Sci-tech, the key for VADFCO’s development

Over 56 years of development, Van Dien fertilizers have been known as one of the best fertilizers in Vietnam. Thanks to the application of a series of scientific and technological solutions, these environmentally-friendly products have won farmers’ trust. 

                        VADFCO General Director Hoang Van Tai speaks at a seminar

Important solutions

Van Dien Fused Magnesium Phosphate Fertilizer Joint Stock Company (VADFCO) General Director Hoang Van Tai said that China helped the company’s construction in 1960, with an initial capacity of 20,000 tonnes of fused magnesium phosphate fertilizers. The main raw material for production was type-1 apatite ores with coke, and all machinery, equipment and raw materials were imported from China. Therefore, the company experienced a hard time threatening to close the plant as there was no foreign currency to import coke.

Recognizing the importance of fertilizers to the development of an agricultural country as well as creating jobs for hundreds of workers and employees, the company has seen science and technology as the key for development, with a focus on promoting internal force and gradually resolving the most basic problems in engineering and production technology. In particular, the using of type-2 apatite instead of type-1 ores has contributed to overcoming material shortages and increasing competitiveness of Van Dien fertilizers at home and abroad.

With research on improving machinery and equipment in order to use domestic anthracite instead of coke, the company has reduced dependence on imported materials and saved several tens of millions of dollars a year.

Blast-furnaces designed by the company with improved technologies have fallen more than 60 percent of coal consumption and 70 percent of electricity consumption, contributing to reducing production costs and selling prices.

A solution in terms of pressing materials to be eligible for fused magnesium phosphate fertilizer production has declined consumption from 1.68 tonnes to 1.25 tonnes per product (under-sized materials were left and under-sized coal was resold cheaply in the previous period), contributing to saving costs and resources and resolving the problem of environmental pollution.

Using water circulation equipment in production has saved resources and minimized wastewater discharge into the environment. Producing one tonne of fused magnesium phosphate fertilizers previously used 45cu.m of water. However this figure has been down to 1.25cu.m as for now.

The company has also manufactured all kinds of equipment specializing in treatment of wastewater and exhaust fumes. In addition, the company’s employees have made a series of initiatives and technical innovations, contributing to reducing costs, improving product quality and ensuring environmental protection.

Hoang Van Tai said that in addition to trade and production development, the company has paid special attention to environmental protection. These technical and technological solutions have contributed to ensuring sustainable development and environmental protection. Thanks to initiatives and innovations, the company has saved more than 100,000 tonnes of coal, over 30 million kWh of electricity and nearly 12 million cu.m of water, helping reduce several hundreds of billions of Vietnamese dong in production costs.

Moreover, the company’s production process has not generated solid waste, while targets in terms of exhaust fumes, dust and wastewater have met standards. In particular, the VADFCO was removed from the list of companies causing environmental pollution following Prime Ministerial Decision 64/2003/QD-TTg dated April 22, 2003 on handling thoroughly units causing serious environmental pollution.

Good and high-quality products

Thanks to the application of scientific and technological solutions, the company has produced all kinds of products suitable for clean and sustainable agriculture following VietGAP and GlobalGAP standards, with fused magnesium phosphate fertilizers produced under heat technology.

The company’s products have not only had many nutrients essential for crops but also contributed to de-acidification and soil improvement. According to the analysis results by Japan, fused magnesium phosphate fertilizers have 19 different nutrients. Van Dien fertilizers are insoluble in water, but in weak acid secreted by plant roots, so it will be washed away when implementing manure in fields. These environmentally friendly products have also been exported to fastidious markets such as Japan, the Republic of Korea and Australia.

The VADFCO has produced dozens of multi-element fertilizers suitable for different types of land and is studying production of kinds of climate-smart fertilizers. The company’s NPK fertilizers have many nutrients including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, silicon, sulfur, boron, molybdenum, manganese, zinc and copper.

As a result of technical solutions and internal strengths, the VADFCO has increased its production capacity to 450,000 tonnes of all kinds of fertilizers. Van Dien fertilizer products are the first choice of not only domestic farmers but also foreign traders. The company is currently building a new fused phosphate and NPK fertilizer production plant in Bim Son Town in Thanh Hoa Province in order to meet increasing demand of the domestic and foreign markets.

Ngoc Anh