ICL Specialty Fertilizers

What ICL Specialty Fertilizers does

ICL Specialty Fertilizers (legal entity: ICL Growing Solutions) is the specialty plant-nutrition division of Israel Chemicals Ltd (ICL Group, NYSE: ICL). The company develops, manufactures, and distributes a portfolio of specialty fertilizers — including controlled-release fertilizers, water-soluble and liquid fertilizers, organic fertilizers, biostimulants, micronutrients, premium turf grass seeds, and the proprietary Polysulphate natural multi-nutrient product — for three customer segments: commercial agriculture (primary), ornamental horticulture, and turf and landscape professionals. Manufacturing is anchored on a vertically integrated mineral base that includes natural potash from the Dead Sea, phosphate from Israel's Negev (Rotem), and the Boulby Polysulphate deposit in the UK, supplemented by 14 production facilities across the US, Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Brazil, Israel, the UK, and China. Two R&D centers — the ICL R&D Bio Hub in Ness Ziona (focused on biostimulants and biological solutions) and the Heerlen R&D Center in the Netherlands (focused on coated and blended fertilizer technologies) — support the innovation pipeline, with the 2025-launched EQO-X sub-brand representing the company's sustainability-positioned growth platform.

The business operates a hybrid go-to-market model. The primary motion is enterprise field sales: on-site agronomists design customized multi-season plant nutrition plans for growers, supported by a network ICL describes as the world's largest of agronomists and plant nutrition experts. A second motion is digital and regional: more than 40 country-specific websites and regional offices across Europe, the Americas, Asia/Oceania, and Africa serve as localized demand-generation and e-commerce touchpoints. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; quotes are tailored to customer and geography. Revenue is generated predominantly through hardware-style product sales of fertilizer SKUs, with no software, subscription, or licensing revenue lines disclosed. The company is signatory to the Responsible Care Global Charter and an Associate Member of GLOBAL G.A.P., and it holds 2025 Gold Globee and Platinum TITAN sustainability awards tied to EQO-X.

ICL Specialty Fertilizers functions as a wholly owned division of ICL Group and inherits the parent's balance sheet, mineral reserves, and global infrastructure. The strategic posture is that of a vertically integrated, R&D-led specialty fertilizer incumbent pivoting toward higher-margin, sustainability-positioned product lines (biostimulants, EQO-X, Polysulphate) and broader geographic reach, while continuing to serve commodity-adjacent markets through its heritage potash and phosphate production.

Name

ICL Specialty Fertilizers

Legal name

ICL Growing Solutions

Website

https://icl-sf.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

ICL Specialty Fertilizers (ICL Growing Solutions) is the specialty plant-nutrition division of ICL Group, producing controlled-release, water-soluble, organic, and biostimulant fertilizers plus the proprietary Polysulphate product for commercial farmers, ornamental growers, and turf professionals across more than 40 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Fertilizers

NAICS

Fertilizer and Compost Manufacturing (32531), Pesticide, Fertilizer, and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing (3253), Nitrogenous Fertilizer Manufacturing (325311), Phosphatic Fertilizer Manufacturing (325312), Fertilizer (Mixing Only) Manufacturing (325314)

SIC

Agricultural Chemicals (2870)

akta.pro primary industry

Controlled-Release & Stabilized Fertilizers (Inhibitors/Coatings) (IMAEAEAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

NPK & Compound/Blended Fertilizers (IMAEAEAD), Liquid Specialty Fertilizers (Suspensions, Solutions, UAN Blends) (AFABACAF), Specialty Fertilizers for Horticulture & Controlled Environment (Greenhouse, Hydroponic, Nursery) (AFABACAL), Micronutrient & Secondary-Nutrient Fertilizers (IMAEAEAE)

Keywords

• Specialty fertilizers
• Controlled-release fertilizers
• Water-soluble fertilizers
• Plant nutrition solutions
• Biostimulant products

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Specialty Fertilizer Products: ICL generates revenue through the sale of specialty fertilizers including controlled-release fertilizers, water-soluble fertilizers, organic fertilizers, biostimulants, and Polysulphate. Products are sold to farmers, turf professionals, and ornamental growers globally through their network of production facilities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

ICL Specialty Fertilizers manufactures and sells a portfolio of specialty plant nutrition products, including controlled-release fertilizers, water-soluble fertilizers, organic fertilizers, biostimulants, and Polysulphate (a natural low-carbon 4-in-1 fertilizer). The company serves commercial farmers, turf professionals, and ornamental growers across three segments: Agriculture, Ornamental Horticulture, and Turf & Landscape, with 14 global production facilities and dedicated R&D centers.

Product overview

ICL Specialty Fertilizers offers a comprehensive portfolio of plant nutrition solutions organized across three main segments: Agriculture, Ornamental Horticulture, and Turf & Landscape. The core product lineup includes Controlled-Release Fertilizers (specialty fertilizers with precision nutrient release), Organic Products (certified organic fertilizers), Biostimulants (biological solutions developed at ICL's dedicated R&D Bio Hub), Water-Soluble Fertilizers (for precision agriculture), Polysulphate (natural low-carbon 4-in-1 fertilizer), Liquid Fertilizers, Premium Turf Grass Seeds, and Micronutrients. These products are manufactured at ICL's global network of production facilities including sites in the USA (Fresno, Adel, Charleston), Netherlands (Heerlen, Amfert), UK (Boulby), Israel (Dead Sea Works, Haifa, Rotem), Spain, Brazil (Suzano), and China (YPH), with innovation driven by R&D centers in Israel and the Netherlands.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EQO-X: Sustainability-focused product line that won Gold Globee Award and 2025 Platinum TITAN Business Award for Sustainable Agriculture Innovation
• Polysulphate
• Controlled-Release Fertilizers
• Organic Products
• Biostimulants

Products and services

• Controlled-Release Fertilizers Specialty fertilizers with controlled nutrient release designed for precise plant feeding across agriculture, horticulture, and turf applications.
• Organic Products Organic fertilizers compliant with sustainable and organic farming standards for environmentally conscious plant nutrition.
• Biostimulants Next-generation biological solutions and biostimulants developed at the ICL R&D Bio Hub for sustainable agriculture, supporting plant growth and stress resistance.
• Water-Soluble Fertilizers Liquid and water-soluble fertilizers supporting precision agriculture, produced at facilities including ICL Growing Solutions Haifa and ICL Growing Solutions Adel.
• Polysulphate Natural low-carbon 4-in-1 fertilizer produced at ICL Growing Solutions Boulby in the UK, combining multiple essential nutrients.
• Liquid Fertilizers Liquid and water-soluble fertilizers produced for agriculture and turf applications at ICL Growing Solutions Adel facility in Georgia, USA.
• Premium Turf Grass Seeds Advanced turf grass seeds and fertilizers for faster greens, stronger fields, and greener parks targeting turf professionals.
• Micronutrients Targeted micronutrient solutions delivering high-performance nutrition for plants alongside controlled-release fertilizers.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• OCI Global: Dutch producer of nitrogen fertilizers and chemicals with growing specialty fertilizer exposure. Comparable European production footprint and end-market overlap, particularly in water-soluble fertilizers.
• Nutrien Ag Solutions: Retail and specialty crop solutions arm of Nutrien, the world's largest fertilizer producer. Comparable in global reach, agronomic advisory model, and portfolio breadth across specialty and commodity fertilizers.
• K+S AG: German potash and salt producer with a growing specialty fertilizers business. Comparable vertically integrated potash production and European distribution footprint, though less focused on controlled-release technology.
• The Mosaic Company: U.S.-based phosphate and potash producer with specialty crop nutrition products. Comparable in phosphate production and global distribution, with overlap in ICL's Rotem and YPH China operations' end markets.
• Yara International: Norwegian global leader in nitrogen-based fertilizers and specialty crop nutrition. Comparable in scale, global production footprint, and diversification into specialty products, though broader portfolio includes commodity nitrogen.

Direct peers

• COMPO EXPERT: German specialty fertilizer company focused on turf, ornamentals, and horticulture with a strong portfolio of controlled-release and slow-release fertilizers. Directly comparable product offering and customer segments (turf, ornamental).
• Haifa Group: Israeli-based specialty fertilizer manufacturer producing water-soluble fertilizers, controlled-release fertilizers, and plant nutrition solutions. Closely comparable product portfolio and end markets to ICL Specialty Fertilizers, including a focus on precision agriculture.
• SQM (Sociedad Química y Minera): Chilean specialty plant nutrition company with strong positions in water-soluble fertilizers, potassium-based specialty products, and horticulture/ornamental segments. Comparable target markets and specialty product mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ICLSpecialtyFertilizers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/icl-sf

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries15 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 ICL Specialty Fertilizers