About Yara UK

Our history is living proof of our commitment and consistency all the way from the beginning in the UK in 1843, through our acquisition by Norsk Hydro in 1982 until today. 

Yara can look back on more than 170 years of business in the UK developing and supplying high quality plant nutrient products for farmers and growers and more recently suppliers to the amenity and protected glasshouse sectors. Since the start in 1843 until today, the company's main focus has been to be a leading crop nutrition provider specializing in nitrogen fertilisers and latterly industrial products.

With different company names and acquisitions, evolving from Fisons, to Yara UK Limited via Norsk Hydro and Hydro Agri whilst incorporating Chafer liquid fertilisers and Phosyn foliar and micro-nutrient products, the company has provided customers in the UK with superior products, services and the best advice.

The history of Yara mirrors the history of the mineral fertiliser manufacturing industry. 

Our UK founding fathers “The Fisons Group” started the Company’s first production of phosphate fertilisers by dissolving bones in sulphuric acid in 1843. In Norway in 1905 the world’s first production of nitrogen fertiliser based on the Birkeland Eyde invention using hydroelectric power to extract nitrogen from the air was started by Norsk Hydro. Large scale liquid fertiliser production began in the UK in the 1960’s which included the Chafer liquid company, which was formed in 1902.

Norsk Hydro acquired Fisons Fertilizers in 1982, Chafer in 1991 and Phosyn in 2006. The Company became known as Yara UK Limited in 2004. 

Since these early beginnings Yara has been a global pioneer in the plant nutrition industry. The Company’s main aim is to be a leading crop nutrition provider specializing in lower carbon footprint nitrogen fertilisers. With our focus on nutrient use efficiency for a wide range of crops worldwide, we have developed products with the lowest environmental impact and site specific precision tools to help the end user maximize the return from their investment and use. 

Our history shows how the company has developed, grown and been supported by a growing market. It also shows the early globalisation of the company and the development and consolidation of the fertiliser industry. During the later years the development of the industrial market and the increased focus on environmental products mark two additional important milestones.

Built on our strong heritage as a founder and pioneering Company in the mineral fertiliser industry and since 1982 marketed in the UK with the well-known and trusted Viking Ship branding, Yara is a Norwegian based company which converts energy, natural minerals and nitrogen into the full range of crop nutrition products and a wide range of industrial applications. 

Today, Yara retains its global position as a leading provider of nitrogen based mineral fertilisers and industrial products. The company is the global leader in ammonia, nitrates and specialty fertilisers.

It is the only Company in the UK able to supply the full range of plant nutrient products including – as solid dry applied products via theYaraMila, YaraBela and YaraLiva product families – as clear solution liquid Yara Chafer liquids - and as foliar, fertigation and micro-nutrient YaraVita products - and others. 

With continuous operations in more than 50 countries and sales in 150 countries, Yara enjoys a unique position in the world’s fertiliser and industrial market. Together with world-scale plants manufacturing mineral fertilisers Yara’s activities today range from phosphate mining and ammonia/urea production, to commodity trade and highly specialised agriculture and industrial products. The production and sales are based on deep global insight and local market knowledge. 

To enable us to develop the correct balance of plant nutrient products, Yara is committed to an extensive global R & D field trials programme and using the latest technologies ( including remote sensing and Apps) to deliver advice to farmers for the crop in the field.