Adam Nawrocki, Founder of ADOB
Over the last 30 years, I'm sure there have been a lot of highlights. But what would you say were the strategically critical moments in the company's history, the ones that really put the company on its successful trajectory?
One of the most important points in our strategy was the decision to rely on our own R&D team which enabled us to develop many products and technological processes. Consequently, in case of certain products, we are the only producer worldwide.
Having 13 PhD team members who completed their theses devoted to our products and processes and following our motto “power of science” has put us in the leading position in the speciality fertilizer sector with special focus on chelated micronutrients.
Firstly, let's talk a little about the business side of things: Is co-operation with multinationals still central to ADOB's strategy?
Yes, the cooperation with multinational companies is our main channel to distribute ADOB’s range of products, however there are also direct business relations with many local distributors from 82 countries where our products can be found these days.
In terms of distribution, is ADOB still a shareholder in Van Iperen? Would Van Iperen be your main distributor for European markets? And for global markets, does ADOB do its own distribution? Who do you work with in China, for example?
Van Iperen International, where I am still a shareholder, is an important partner of ours, but depending on products and markets their position varies.
Concerning the Chinese market, we have a few channels including multinationals and a joint venture ADOB Qingdao where I am a shareholder too.
Now moving to technology and products. ADOB and Bayer broke new ground with IDHA chelating agent back in 2002. As we arrive to nearly two decades of this agent being on the market, how has the agent and its applications evolved?
Talking about IDHA chelate, we were the first together with Bayer who came to the market with biodegradable chelates that are produced chemically. Until 2019 it was the only chelating agent registered in the EU 2003/2003 directive enjoying such status. The IDHA chelates develop well in many countries and we believe if only regulations put more pressure on the chelating agents as they do in many industrial sectors, we will be at the right time with the right product.
And to follow-on from the previous question, what is the future of chelating agents? And just to expand a little: IDHA, EDTA, DTPA, HBED - they all have a place, but do you see one or two agents stepping ahead in certain applications?
Actually, all of them have their own position in the market, mainly related to agronomical conditions that the farmer works in: The groups are the following: a) Foliar application – IDHA, EDTA are the best performing products b) Soil application - at pH < 6.5 IDHA, EDTA are still a good option in terms of efficacy and economy - at pH 6.5 – 7.5 DTPA chelates are the best option - at pH > 7.5 HBED or EDDHA are the only options available
Just a quick word on non-agricultural applications. I'm aware these would be the smaller part of your revenue. What applications do your products serve? Do you see any growth in non-agriculture markets?
Non-agricultural markets are really very small, but there is a body of research carried out where chelated micronutrients might be applicable: water treatment, oil drilling, feeds, etc.
Water-soluble fertilizers - what changes have you seen in the market over the last two decades?
Concerning the changes in the market on liquid / solid products, the first point is the destination of our products.
Within Europe the transport of liquids is still accepted due to relatively low costs. On the contrary, overseas destinations prefer solid products. Indeed, there are many markets where liquids are preferable, like the US, but it is due to the presence of many local producers who offer liquids and farmers prefer this option rather than spend time on dissolving solids. ADOB’s approach to this is issue is firstly biological efficacy and best economical option for farmers.
Vertical and urban farming - and the use of hydroponics - do you see specific water-soluble formulations being developed for this growing sector?
Vertical and urban farming as well as hydroponics are definitely areas of application for our products, because one can fine-tune the composition of products and control it very precisely. Apart from this point, our range of products based on potassium salts and anion free versions is an ideal offer as all ingredients are available to plants without accumulation of sodium in the solution.
Nanotechnology can be a buzz word, but is that something you’ve been able to incorporate into your products so far?
For us it is even more than a buzz word because so far, despite many tests done with many products, we were not successful to implement these into our portfolio. Considering foliar application, there are no better conditions for plants to take-up nutrients than in ionic form which is well documented and fertigation application is even worse example for nanoproducts. So, taking into consideration the cost of production real nanoproducts (below 100nm) and safety issues to handle the product, there are not so many reasons to apply them in agriculture.
Dealing with EU registration - from a previous interview I have some idea of your thoughts and experience in this topic! But bringing this to the present, what are your hopes and concerns for the new Fertilising Products regulation?
Due to the fact that I was involved in the process of new Fertilizing Products regulation from 2014 it seems to me there would be nice topic to write a poem about it or to have a separate interview related to this point alone.
To be short, new regulation enables to channel all possible waste products from many industries into fertilizer products and I believe after 5-10 years we will see the consequences.
And looking to the future - what's the next step for ADOB? Does the company remain independent? If not, what does a suitable partner look like?
It is a good question causing many sleepless nights. But at the time being we are fully independent with so many ideas, projects to be done that there is no time to think about this question. ●
The main office of ADOB is located in Poznan, Poland, but production sites operate in Poznan and in Wrocław. The company employs about 420 people, of which 220 in Poznan and 200 in Wroclaw. One of the specifics of the small company ADOB is that it has been successfully cooperating with multinational companies like BASF, Bayer, SQM, Yara, and ICL. ADOB has set up in representative offices in offices in Brazil, Ecuador, Israel and Peru. ADOB`s share capital investments are located in China, Netherlands and Belarus. The distribution platform launched together with Netherlands-based Van Iperen International in 2010 is also giving the company good opportunities to develop new markets. ADOB offers fertilizers in liquid form as well as in solid form of dust-free microgranules. Fertilizers offered by the company represent a somewhat unique technological combination of high efficiency and superior quality raw materials used for production. The company holds a leading position in many of the segments where it operates, ADOB developed full programmes of foliar and soil fertilization for agricultural and horticultural crops and for hydroponics as well. Fertilizers manufactured by ADOB are single compound products as well as multi-compound ones and are widely used to fight acute micronutrient deficiencies and to protect the plants against effects of abiotic stress conditions (e.g. drought, frost or unfavorable pH). ●
