Today, a cornerstone laying ceremony officially marked the start of construction of Grupa Azoty S.A.’s new Research and Development Centre in Tarnów. The project will allow Grupa Azoty to expand its own research activities as part of the Group’s R&D efforts, and is consistent with the Group’s strategy to generate and implement innovation. It will also improve the competitiveness of Grupa Azoty’s products. Special guests who attended the ceremony included Jarosław Gowin, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and Higher Education, and Jadwiga Emilewicz, Under-secretary of State at the Ministry of Development.

After a series of audits carried out in 2017 by certification body DNV-GL, the Grupa Azoty Group companies, which are members of Fertilizers Europe, have been awarded certificates in Product Stewardship for best practices in the management of the fertilizer life cycle.

Product Management Audits are performed every three years by a certification body. The certificates are awarded in recognition of efforts of European fertilizer manufacturers towards best management practices in terms of product development, raw material acquisition, production, packaging, transport, storage, marketing and sales, product application, and services for farmers.

The award ceremony was held in Madrid on June 22nd 2017 as part of the annual meeting of Fertilizers Europe. On behalf of the Grupa Azoty Group companies, the certificates were collected by Paweł Łapiński, Vice President of the Management Board.

The certificates testify to the high standards of the European fertilizer industry and its positive efforts towards achieving sustainable practices. They are also the best evidence that the Grupa Azoty Group meets the top health, safety and environmental standards throughout fertilizer life cycle.

The next audit is scheduled for 2020.

Grupa Azoty is engaged in supporting the promotion of a DNA lab-on-a-chip project developed by NEXBIO Sp. z o.o., a start-up based in Lublin.

In the first quarter of 2017, the Grupa Azoty Group recorded consolidated revenue of PLN 2.69bn, up over PLN 200m (9%) year on year, with EBITDA in excess of PLN 447m and net profit of PLN 250m. The Company also updated the 2013–2020 strategy.

In 2016, the Grupa Azoty Group earned revenue of nearly PLN 9bn, reporting EBITDA of more than PLN 1bn with EBITDA margin of 11.2%, and net profit of PLN 375m with net profit margin of 4.2%.

Grupa Azoty will be presenting two of its production segments − plastics and OXO − at the 21st International Fair of Plastics and Rubber Processing PLASTPOL, taking place in Kielce from May 23rd to May 26th. Visitors to its exhibition stand will also have an opportunity to meet some of the athletes competing under the Grupa Azoty banner.