Project Overview
In 2026, Phoenix Equipment completed the sale and full relocation of a 500 TPD nitric acid plant from Canada to Türkiye. The project covered plant selection, technical review, commercial negotiation, dismantlement, export preparation, inland transportation, port operations, and ocean freight.
More than 1 million pounds of machinery and equipment were exported as part of the relocation. The shipment included 15 break-bulk pieces and 15 40-foot sea containers, requiring different handling methods for oversized equipment, smaller process components, controls, piping, and auxiliary systems.
The Challenge
The buyer was developing nitric acid production capacity to supply a critical raw material for ammonium nitrate manufacturing. Rather than starting with a new-build project, the company approached Phoenix to identify an existing plant that could be acquired quickly, evaluated with confidence, and relocated on a defined schedule.
That meant proven process technology, documented operating history, good equipment condition, and a complete technical package all were important. The relocation itself added another layer of complexity because major equipment included oversized columns, heavy vessels, boilers, intercoolers, economizers, and a precisely positioned compressor train. The plant had to be dismantled, documented, packed, and transported to Türkiye while preserving the information and physical configuration needed for reinstallation.
Plant Selection & Technical Due Diligence
Phoenix identified a complete 500 TPD nitric acid plant in Canada using the Weatherly mono high-pressure process. The plant provided the capacity and process configuration the buyer required and was available as an existing production facility rather than a new engineering and fabrication project.
Phoenix organized the technical documentation needed for the buyer's evaluation, coordinated site inspections, and arranged technical discussions with former plant personnel. The buyer was able to review the equipment, operating history, process information, and plant documentation before moving forward with the transaction.
Phoenix also used its chemical-industry network to help the buyer explore potential options for improving process efficiency as part of the future plant redevelopment.
Precision Dismantlement of Installed Equipment
Much of the plant remained fully installed and integrated at the Canadian site. The dismantlement scope included the absorption column, compressor train, boilers, intercoolers, economizers, and other major process equipment.
Phoenix coordinated engineering and lift planning before removal began. Hazardous materials, including asbestos, were addressed as part of the work, while large equipment was rigged and removed with heavy cranes. Components were cut or separated where necessary, then marked, tagged, and documented to support future reassembly.
The dismantlement strategy focused on preserving both the equipment and the information needed to support reassembly and reinstallation at the buyer's new site. This was especially important for interconnected systems such as the compressor train and other precisely positioned equipment.
Heavy Lift & Oversized Transport
The absorption column presented one of the most demanding parts of the relocation. The column weighed approximately 145,000 pounds and stood roughly 70 feet tall, requiring a dedicated lifting and transportation plan.
Phoenix worked with a local engineering company to design and manufacture a lifting lug specifically for the column. The equipment was then prepared for removal, loaded for heavy-haul transport, and moved toward the export port using specialized transport equipment.
The inland move required route planning, permitting, controlled movement, and specialized support arrangements. Saddles and other transport supports were fabricated to protect the column during transportation.
Export Packing & Shipment Preparation
Once dismantled, the plant equipment was staged and prepared for international export. Smaller process equipment, parts, controls, and auxiliary systems were packed into 15 40-foot sea containers, while 15 oversized pieces were prepared for break-bulk shipment.
The export preparation included custom crating, VCI preservation, moisture protection, saddle fabrication, and lashing and securing plans for ocean transport. In total, the shipment exceeded 1 million pounds.
Phoenix worked with a Canadian logistics company and the buyer's logistics agent to coordinate the export documentation, including the Export Declaration, Commercial Invoice, Packing List, and other shipping records required to move the plant out of Canada and into Türkiye.
Port Operations & Ocean Freight
The final stage of the relocation required coordinating heavy equipment through the port and onto the ocean vessel. Phoenix worked with the port, ocean carrier, and logistics partners to manage receiving, staging, crane operations, stowage, and final loading.
Some of the largest pieces required tandem-lift crane operations at the port. Careful coordination helped maintain the shipping schedule and control demurrage and port charges.
From the Canadian site through final shipment to Türkiye, Phoenix remained involved in coordinating the equipment movement and documentation across the different contractors and logistics providers.
Project Outcome
From initial inquiry through final delivery, the project took approximately one year.
The buyer acquired an existing 500 TPD nitric acid plant at significantly lower capital cost than comparable new construction and avoided approximately 36 months of design, fabrication, and construction lead time. The dismantlement work was completed well before the buyer's final shipping arrangements were in place, allowing the equipment to be prepared and staged without delaying the overall project.
The result was a complete nitric acid production plant transferred from an idle Canadian site to a new industrial application in Türkiye.
Project Highlights
- Plant: 500 TPD Nitric Acid Plant (Stock # 369)
- Process: Weatherly Mono High-Pressure
- Original Location: Canada
- Destination: Türkiye
- Project Completion: 2026
- Project Duration: Approximately 1 Year
- Equipment Exported: More Than 1 Million Pounds
- Sea Containers: 15 x 40'
- Largest Notable Component: 145,000 lb, 70 ft Absorption Column
- Phoenix Scope: Plant Sourcing, Technical Review, Dismantlement, Export Preparation and International Logistics
- Buyer Benefit: Significant Capital Savings and Approximately 36 Months of New-Build Lead-Time Avoidance
Coordinating Technical Preservation and Logistics
A complete plant relocation succeeds only when the dismantlement plan and the logistics plan are built around the same objective: preserving the equipment and information needed for reinstallation.
In this project, Phoenix coordinated technical review, match-marking, heavy lifting, export preparation, port operations, and ocean freight as parts of one relocation program. That allowed a complete 500 TPD nitric acid plant to move from Canada to Türkiye while preserving the assets and documentation required for the buyer's next phase of development.