Zbigniew Wróbel, managing director of PKN Orlen, is hoping that plans by Nafta Polska to build a fertiliser holding will be around the Anwil plant which belongs to the oil giant.
Nafta Polska has been given the task of restructuring the entire heavy chemicals sector and now must show favouritism to one company or another. Wloclawek based Anwil is 74 percent owned by PKN Orlen and alongside the Pulawy chemical concern is the largest synthetic fertiliser producer in the country as well as being the only domestic producer of PVC.
Zbigniew Wróbel believes that Anwil would be able to lead a fertiliser holding which could offer domestic users a range of products. Fertiliser is not part of the core business of Orlen and therefore Wróbel sees no difficulties in persuading either shareholders or analysts.
Nafta Polska has not commented on what its plans may be until they are fully prepared. Anwil has two rivals to lead the fertiliser holding. They are the Police and Puławy chemical works. Around one year ago Orlen attempted to purchase the Police plant in a privatisation that was later halted by the treasury. Orlen has promised aid to the sector by supplying it with the raw materials it needs. This is also an important factor in the balance of payments as Poland imports around USD5.5bn worth more chemicals than it exports.