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Early annual maintenance shutdown likely for FACT

KOCHI: Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore (FACT) is likely to go in for an early annual maintenance shutdown this year in view of the shortage of sulphur, a key raw material.

Company sources said here that the current stock of sulphur available with FACT would last for about a fortnight now and the annual maintenance shutdown would be early this year to avoid stoppage of production.

According to FACT sources, the move to get a shipload of sulphur through the government-owned Small Industries Development Corporation (SIDCO) had failed as the Corporation could not furnish details of the consignment being made available to FACT.

Sources in the public sector fertiliser company reiterated that there was no assurance on the quality of the sulphur that was expected to be brought in by SIDCO. The Corporation was offering lump sulphur whereas FACT had tendered for prilled sulphur.

Sources also said FACT would go in for supply of sulphur through Minerals and Metals Trading Corporation (MMTC), its supplier in the past. MMTC is going for a fresh round of sulphur bid next week.

FACT will go in for a shipload of between 15,000 and 20,000 tonnes of sulphur this time.

The FACT management is moving ahead boldly to procure sulphur despite the high ruling price in the international market as the Union Government has already sanctioned Rs.200 core as interim relief for the company. The money has been made available in view of the crisis-like situation faced by FACT.

According to sources in FACT, the money is likely to be available by March.

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