QAFCO's train 5 launched, train 6 on track

Industries Qatar Company QSC (IQ) confirmed the commercial launch of the group's Qafco 5 ammonia and urea plant. Startup of the Qafco 5 plant is under progress with one ammonia / urea train operating at around 80% utilisation since the end of February 2012, IQ said in a press release published today at Qatar Exchange website. The second ammonia plant is still subject to ongoing work, and is expected to start up towards the end of the first half of the year. Qafco 6 is in schedule, with startup planned for the end of Q3 2012. The IQ group currently consists of 4 major companies. When first established in 2003, the group did not have any ownership interests in any other subsidiaries and joint ventures. Now, many of these companies have themselves invested in subsidiaries and joint ventures thereby significantly expanding the size of the group.