Qafco

Name

Qafco

Legal name

Qatar Fertiliser Company (Q.P.S.C)

Website

https://qafco.qa

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

QAFCO is a Qatar-based fertilizer and specialty chemicals producer, the world's largest single-site urea exporter with 5.6 million MT capacity and ~14% global supply share. It serves enterprise agricultural and industrial buyers across 35+ countries through long-term contracts distributed via QatarEnergy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nitrogen Fertilizers

NAICS

Nitrogenous Fertilizer Manufacturing (325311), Industrial Gas Manufacturing (32512)

SIC

Industrial Inorganic Chemicals (2810), Industrial Organic Chemicals (2860)

akta.pro primary industry

Nitrogen Fertilizers (Ammonia/Urea/UAN) (IMAEAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Nitrogen Fertilizers (Ammonia, Urea, UAN, Ammonium Nitrate/Sulfate) (AFABABAA), Potash Fertilizers (MOP/SOP) (IMAEAEAC)

Keywords

• Nitrogen fertilizers
• Ammonia production
• Urea manufacturing
• Melamine chemicals
• Agrochemical products

Headquarters

HQ city

Doha

HQ country

Qatar

HQ region

Middle East

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Ammonia Production and Sales: QAFCO produces 3.8 million metric tonnes of ammonia annually across 6 world-class plants. Ammonia is sold both as a direct product and as an intermediate input for urea production.
2. Urea Production and Sales: QAFCO is the world's largest single-site exporter of urea, producing 5.6 million metric tonnes annually and supplying approximately 14% of global urea demand. Urea is marketed globally through QatarEnergy's trading network.
3. Melamine, Urea Formaldehyde, and Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF): Specialty chemical products including melamine, urea formaldehyde resin, and diesel exhaust fluid, produced at the company's Mesaieed industrial complex.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

QAFCO manufactures nitrogen-based fertilizers and petrochemicals at a single integrated complex in Mesaieed, Qatar, with annual capacity of 3.8 million metric tons of ammonia and 5.6 million metric tons of urea. Its product portfolio includes ammonia, urea, melamine, urea formaldehyde, and diesel exhaust fluid (DEF), exported to agricultural distributors and industrial chemical buyers in more than 35 countries. The company is the world's largest single-site urea exporter, supplying approximately 14% of globally traded urea.

Product overview

QAFCO operates as a diversified fertilizer and specialty chemical producer with 6 world-class plants at a single site in Mesaieed, Qatar. The company operates a multi-product portfolio centered on ammonia and urea as core offerings, supplemented by specialty chemicals including melamine, urea formaldehyde resin, and diesel exhaust fluid. With 3.8 million MT annual ammonia capacity and 5.6 million MT urea production, QAFCO is the world's largest single-site urea exporter, commanding approximately 14% of global supply. The company exports to over 35 countries and is implementing AI-powered process optimization through Baker Hughes to enhance operational efficiency across all facilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ammonia
• Urea Nitrogen fertilizer (granular and prilled urea) produced at 5.6 million metric tons annual capacity and exported in bulk to agricultural distributors and traders in more than 35 countries; QAFCO is the world's largest single-site urea exporter, supplying approximately 14% of globally traded urea.
• Melamine Industrial-grade melamine produced at QAFCO's Mesaieed complex and sold to manufacturers of resins, laminates, adhesives, and engineered wood products.
• Urea Formaldehyde Urea formaldehyde resin produced at the Mesaieed complex and supplied to industrial buyers manufacturing wood-based panels, adhesives, and related construction materials.
• Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) / AdBlue High-purity urea-based DEF (AdBlue) solution manufactured at QAFCO's facility and sold to automotive aftermarket and OEM customers for use in selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems on diesel vehicles.

Quantifiable outcome

• 0.8% increase in daily ammonia production achieved through Baker Hughes AI optimization program
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Baker HughescoreTechnology or Integration · 1 October 2025Baker Hughes and QAFCO implemented an AI-powered operational excellence program using Physics-based AI technologies (Cordant Process Optimization) to optimize ammonia and urea manufacturing. The collaboration achieved a 0.8% increase in daily ammonia production and saved approximately 566 hours of production downtime over two years. QAFCO plans to extend the solution to urea plants and implement Global Site-wide Process Optimization across all facilities by 2027.
• Qatar UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 May 2024QAFCO sponsored and presented Best Overall Prizes at the 22nd Annual Chemical Engineering Plant Design Competition organized by Qatar University. Ten teams developed simulation-based grassroots plant designs for LNG, Ethylene, and Dimethyl Ether production processes, supporting education and talent development in chemical engineering.
• Agrico and Yara InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2019QAFCO, Agrico, and Yara International established the Hydroponic Trial and Demonstration Center in Al Khor, Qatar in February 2019 to develop sustainable crop management systems suited for the Qatari climate. The 3,750 sqm center, designed by Agrico, is jointly operated by Agrico and Yara agronomists, with QAFCO providing agricultural analytical support (substrate, water, and leaf testing) from its Mesaieed laboratory. Achieved yields of 33 kg tomatoes per sqm per year — 6x average Qatari productivity.
• QatarEnergycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorQatarEnergy handles global marketing and sales of QAFCO's fertilizers and chemicals worldwide, acting as the commercial agent for QAFCO and other QatarEnergy group joint ventures. QatarEnergy also provides corporate policy oversight and strategic direction as the parent entity.
• Industries QatarcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustries Qatar is QAFCO's parent company listed on the Qatar Stock Exchange. Industries Qatar reported a net profit of QR 4.3 billion for 2025 and oversees QAFCO's operations alongside other industrial subsidiaries. QAFCO's ammonia project is noted as part of Industries Qatar's growth pipeline.
• GPCA (Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association)minorOthersQAFCO participates as a Platinum Sponsor in GPCA Agri-Nutrients Conference and receives recognition through the GPCA Responsible Care Excellence Awards. GPCA is the industry association for the Gulf's petrochemical and chemical sector.
• AFA (Arab Fertilizer Association)minorOthersQAFCO participates in the annual AFA Technical Conference and Exhibition, the premier Arab regional platform for fertilizer industry technology and innovation discussions. QAFCO participated in the 37th edition in Ben Guerir, Morocco.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Yara International: Norwegian-headquartered global nitrogen fertilizer and specialty crop nutrition leader; directly comparable as a producer and trader of ammonia, urea, and specialty nitrogen products, and an actual QAFCO partner at the Al Khor Hydroponic Demonstration Center.
• OCI Global: Netherlands-based global nitrogen and methanol producer with significant US Gulf and global capacity; directly comparable as a large-scale ammonia and urea exporter competing in the same global commodity markets.
• CF Industries Holdings: US-based world-scale nitrogen fertilizer manufacturer producing ammonia, urea, and UAN; direct comparable in scale, feedstock-driven cost curve, and global export orientation.
• Koch Ag & Energy Solutions (Koch Industries): Owns Koch Fertilizer, a major US nitrogen producer (Enid, Beatrice, Dodge City plants) producing ammonia, urea, and UAN; comparable world-scale nitrogen production and export model.

Regional players

• SABIC: Saudi Aramco-controlled petrochemicals and fertilizer producer; Gulf-region peer overlapping with QAFCO in nitrogen chemistry and integrated gas-to-fertilizer value chain.
• Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO): India's largest fertilizer cooperative, a major global urea buyer and domestic producer; comparable in scale of nitrogen fertilizer handling though not a direct Gulf exporter.
• ADNOC / Fertiglobe: UAE-based nitrogen fertilizer joint venture between ADNOC and OCI, producing urea and ammonia from Gulf gas; closest regional competitor with similar feedstock economics and export footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Nutrien: World's largest fertilizer producer with a broad nitrogen, potash, phosphate, and retail footprint; comparable in scale and product mix though diversified across multiple nutrient categories beyond QAFCO's nitrogen focus.
• ICL Group: Israel-based specialty fertilizers, potash, and phosphate producer; broader nutrient portfolio than QAFCO but overlapping on industrial chemicals, melamine, and specialty nitrogen-adjacent products.
• Mosaic Company: US-based major phosphate and potash producer with global distribution; adjacent in crop nutrient space though more focused on P and K than nitrogen, sharing the same agricultural buyer base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Qafco