The company’s Potash segment produces and sells mainly potash, salts, magnesium, and electricity. The company produces potash in Israel, using an evaporation process to extract potash from the Dead Sea at Sodom, and in Spain, using conventional mining from an underground mine. The segment also produces and sells pure magnesium, magnesium alloys, and chlorine, as well as salt products produced at its potash site in Spain. The segment operates a power plant in Sodom which supplies electricity and steam to ICL facilities in Israel, as well as surplus electricity which is sold to external customers.
Products
The company sells potash for direct application as a fertilizer and to compound fertilizer manufacturers.
Production
The company produces potash from the Dead Sea and an underground mine in Spain. The company’s potash production process in Israel is based on the extraction of carnallite, which is a compound comprising potassium chloride (KCl) and magnesium chloride mixed with sodium chloride (NaCl) precipitates in some of the largest solar evaporation ponds in the world. In Spain, the company extracts potash by mining sylvinite from an underground mine.
In 2024, the company’s potash business produced approximately 4.5 million tonnes of potash. The company’s potential annual production capacity of potash, once it achieves the expansion in its Spanish site, is expected to be about 5 million tonnes.
Production-related developments of the Potash business:
Israel
In 2024, production at the company’s Dead Sea was 3.7 million tonnes, 119 thousand tonnes lower year-over-year, mainly due to operational challenges and war-related issues.
Spain
In 2024, the Cabanasas mine and the Suria plant reached all-time production records, pushing their annual throughput to over 800 thousand tonnes.
Competition
The company’s current significant competitors in the international potash market are Nutrien (Canada), Belaruskali (Belarus), Uralkali (Russia), Mosaic (Canada/Brazil), K+S (Germany/Canada), QSL (China), EuroChem (Russia), Various Laos (Laos), APC (Jordan), SQM (Chile), and others.
Sales, Marketing, and Distribution
The primary markets of the company’s Potash business are Brazil, China, Europe, the US, and India. The company’s Potash segment sells its fertilizer products primarily via a network of ICL sales offices and through agents worldwide.
Most of the company’s potash sales are not made through contracts or long-term orders but through current orders proximate to the supply date, excluding its annual agreements with customers in India, China, and a European customer.
In the Indian and Chinese markets, it is customary to conduct negotiations regarding potash contracts, partially through commercial entities related to the governments of those countries. In other markets, potash is usually imported by many customers. In these markets, the company has trade relations with most major customers.
In August 2024, the company reached an agreement with IPL, a long-term customer in India, to supply an aggregate of 420,000 metric tonnes of potash, to be supplied through 2024.
In December 2024, as part of the company’s 2025-2027 Chinese framework agreements, the company signed contracts with its Chinese customers to supply 2,500,000 metric tonnes of potash with mutual options for an additional 960,000 metric tons in aggregate, over the course of the three-year term.
The Potash business transports potash from Israel and Spain as follows:
The distribution of products from Israel to overseas customers is managed by ships, primarily in bulk, which are leased from the market. These ships are loaded using designated facilities at the ports of Ashdod on the Mediterranean Sea and Eilat on the Red Sea.
The distribution of products from Spain to local customers and customers in France is managed by truck. Products destined for overseas destinations are transported by train and trucks from Súria to the company's designated facilities located at the port of Barcelona (Spain). Subsequently, the cargo is loaded onto bulk vessels for shipment. In 2024, ICL Iberia, through its subsidiary Iberpotash, executed a contract signed in 2019 with the Catalonian Public Railway Agency (FCG), under which FCG supplies railway equipment to enable Iberpotash to carry four trains with 21 wagons daily from Súria to the Port of Barcelona.
Seasonality
The seasonal demand for the company’s Potash business products is typically characterized by higher sales in the second and third quarters (year ended December 31, 2024).
Additional products
The Potash segment produces and sells additional products such as magnesium-based products, dehydrated carnallite, chlorine, salt, surplus electricity (produced in Israel), and more.
Magnesium
The Potash segment also produces magnesium, through Dead Sea Magnesium Ltd. (‘DSM’), the largest magnesium producer outside of China and the US. The magnesium business produces, markets, and sells pure magnesium, magnesium alloys, chlorine, and dry carnallite. Production of magnesium originates from carnallite gathered from the Dead Sea.
Phosphate Solutions Segment
The Phosphate Solutions segment (hereinafter, the segment) is based on a phosphate value chain that uses phosphate commodity products, such as phosphate rock and fertilizer-grade phosphoric acid (‘green phosphoric acid’), to produce specialty products with higher added value. The segment also produces and markets phosphate-based fertilizers. The strategy of the segment is to be a leading provider of value-added specialty solutions based on phosphate for the battery materials, industrial, food, and agriculture markets.
Products
The Phosphate Solutions segment produces a variety of products based on its backward integrated value chain.
ICL's phosphate rock is mined and processed from open-pit mines and undergoes a beneficiation process, after which high-grade multi-purpose phosphate products are created.
The segment manufactures various types of fertilizers (PK products, GSSP, GTSP, and others) for different uses.
The segment manufactures purified phosphoric acid by purifying green phosphoric acid. Purified phosphoric acid and green phosphoric acid are used to manufacture downstream products with high added value, such as phosphate salts and acids for a wide range of battery materials, food, and industrial applications. Phosphate salts and acids are used in a broad variety of industrial end markets, such as oral care, cleaning products, paints and coatings, water treatment, asphalt modification, construction, metal treatment, and energy storage solutions. The segment's products for the food industry include functional food ingredients and phosphate additives, which provide texture and stability solutions for processed meat, meat alternatives, poultry, seafood, dairy, beverage, and baked goods. In addition, the segment supplies purified phosphoric acid to the company’s Growing Solutions segment and provides innovative alternative protein solutions for meat substitute and vegan dairy products.
The segment owns, develops, and commercializes proprietary technologies that support the production of allergen-free plant-based structured protein systems, called ROVITARIS, targeting the fast-growing plant-based meat alternative market.
Production
Phosphate rock is mined and processed from open-pit mines located in the Negev Desert in Israel and in the Yunnan province in China. The segment produces sulphuric acid, green phosphoric acid, and phosphate fertilizers at its facilities in Israel and China. Specialty products are manufactured at the segment's facilities in Germany, the US, Israel, Brazil, China, the UK, and Australia.
Current annual potential production capacity is as follows: approximately 4.2 million tonnes of phosphate rock, approximately 1.97 million tonnes of phosphate fertilizers, approximately 1.3 million tonnes of green phosphoric acid, approximately 423 thousand tonnes of purified phosphoric acid, and approximately 388 thousand tonnes of phosphate salts.
In 2024, the segment produced approximately 5.1 million tonnes of enriched phosphate rock, about 1.6 million tonnes of phosphate fertilizers, about 1.2 million tonnes of green phosphoric acid, about 324 thousand tonnes of purified phosphoric acid (as Phosphorus Pentoxide), about 254 thousand tonnes of phosphate salts, and about 63 thousand tonnes of food multi-blends.
Production-related developments throughout the Phosphate Solutions segment:
Israel
In 2024, ICL Rotem presented strong results mainly due to improvement in the commodities market and higher prices. In addition, ICL Rotem achieved production records in certain product lines, such as its MKP plant (61,530 tonnes) and Pekacid product line (11,605 tonnes).
China
YPH, a 50/50 joint venture company, which is controlled by ICL, improves the competitiveness and flexibility of ICL’s phosphate activities as a result of its access to phosphate rock with extensive reserves. The joint operation includes activities over the entire value chain. The performance of YPH continued to improve in 2024 and achieved new record results.
Since 2021, YPH has operated an additional food-grade phosphoric acid plant, with a production capacity of 70 thousand tonnes of qualified commercial food-grade acid. This plant has strengthened the company’s phosphate specialties operations and enables additional diversification into higher value-added products.
In addition, the company operates two MAP plants, with a total annual capacity of 130 thousand tonnes, for battery minerals and fertilizers. Seventy thousand tonnes of the total capacity derives from a new plant that began operating in 2022.
The total capacity of MAP for battery-level minerals, together with the produced technical grade phosphoric acid and improved green phosphoric acid, creates a portfolio that positions YPH as one of the most important phosphate suppliers to the battery industry in south China.
In the third quarter of 2024, ICL opened a new food specialty plant in China, designed to help customers easily partner with ICL to create novel and innovative food offerings tailored to Chinese consumers’ palates. The facility will manufacture specialty food solutions in the meat, poultry, and seafood segments, such as texturants and marinades, among other offerings, and was built in the thriving Zhangjiagang Free Trade Zone, which is located in the heart of the Greater Shanghai area.
Americas
In 2023, ICL announced a plan to build the first large-scale commercial lithium iron phosphate (LFP) facility in the US. The plant is expected to help meet growing demand from the energy storage, EV, and clean-energy industries for US-produced-and-sourced essential battery materials.
Competition
The main phosphate fertilizer producers who compete with ICL in the global TSP market include OCP Group (Morocco), Mosaic (Brazil), Polyserve (Egypt), El Nasr Co. for Intermediate Chemicals (NCIC in Egypt), Groupe Chimique Tunisien (GCT in Tunisia), Grupo Fertinal (Mexico), Innophos Inc. (Mexico), Agropolychim (Bulgaria), Lebanon Chemical Company, CMOC (Brazil), EuroChem (Brazil), and various Chinese producers.
The primary competitors of the segment in the chemical and food fields are Chemische Fabrik Budenheim KG (Germany), Innophos Inc. (Mexico/US), Prayon S.A (Belgium/France), Nutrien (US), Adithya Birla (India), Haifa Chemicals Ltd. (Israel), FOSFA (Czechia/Germany), and various Chinese producers.
Sales, Marketing, and Distribution
The Phosphate Solutions segment sells and markets its products worldwide. The primary markets for phosphate commodities products include China, Europe, the US, Brazil, and Israel. Phosphate specialties products are primarily marketed to industrial, battery materials, and food customers in Europe, North America, Asia, South America, and Australia. The company’s marketing network is based mainly on a marketing and sales organization and, to a lesser extent, on external distributors and sales agents.
The segment extends credit terms to its customers according to the customary practice in their locations.
The segment transports its commodity and acids products from Israel to customers overseas by bulk vessels that it charters in the global marine transportation market. Typically, these vessels are loaded at designated facilities in the ports of Ashdod on the Mediterranean Sea and Eilat on the Red Sea.
In 2024, the security situation in Israel and regional tensions involving Houthis attacks and threats to commercial vessels intensified, disrupting shipping routes in the Red Sea and commercial shipping arrangements, leading to increased shipping costs. The company continuously monitors developments and is taking all necessary actions to minimize any negative consequences to its operations.
The segment also operates special port facilities for bulk loading in the Netherlands and in Germany. YPH sells most of its products in China and provides a logistical solution for marine shipping outside of China as well.
Most sales of phosphate specialties products are made under agreements with terms of one or two years, or through ‘spot’ orders placed close to the date of supply.
Growing Solutions Segment
The company’s Growing Solutions segment aims to achieve global leadership in specialty fertilization markets by enhancing its global positions in its core markets of specialty agriculture, FertilizerpluS, and ornamental horticulture, turf, and landscaping; targeting high-growth markets, such as Brazil, India, and China; leveraging its unique R&D capabilities, vast agronomic experience, global footprint, backward integration to potash and phosphate, and chemistry know-how; and integrating and generating synergies from businesses that it has recently acquired. The company continuously works to expand its broad portfolio of specialty plant nutrition, plant stimulation, and plant health solutions, which consists of enhanced efficiency, micronutrients, controlled-release fertilizers (CRF), liquid fertilizers, water-soluble fertilizers (WSF), and straights (MKP/MAP/PeKacid), soil and foliar, secondary nutrients, bio-stimulants, soil conditioners, seed treatment products, and adjuvants.
The company’s Growing Solutions segment develops, manufactures, markets, and sells fertilizers based primarily on nitrogen, potash (potassium chloride), and phosphate. The segment produces water-soluble specialty fertilizers products at its facilities in Israel, Belgium, China, Spain, and the US, liquid fertilizers in Israel, Spain, Brazil, and the US, straight soluble fertilizers in China and Israel, controlled-release fertilizers in Brazil, the Netherlands, and the US, as well as secondary nutrients, bio-stimulants, soil conditioners, seed treatment products, and adjuvants in Brazil. ICL's specialty fertilizers business markets its products worldwide, mainly in Brazil, Israel, Europe, Asia, and North America.
Specialty Agriculture
One of the main markets for ICL is the fertigation market, as the use of drip irrigation systems increases across the globe, mainly in emerging markets, such as China and India. The use of enhanced efficiency fertilizers, such as controlled-release fertilizers, is also growing due to their environmental and economic advantages, although such growth is still dependent on crop price levels and raw material prices. In Brazil, the adoption rate of micronutrients, bio-stimulants, and soil conditioners is growing for a wide range of crops due to rising demand to increase productivity, improve and balance plant nutrition, and reduce abiotic stress.
FertilizerpluS
FertilizerpluS is ICL's premium fertilizers line, based mainly on polyhalite (marketed by the company as Polysulphate). The company’s FertilizerpluS products encompass a range of compounds, including potassium, phosphorus, sulphur, magnesium, and calcium. These products are customized to suit different soil types and a wide range of crops, aiming to augment crop value by improving yields and increasing fertilizer uptake.
Polyhalite is a mineral exclusively mined by ICL in an underground mine (ICL Boulby) located in North Yorkshire in the UK and is marketed under the brand name Polysulphate. Polysulphate is used in its natural form as a fully soluble and natural fertilizer, which is also used for organic agriculture and as a raw material to produce fertilizers. Polysulphate is composed of potash (K2O 14%), sulphur (SO3 48%), calcium (CaO 17%), and magnesium (MgO 6%), which are essential components for the improvement of crops and agricultural products. Polysulphate is the basis for the company’s FertilizerpluS products.
The company considers Polysulphate a unique product for ICL, synergistic with its other raw materials for the purpose of developing downstream products. The company is expanding the Polysulphate market via the development of a wide variety of innovative Polysulphate-based products.
Turf & Ornamental (T&O)
Ornamental Horticulture
The Ornamental Horticulture market is composed of two primary divisions: outdoor ornamental plant growers, known as container nurseries, and producers of pot and bedding plants operated within greenhouse facilities. The growers require high-quality fertilization programs to grow plants at the quality level required by garden centers, DIY (Do It Yourself) outlets, retail chains, and landscapers. The Growing Solutions segment has a large, specialized sales force that advises growers on the optimal nutrition of plants. It also has a specialized distributor network in the Ornamental Horticulture market. The segment’s main product lines for this market are CRFs (controlled-release fertilizers) and WSFs (water-soluble fertilizers) with well-known brand names, such as Osmocote, Peters, and Universol. In specific markets, such as North America and the UK, a range of unique plant protection products is also included in the recommendations for growing healthy plants. In the UK, the company is a leading growing media supplier providing a complete solution for ornamental growers.
Turf & Landscape
The professional turf market includes the following user groups: golf course green keepers, sport field groundsmen, landscapers, contractors, and lawn service providers.
These groups demand high-quality inputs to secure strong, high-quality turf. They also require an integrated approach to keep turf strong and maintain its health, without creating an environment that is conducive to the development of disease. There is an environmental need to limit inputs, which requires an integrated approach using unique, high-quality products. The most important inputs are specialty, controlled-release, and slow-release fertilizers, grass seeds, water conservation, and plant protection products. Some of these products’ well-known brands are Greenmaster, Sierrablen, Sierraform, ProTurf, and H2Pro. The company’s Growing Solutions segment offers all product lines in an integrated program and maintains a dedicated and experienced team of unique professional grass experts, along with a specialized distribution network serving its key markets, mainly in Europe and Asia.
Products
Specialty fertilizers are highly effective fertilizers that allow more precise feeding of plants for their major nutrients needs (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium), as well as secondary nutrients and micronutrients. These fertilizers allow efficient fertilization through special applications, among others, through drip irrigation systems and foliar spraying, and help growers obtain higher yields and quality. These fertilizers include, among others, controlled-release fertilizers (CRF), slow-release fertilizers (SRF), soluble fertilizers, and liquid fertilizers as follows:
Controlled-release fertilizers (CRF) allow accurate release of nutrients over time. CRFs have a special coating that allows prolonged release of nutrients from over several weeks to 18 months compared to regular fertilizers that dissolve in the soil and are immediately available but therefore leach partially into the soil. ICL Growing Solutions offers leading global and regional brand-name products, including Osmocote, Agroblen, Agrocote, Agromaster, Polyblen, and Producote.
Osmocote is the most widely known and used controlled-release fertilizer by ornamental growers worldwide. The brand is known to deliver high-quality ornamental plants due to its consistent release of nutrients and unique patterned and programmed release technologies. The company continues to invest in new technologies, as well as in field trials to test and demonstrate the high reliability and performance of its products. In 2022, ICL presented a faster biodegradable coated fertilizer technology - eqo.x for Ag, featuring controlled-release urea tailored for open field agriculture. This innovation aims to empower farmers to optimize crop performance while minimizing environmental impact through reduced nutrient loss and enhanced nutrient use efficiency (NUE). In 2023, the segment introduced eqo.s release technology in the professional turf market for turf brands, such as Sierrablen and ProTurf. These pioneering release technologies represent the first offering in the market to feature a CRF coating for urea that biodegrades more rapidly, and they are specifically designed to meet new EU fertilizer standards scheduled to take effect in 2028.
Soluble fertilizers, which are fully water-soluble, are commonly used for fertilization through drip irrigation systems to optimize fertilizer efficiency in the root zone to maximize yields, and some of them can also be used for foliar applications. The company’s well-known brands for fertigation include Peters, Universol, Solinure, Agrolution, Nova, Fertiflow, and others. The company’s leading brands for foliar application are Agroleaf Liquid, Agroleaf Power, and Nutrivant. ICL develops specific formulations for different applications and crops. In South America, products such as Profol, Kellus, Tonus, Translok, Forcy, Nutritio, Vegetação, and Dimi Tônico are used as high-technology products for farmers to improve plant nutrition and physiology through foliar fertilization. There are specific formulations for specific crops, greenhouses, and/or open fields, as well as for different water types. In 2024, the company launched a water-soluble fertilizer with humic acid, which is expected to improve the absorption of feed elements at the root.
‘Straight fertilizers’ are crystalline, free-flowing, and high-purity phosphorus and potassium soluble fertilizers, such as MKP, MAP, and PeKacid. The company’s key brands include NovaPeak, Nova PeKacid, and NovaMAP. PeKacid is a patented product of ICL. It is the only solid, highly acidifying, water-soluble fertigation product that contains both phosphorus and potassium. The product is ideal for hard water conditions where an acidifying effect is required, as well as for keeping dripping lines clean.
Liquid fertilizers are used for intensive agriculture and are integrated into irrigation systems (mainly drip systems). The company’s product line includes mostly tailor-made formulations designed for specific soil and water/climate conditions and crop needs.
Peat is a growing medium for various crops in which generally controlled-release fertilizers and plant-protection products are mixed in. Specific formulations of growing media are tailored to meet the requirements of specific plants, including those cultivated in greenhouse bedding plants and outdoor nurseries. One of the company’s peats is the ‘Levington’ brand, a well-known ICL brand. The integration of growing media products into its UK portfolio enhances ICL’s ability to offer a holistic and efficient solution to its customers. The company is dedicated to adopting more circular products and expanding its selection of growing media offerings with Fibagro Advance, an outstanding peat alternative manufactured in the UK. This innovative and advanced woodfibre product is being used as a key component in professional growing media mixes and provides professional growers with sustainable growing solutions.
Water conservation and soil conditioning products are new product lines developed by the segment. Water conservation products are used in professional turf to keep water in the root zone. The company’s key brands are H2Flo and H2Pro. These products improve water use efficiency. This new technology is also used in agriculture to allow better water availability around the root zone of crops.
Bio-stimulant technologies, such as Triplus, Improver, Concorde, Vegetação, and Dimi Tônico, are being successfully used by farmers to increase their productivity and alleviate abiotic stress, such as drought, salinity, and others.
Adjuvants are essential to enhance foliar nutrition, herbicides, and crop protection spray. The company offers the South American market adjuvant technologies, including Helper, Tensor Max, and AD+, as well as various formulations that address the primary challenges facing farmers, such as drift and runoff.
The company’s Polysulphate and Polysulphate-based fertilizers, customized to meet the needs of different crops and soil types, maximize yields and allow more precise and efficient applications.
Polysulphate contributes to and follows the main market trends in the field of increased nutrient-use efficiency, low carbon footprint, and organic fertilizers.
Following are several examples of Polysulphate-based products and additional products that are included in the FertilizerpluS line:
PotashpluS – a compressed mixture of Polysulphate and potash. The product includes potassium, sulphur, calcium, and magnesium.
PKpluS – a unique combination of phosphate, potash, and Polysulphate.
NPKpluS – a unique combination of nitrogen, phosphate, potash, and Polysulphate. This product includes all 6 macro nutrients in one granule.
Production
The Growing Solutions segment's principal production facilities include plants in Israel (soluble compound fertilizers, liquid fertilizers, and soluble NPK fertilizers), Spain (liquid fertilizers, and soluble NPK fertilizers), the UK (Polysulphate, PotashpluS, products for water conservation, and peat incorporated in growing media), China (soluble compound fertilizers and soluble NPK fertilizers), the Netherlands (controlled-release fertilizers and fertilizer blends), Belgium (soluble NPK fertilizers), the US (controlled-release fertilizers, water-soluble fertilizers, and liquid fertilizers), and Brazil (liquid fertilizers, water-soluble fertilizers, bio-stimulants, controlled-release fertilizers, improved efficiency phosphorus fertilizers, secondary nutrients fertilizers, and micronutrients fertilizers).
The segment's annual potential production capacity is approximately 260 thousand tonnes of soluble fertilizers, 800 thousand tonnes of phosphate fertilizers, 540 thousand tonnes of liquid fertilizers, 420 thousand tonnes of controlled-release fertilizers, 150 thousand tonnes of straight fertilizers, 400 thousand m³ of growing media, as well as 600 thousand tonnes of micronutrients and one million tonnes of Polysulphate. In 2024, the company produced about 721 thousand tonnes of Polysulphate.
Production-related developments throughout the Growing Solutions segment:
In the beginning of 2024, the company completed its acquisition of Nitro 1000, a manufacturer, developer, and provider of biological crop inputs in Brazil.
In July 2024, the company completed its acquisition of Custom Ag Formulators, a manufacturer and provider of liquids and water-soluble fertilizers with production facilities in California and Georgia.
In the fourth quarter of 2024, the company completed its acquisition of GreenBest, a UK-based manufacturer that specializes in bespoke fertilizers and tailored solutions.
Sales, Marketing, and Distribution
The primary markets of the Specialty Fertilizers business line are Europe (particularly Spain and the UK), Brazil, China, the US, India, Israel, and Australia. The Specialty Fertilizers business line sells its fertilizer products primarily via a network of its own sales offices, as well as through distributors around the world.
In general, the company’s business model is based on brand-name, premium specialty products, which are marketed by a strong agronomist sales network at the end-user level, while sales are invoiced through distributor-partners that distribute the products. The technical sales force emphasizes the agronomic advantages of the specialty products to end users (farmers, growers of containerized plants, golf courses, etc.) and provides advice and training to distributor sales representatives. The company’s Growing Solutions segment also has specialized field forces for the agriculture, ornamental horticulture, and turf & landscape markets, supported by specialized marketing teams.
In 2022, ICL signed a long-term agreement with India Potash Limited (IPL) to supply Polysulphate in India through 2026, with an option for renewal of the agreement. The five-year term encompasses a total volume of one million tonnes, gradually increasing each year. Shipments are set at a minimum of 25,000 tonnes each, which will be equally distributed across the calendar year, with prices and payment terms to be fixed between IPL and ICL from time to time. The availability of Polysulphate is expected to help boost the Government of India’s organic agriculture program.
In August 2024, ICL signed a five-year agreement with AMP Holdings Group Co., Ltd., a leading agricultural distribution company in China, to distribute specialty water-soluble fertilizers for drip irrigation in China. This partnership, which includes purchase commitments and exclusivity clauses, will continue until 2028. The agreement underscores ICL’s strategic push into the Chinese market, where rising demand for specialty fertilizers is driven by shifts in agricultural practices and the growing adoption of fertigation solutions.
The Growing Solutions segment grants credit terms to its customers according to customary practices in their respective locations.
Seasonality
The majority of the company’s specialty fertilizer business serves markets in the northern hemisphere, with demand concentrated in the first half of the year (year ended December 31, 2024).
Other Activities
The company’s business activities include, among other things, ICL’s innovative arm, that develops new products and services, as well as digital platforms and technological solutions for farmers and agronomists. This category includes Growers and Agmatix, innovative start-ups that are developing agricultural data processing and analysis capabilities for the future of agriculture.
Intellectual Property
As of December 31, 2024, ICL had approximately 707 granted patents in various countries, constituting 218 patent families. The company also has over 3,320 registered trademarks worldwide, including inter alia: Eqo, eqo-x, and eqo-s; Keep Green; Sulfurgran; Profol; Osmocote; Peters; Joha; Tari; Brifisol; Rovitaris; Fyrol; and Merquel.
History
The company was founded in 1968. The company was incorporated in 1968. It was formerly known as Israel Chemicals Ltd. and changed its name to ICL Group Ltd in 2020.
