NEXTCHEM secures major China urea project using NX STAMI™ Ultra-Low Energy technology, cutting steam, water use, and boosting fertilizer sustainability.
MAIRE has announced that its subsidiary NEXTCHEM has secured a significant contract in China for the licensing, process design package (PDP), and supply of proprietary equipment for a new large-scale urea production facility. The award was granted to NEXTCHEM through its nitrogen technology licensor Stamicarbon by a leading fertilizer manufacturer located in Eastern China. The project will be based on the company’s proprietary NX STAMI™ Urea technology, reinforcing MAIRE’s position as a key technology provider in the global fertilizer and nitrogen solutions market.
The new urea plant is designed for a production capacity of approximately 2,700 metric tons per day, positioning it among the larger facilities of its kind in the region. The project will incorporate Stamicarbon’s Ultra-Low Energy design, a cutting-edge solution within the broader NX STAMI™ Urea technology portfolio. This advanced configuration has been developed to significantly reduce the environmental footprint of urea production while maintaining high operational efficiency and product quality.
Compared with conventional urea production technologies, the Ultra-Low Energy design delivers substantial efficiency gains. Specifically, the solution enables a reduction of around 35% in steam consumption and approximately 16% less cooling water usage. These improvements are achieved through the optimized use of high-pressure steam and an innovative pool reactor configuration that enhances heat integration and overall process efficiency. Such reductions are particularly important in China, where energy optimization and water conservation are becoming increasingly critical for industrial projects.
In addition to energy and resource savings, the technology also ensures superior product quality. The NX STAMI™ Urea process results in very low biuret content in the final urea output, which is a crucial parameter for fertilizer performance and crop safety. Furthermore, the plant will produce high-quality urea prills, made possible by Stamicarbon’s advanced prilling tower design. This design supports consistent granule size, improved mechanical strength, and better handling characteristics during storage and transportation.
As part of the contract scope, NEXTCHEM will supply key proprietary equipment essential to the process. Core components such as the pool reactor and the stripper will be manufactured using E-type super duplex stainless steel. This material choice reflects Stamicarbon’s deep expertise in materials science and its ability to select alloys that deliver enhanced corrosion resistance, mechanical strength, and long-term reliability under demanding operating conditions typical of urea synthesis.
Commenting on the award, Fabio Fritelli, Managing Director of NEXTCHEM, highlighted the strategic importance of the project. He noted that this facility represents the tenth global application of the Ultra-Low Energy urea technology and the eighth implementation in China alone. Seven similar plants are already operational, clearly demonstrating the technology’s benchmark status in terms of energy efficiency for large-scale urea production. According to Fritelli, the new contract further consolidates NEXTCHEM’s presence in China and underscores the company’s strong commitment to supporting the fertilizer industry’s transition toward more sustainable and resource-efficient production methods through continuous technological innovation.
