Incitec Pivot Fertilisers (IPF) has unveiled its newly upgraded fertiliser import and distribution facility at Portland in regional Victoria, following a $20 million investment in the site.

As the largest supplier of fertilisers on Australia’s East Coast, IPF’s significant investment in this strategically important facility will enhance operational efficiency and storage capacity, delivering benefits for growers.

IPF president, Scott Bowman officially opened the state-of-the-art facility, joined by growers, IPF customers and agricultural industry stake holders. 

“The upgraded facility can now blend up to 300 tonnes of fertiliser per hour, increasing output and ensuring customers across Victoria and South Australia receive product promptly,” Mr Bowman said.

“It will not only enhance supply to the local and domestic market, but ensure customers have access to customised formulations that provide exact nutrients needed for maximum yield and more environmentally sustainable outcomes.

“As part of IPF’s commitment to helping drive increased productivity and sustainability for farmers, Portland has now been equipped with more efficient technology.

“This will enable the application of coatings to produce Enhanced Efficiency Fertilisers(EEFs) such as Green Urea NVand eNpower, which can help reduce greenhouse gas(GHG) emissions by up to 70per cent in some scenarios.

“IPF’s investment in the Portland facility is part of our strategy to deliver productivity benefits for growers through innovation and provision of high-quality products. It also demonstrates IPF's dedication to rural and regional Australia.”

The opening is a new chapter in the site’s history and showcases how IPF has transformed a manufacturing facility into an innovative fertiliser import and distribution facility. The Portland site was first commissioned as a fertiliser manufacturing plant onNovember24, 1968, by Cresco Fertilisers.

In 1972, Cresco Fertilisers in Victoria was sold to Pivot.

The site now dispatches over 200,000 tonnes of fertiliser per annum, with future growth expected in line with forecast increase in Australian crop production.