Orascom Construction Industries (OCI) announced today that its wholly owned subsidiary Iowa Fertilizer Company (IFCo) will build a new greenfield nitrogen fertilizer production plant in southeast Iowa to supply customers in the U.S. corn belt.  The new plant will be located in Wever, within Lee County near the Mississippi River.  Iowa is the top corn producing state in the United States and has the highest use of nitrogen-based fertilizer in the nation. IFCo's new plant will be the first world scale natural gas-based fertilizer plant built in the United States in nearly 25 years and will help reduce the country's dependence on imported fertilizers which exceeds 15 million metric tons of ammonia, urea, and urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) annually.

IFCo's new plant will utilize proven state-of-the-art production process technologies from world leaders. Kellogg Brown & Root LLC (KBR), Maire Tecnimont Stamicarbon (Tecnimont), and ThyssenKrupp Uhde (Uhde) have been selected to supply the process technologies for the plant which will produce between 1.5 - 2 million metric tons per year of ammonia, urea, urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) as well as diesel exhaust fluid (DEF), an environmentally-friendly fluid used to reduce emissions in diesel engines. Construction work on the plant is scheduled to begin later this year and will be completed by mid 2015.

The total investment cost is estimated to be US$ 1.4 billion and will be fundedwith a combination of equity and a tax-exempt bond issuance. The Iowa Finance Authority (IFA) has authorized IFCo to access bonding capacity under its private activity tax-exempt Midwestern Disaster Area bond program.  In addition, the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) board unanimously approved a comprehensive state financial incentive package expected to provide state tax relief in the order of US$ 100 million.  The Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) board will also consider financial assistance for project-related public infrastructure improvements.

The state of Iowa Governor, Terry Branstad, commented "I am pleased to welcome OCI to Iowa.  Their project is the largest investment ever made in our state.  The Iowa Fertilizer Company will bring high-paying permanent jobs to Lee County and will create approximately 2,500 construction jobs over the next three years. We believe this major capital investment will help invigorate economic development in an area of the state which has previously experienced significant challenges. We look forward to working closely with OCI and itsmanagement to ensure the successful completion of their project."

OCI Chief Executive Officer, Nassef Sawiris, commented "OCI is pleased to have selected the state of Iowa for its North American expansion and is looking forward to helping bring permanent jobs and significant economic activity to Lee County and the state.  Iowa Fertilizer Company is well-positioned to supply nitrogen-based fertilizer products to farmers in the corn belt and help reduce their substantial reliance on annual imports of fertilizer into the country. We intend to expand our presence in the United States and most recently agreed to acquire the Weitz Company, an Iowa-based construction company, which will play a major role in the construction of our new fertilizer plant."

About Orascom Construction Industries

OCI is one of Egypt's largest corporations employing more than 72,000 people in 35 countries around the globe.  The OCI Fertilizer Group owns and operates nitrogenfertilizer plants in Egypt, the Netherlands, the United States, and Algeria and has an international distribution platform spanning from the Americas to Asia.  The OCI Fertilizer Group ranks among the world's top fertilizer producers with a production capacity which will exceed 7.0 million metric tons in 2012.  The OCI Construction Group provides international engineering and construction services primarily on infrastructure, industrial and high-end commercial projects in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa for public and privateclients.  The OCI Construction Group ranks among the world's top global contractors.

(DES MOINES) - Branstad and Lt. Gov. Reynolds celebrated the single largest capital investment project in the history of the state and called on lawmakers to turn their focus to income tax reform during the next legislative session. They joined representatives of the Iowa Fertilizer Company to announce their final selection of a Lee County site for their $1.4 billion project that will create 165 permanent jobs and more than 2,000 construction-related jobs.

To successfully compete for this project, Iowa had to offer incentives to overcome its current corporate income tax structure.  The governor used this project as an example of why tax reform is necessary.

"If our income tax structure was more competitive, we would be better able to compete for job and capital investment creation projects like this one. It also will level the playing field for our existing Iowa companies, allowing them to grow and create even more jobs," said Branstad.

Iowa Fertilizer Company is a subsidiary of Orascom Construction Industries, one of the world's largest fertilizer producers.  The new plant would supply needed ammonia and other nitrogen fertilizers to farmers in Iowa and the Midwest.   

Lt. Governor Reynolds added, "In addition to the jobs and massive capital investment this project will mean for Iowa, it also will have a tremendous impact for our ag economy. In fact, when this fertilizer plant comes online, it could save Iowa farmers hundreds of millions of dollars annually."

In February 2012, the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) Board awarded Iowa Fertilizer Company incentives to locate in Lee County, Iowa. Due to some unforeseen challenges with the original site, the company resumed its search for a suitable location and was pursued by other states to locate outside of Iowa. 

Earlier today, the IEDA Board met to amend its original award to ensure Iowa would win this project. The amendment that was passed includes an increase to the investment tax credit portion of the High Quality Jobs award, increasing the total tax credits to $57.5 million. The IEDA board will also be asked to consider future amendments in FY14 and FY15 to increase the ITC portion of the award by $25 million in each of those years. If the board passes those amendments, the final award to Iowa Fertilizer Co. would amount to $100 million of tax credits. The direct financial assistance award remains unchanged at $1.6 million (half loan, half forgivable loan). 

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Planning already is underway to mark the 50th anniversaryof the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on Nov. 22, 2013. Commemorative events in Dallas and in churches across the country are being organized. TV host Bill O'Reilly is set to release a new book, "Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot," this fall, and a feature movie, "The Kennedy Detail," is planned for release next fall.

"As people ponder the legacy of President Kennedy and his 'Camelot,' it's a good time to revisit the original Camelot of King Arthur legend, and I have compelling new evidence about where it may have been located," says art expert Terry Stanfill, author of Realms of Gold: Ritual to Romance (realmsofgoldthenovel.blogspot.com), a novel of ancient history and modern romance that posits her new theory about Camelot.

"The Arthurian legend is so ancient, and yet it has been one of the most enduring interests in Western civilization," she says. "It's exciting to think that after all of these centuries, we have a strong case for a real Camelot."

Educated in Medieval history, Stanfill has traveled extensively through Asia and Europe, particularly France and Italy, and researched the art and artifacts. She offers this primer on King Arthur, including her own surprising theory about the true location of the original Camelot:

• The legend
Arthur as king was first mentioned in "The History of the Kings of Britain" by Geoffrey of Monmouth, 1100-1155. A generation later, Chrétien de Troyes, a French bard and poet, began to weave stories about King Arthur's court, introducing the characters Lancelot, Guinevere and Perceval. He was the first to mention Camelot, King Arthur's home, describing it as "a place by a river, surrounded by forests and plains beyond."

• The reality
Toward the end of the Roman Empire, circa 450 AD, Arthur Riothamus, King of the Britons, was hired by the Romans to fight off invading Goths and Visigoths. There is documentation from multiple sources that Arthur spent a lot of time in Burgundy, France. He died after a battle near Bourges and was taken by his men to Avallon in France, a town that had existed for centuries. This is fact, not fiction.

• Avalon
While many people believe the mystical Avalon of Arthurian legend was in England, perhaps near Glastonbury, there is no record of a place called Avalon in that country.The Avallon region of France, however, has long existed. It was and still is known for its fruit trees and vines, much like the lush island of legend.

• Camelot
While many presume Camelot was in England, the extraordinary discovery in 2007 of the remains of an ancient community on Mont Lassois in France makes Stanfill wonder if this was actually the true Camelot. The community is near Avallon, and among the buildings unearthed there appear to be the remnants of a palace, including a great hall, where there is evidence of feasting.

"When Chrétien de Troyes wrote of Camelot, this place may have been held in the memory of the locals as a place where peace, prosperity and the good life held a long reign," Stanfill says. "His vision was a nostalgic tribute to a distant, golden age of tranquility that was on this hilltop."

Stage director Manfred Flynn Kuhnert, an Arthurian legend aficionado and teaching fellow at Harvard College, says Stanfill offers the most compelling evidence he's heard for the historical existence of Camelot and its location in France.

"The citadel of Latisco on Mont Lassois -- a site of palatial buildings unprecedented in the Celtic world - is not far from Avallon," Kuhnert says. "Arthur Riothamus' time in Burgundy is documented, and we know that the first person to write about Arthur was the bard Chrétien, who lived in the area.

"This place is exactly as he described it: 'on a hill, a place by a river, surrounded by forests, with plains beyond.' Terry Stanfill may well have it right."

About Terry Stanfill

Terry Stanfill holds a degree in English literature with a minor in medieval history. She is an Overseer of the Huntington Library in San Marino, Calif. An enthusiastic preservationist, she was decorated by the president of Italy with the Ordine al Merito, Cavaliere della Repubblica Italiana, and more recently as Commendatore, for her fundraising efforts for the restoration of San Pietro di Castello, the ancient cathedral of Venice. She is a former international representative for Christie's auction house and former director of Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, Calif. "Realms of Gold: Ritual to Romance" is her third novel. Her first two are "The Blood Remembers" and "A Tale of the Fortuny Gown." Stanfill is married to Dennis Stanfill, former CEO of 20th Century Fox and MGM Studios.

Participants Raise Critically Needed Funds for Alzheimer's Care, Support and Research

[Davenport, IA 52807] - The Alzheimer's Association is inviting Quad-City residents to unite in a movement to reclaim the future for millions by participating in the Alzheimer's Association Walk to End Alzheimer's. The I Wireless in Moline, IL will be the site of Walk on Saturday, September 8th at 9:00 a.m.

Walk to End Alzheimer's is more than a walk. It is an experience for the thousand participants in the Quad-Cities who will learn about Alzheimer's disease and how to get involved with this critical cause, from advocacy opportunities, the latest in Alzheimer's research and clinical trial enrollment to support programs and services.  Each walker will also join in a meaningful ceremony to honor those affected by Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease is a growing epidemic and is now the nation's sixth-leading cause of death. As baby boomers age, the number of individuals living with Alzheimer's disease will rapidly escalate, increasing well beyond today's estimated 5.4 million Americans living with Alzheimer's. In addition to the 2.5 mile walk participants will enjoy vendors, hospitality and a special tribute to those who have experienced or are experiencing Alzheimer's. Start or join a team today at alz.org/walk

"There has never been a greater need for the citizens of the Quad-Cities to join in the fight against Alzheimer's disease by participating in Walk to End Alzheimer's," said Joni Johnson, an Alzheimer's Association Community Relations Coordinator. "Funds raised will provide care and support services to the 279,00 plus residents of Illinois & Iowa living with Alzheimer's, while also contributing to advancing critically-needed research."

About the Alzheimer's Association Walk to End Alzheimer's:

The Alzheimer's Association Walk to End Alzheimer's is the nation's largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer's care, support and research. Since 1989, the Alzheimer's Association mobilized millions of Americans in the Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk®; now the Alzheimer's Association is continuing to lead the way with Walk to End Alzheimer's. Together, we can end Alzheimer's - the nation's sixth-leading cause of death.

About the Alzheimer's Association:

The Alzheimer's Association is the world's leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer care, support and research. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer's disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health.

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