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WORK LIFE
QUEEN OF THE
HIGH SEAS
Carolina Asenjo Riquelme is at
home on the seven seas. As third
mate, she navigates Empremar’s
new bulk carrier.
» Page 6
SALT
MORE SUCCESS
THROUGH BETTER
TEAMWORK
The salt business is becoming
more collaborative. This is how
the global market leader is
preparing for the future.
» Page 3
POTASH
HIGHER YIELDS
THROUGH PROPER
FERTILIZATION
Almonds are experiencing a
comeback as a health food. K+S
supplies mineral fertilizers to help
produce larger almond crops.
» Page 12
CAREERS
GREATER EXPERTISE
THROUGH TARGETED
TRAINING
Working abroad requires the right
skills. Practical tips and background
information for K+S
employees.
» Page 8

2
WORLDWIDE WELTWEIT / MONDE / GLOBAL / MUNDO
Industry news, company news, and news
from our sites around the world.
Dear colleagues,
Delivering solutions is the motto
of the financial report that we
just published a few short weeks
ago. This particular motto was
chosen because we use our
resources to deliver solutions
that meet a wide range of needs
in many different areas and
fields. Our highly impressive
figures for 2012 are proof that
we once again were able to
deliver this past year. We generated
revenues of approximately
EUR 3.9 billion and an operating
result of EUR 809 million. Naturally,
this should not stop us from
being fully committed to developing
and delivering solutions,
while at the same time bringing
our vast expertise to bear on the
process. Because that is what
you, our valued employees, do
each and every day.
Some examples of this exceptional
performance include when
K+S researchers develop an environmentally
friendly process
(p. 22), when an international
team works together to get the
most out of our resources to create
a new product (p. 16), or
when an entire business unit
pools its collective skills and expertise
to help meet future challenges
(p. 3). And because today
people from many different
countries and cultures work together
under one roof at K+S,
even the most dedicated employees
still need to work at
overcoming linguistic and regional
barriers. You can learn about
what you need to take into account
in the process and how
people from different cultures
come together in many different
ways on page 8. We hope you enjoy
reading this issue!
Chairman of the Executive Board
at K+S Aktiengesellschaft
ECONOMIC TALKS
GERMAN CHANCELLOR
PRAISES K+S
SANTIAGO / In her speech at
the EU-CELAC Economic Summit
in Santiago de Chile, German
Chancellor Angela
Merkel made a point of praising
the K+S Group’s dedication:
“We have some truly
outstanding companies in
Chile. I would like to mention
K+S AG in particular, which
holds a stake in South America’s
largest salt production
company.” Alongside other
high-ranking representatives
of German companies, Chairman
of the Executive Board at
K+S, Norbert Steiner, accompanied
the Chancellor to
Chile. There, the delegation
was welcomed by Chilean
President Sebastián Pinera (R),
among others.
TRADE FAIR
K+S AT THE WORLD’S LARGEST
AGRICULTURAL TRADE FAIR
BERLIN / K+S KALI GmbH was
one of the exhibitors at the
International Green Week in
Berlin, where it had its own
informational stand. During
the 10-day trade fair, some
400,000 visitors had the
opportunity to learn more
about the importance of
balanced fertilization and
potash mining in Germany.
The booth also presented K+S
KALI GmbH’s production
sites. “Interest in potash as a
EMPLOYEE SURVEY
THE FOCUS IS NOW ON IMPLEMENTATION
WORLDWIDE / Last year, the
Executive Board published
the results of the first K+S
Group employee survey for
staff around the world to
read – and the results were
quite impressive indeed. But
there’s still a lot of work to be
done. The implementation of
specific measures at the
company’s many different
sites and business units has
already begun. These 100+
measures encompass a broad
WORKING
03 Salt Companies Pull
Together
06 Carolina Asenjo at the
Helm of SPL’s New Cargo
Ship
08 Do You Speak
International?
range of issues, covering
everything from the
development of specialized
tools for HR development to
effective cooperation and
LIVING
12 Almond Growing in
California’s Central
Valley
16 Bathing in Epsom Salt –
A Miracle Mineral
raw material, our fertilizers,
and mining in Germany was
gratifyingly high,” says
Friedhelm Mester, Head of
Communication and Trade
Policy at K+S KALI GmbH. The
International Green Week is
the world’s largest trade fair
for agriculture, nutrition, and
gardening. More than
1,600 exhibitors from
67 countries participated this
year, representing a new
record for the event.
improvements in the area of
health management and
safety. Management-level
staff and employees around
the world now have the
opportunity to discuss and
agree upon further measures.
As early as April of this year,
poster boards will be placed
at all sites around the world
to give staff the chance to
add their own ideas and
suggestions on what other
measures might be needed.
LEARNING
18 How Salt Came to Europe
from the Antilles
21 A Closer Look: A Miner’s
Helmet
22 How Does the ESTA
Process Work?
24 Salt in Culture
GLOBAL FOOD SUPPLY
FIGHTING HUNGER
TOGETHER
BERLIN / ‘New Alliance for Nutrition
and Food Security’ is
the name of the initiative to
fight global hunger, one in
which K+S is also actively taking
part. Member of the K+S
Executive Board Gerd Grimmig
met with fellow partners in
the initiative at a conference
held in Berlin, including prominent
figures such as Bill Gates
(R) and Federal Minister of
Development Dirk Niebel (L).
ON-THE-JOB SAFETY
AWARD FOR OUR
BRAZILIAN COLLEAGUES
RIO DE JANEIRO / In December
2012, SPL’s Brazilian subsidiary
Salina Diamante Branco received
an award in recognition
of its excellent working conditions.
The sea salt producer
was selected from among the
50 companies who were up
for consideration in the category
‘Healthy and Secure
Labor Environment at Work.’
The prize was awarded by the
Rio Grande Industry Association.
Congratulations!
SHARING
25 Daniel Marques Travels
Through Portugal in the
Name of Salt
28 Record Time in the
Crystal Marathon in
Merkers
30 A Soft Spot for Giants
Title: Octavio López Alvalos, thinkstock Photos p. 2: K+S, Messe Berlin, Raum 11/Frank Zappner, thinkstock (2), photoshot, KircherBurkhardt

WORKING ARBEITEN
/ TRAVAILLER / TRABAJAR / TRABALHAR
3
PULLING TOGETHER
AROUND THE WORLD
Three large, regional entities, one shared product:
salt. Under the umbrella of K+S and the leadership
of Mark Roberts, the new member of the Executive
Board, esco, Morton Salt, and SPL are growing even
closer together. This is good for customers – and
for the employees of these companies.
BY CHRISTIN BERNHARDT
In a business unit that shares one
product, yet is represented in very
different countries and markets, it
takes both small and big steps to improve
collaboration and strengthen the
feeling of solidarity. In a letter addressed
to the employees of all of the salt businesses,
Mark Roberts made it known in
last November how he sees the future of
the salt business unit at K+S: as a shared
group effort in which the individual units
become more cohesive and collaborative,
and pull together. Currently, several
working groups are intensely involved
in the process of developing a long-term
strategy for the business unit. The main
findings of their work are scheduled to
be presented sometime around the middle
of the year.
A more harmonized approach is important
for a variety of reasons. Although the
salt business is generally a regional business,
many customers also want to work
together with a company that thinks and
acts on a global level. The Business Unit
Salt can also utilize our extensive production
operations to take advantage of
strong market fluctuations, as we’ve seen
recently in road and pharmaceutical salt
markets. Additionally, intensive work in
one region can provide direct and immediate
value to another, for example developments
in packaging techniques, research
and development activities, and
supply chain tools. But this inter-regional
value can only be realized if the individual
regional entities are closely and actively
cooperating with CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
»
CHRISTIAN
HERRMANN
Morton Salt
ALEXA
HERGENRÖTHER
SPL
MARK
ROBERTS
K+S AG
ERICH
KRUG
esco
MATTHIAS
MOHR
esco
Photos: Enrique Siqués, Carsten Herwig

4 WORKING ARBEITEN / TRAVAILLER / TRABAJAR / TRABALHAR
SCOOP 1/2013
»
one another to explore these developments.
This is why all of the entities are currently
shining a spotlight on the opportunities
that their markets are offering them,
and investigating various options for how
they can utilize their budgets even more
effectively. For example, a project group
was founded in Chile to look for alternative
transportation options from the
mine to the port in order to save costs
over the long term. Each regional entities
is working on thematic areas in their project
groups that they have selected themselves
and consider to be especially important.
Cross-functional teams from all
of the entities are also dedicated to interregional
topics. “This means a lot of foundational
work,” says Matthias Mohr, who
shares the management of esco with his
colleague Erich Krug. But it pays off. This
is because specific goals and associated
action items can be developed on the
basis of these analyses. “For us, it’s not so
much about constantly reinventing the
wheel,” explains Krug, who says that it’s
much more important to ensure that the
existing know-how in the entire salt business
benefits everyone, and that the units
around the world are able to profit from
each other.
Crossing Regional Borders
If units across regional borders want to
move closer together and coordinate
even better in the future, that cannot
happen without change. Alexa Hergenröther,
CEO of SPL in Chile, knows about
this from several years of experience:
“Without clear structures, even the best
“We want our know-how
in the salt business to be
available to all of our
colleagues around the
world.”
cooperative work remains far below its
potential. So we will have to assess these
structures, just like we have for the existing
control systems in the individual
units, and adapt them to meet our collective
needs. This has the advantage
that several processes will be significantly
streamlined. In this way, our employees
save valuable resources. These resources
are then freed up for other tasks and activities,
and then we can allocate them in
such a way that we strengthen our company
for the future.” Hergenröther says
that what is important here is a shared
system with which every unit can develop,
document, and check its own objectively
measurable goals: “If we use a uniform
system, we can coordinate our goals
with those of the other companies in the
salt business unit, avoid conflicts of interest,
and gain a better perspective on untapped
potential.”
Coming together and pulling together
means that every single person gives
their best effort. “Our continuing efforts
to improve efficiency have to be implemented
at every level throughout our
company,” says Christian Herrmann, CEO
of Morton Salt. “At Morton, for example,
we try to tackle this issue through internal
benchmarking, increased standardization,
or idea management.”
EUROPEAN SALT
COMPANY (esco)
Headquarters: Hanover, GER.
Employees: 1,407
esco has 19 production and
distribution sites throughout
Europe. In addition to standard
products such as de-icing and
pharmaceutical salts, the company
also produces specialties such as
pond and fishery salts.
K+S
Headquarters: Kassel, GER
Employees of the Business Salt Unit: 5,116
With a capacity of 30 million tons of
salt per year, K+S is the world’s largest
salt producer. The Salt business unit at
North American Salt Holdings (NASH)
coordinates activities on behalf of
Morton Salt, esco, and SPL.
SOCIEDAD PUNTA
DE LOBOS (SPL)
Headquarters: Santiago de Chile, CL
Employees: 924
SPL harvests rock salt in the Atacama
Desert in open-pit mines. The company
owns its own fleet of ships, Empremar,
as well as a subsidiary, Salina Diamante
Branco, which produces sea salt in Brazil.
MORTON SALT
Headquarters: Chicago, USA
Employees: 2,922
The Morton Salt brand is wellknown
in the USA. Recently, the
‘Umbrella Girl,’ who has graced
the company’s logo since 1914,
was named one of the ten most
popular US female advertising
icons of all time.

SCOOP 1/2013
5
“IF WE WANT TO BE THE GLOBAL MARKET
LEADER, WE CAN ONLY DO IT TOGETHER.”
Mark Roberts was appointed to the Executive Board of K+S in October last year. He is now responsible for the Salt
Business Unit. In this interview, he explains what really matters now.
Photos: KircherBurkhardt, Enrique Siqués
Mr. Roberts, what have you decided to
take on in your new role on the Executive
Board at K+S?
We are the world’s largest salt producer,
a title we intend to keep. For that to happen,
we need to do more than just maintain
our current position. We need to become
stronger and work toward growth.
This can only be done together, meaning
only if all of the units in our company
make a contribution. For me personally,
this means that taking on full responsibility
for all aspects of the salt business
unit is more than just assuming an oversight
role; it’s also about actively participating
in the further development of the
business.
Everyone pulling together is really not
that easy. The salt business consists of
three large units that have their own
subsidiaries, as well as NASH, which
coordinates their activities. It does
business on several continents. Yet
doesn’t salt tend to be more of a regional
affair?
It’s true that salt business is regional in
nature and we are very spread out in
geographical terms. However regardless
of location, numerous commonalities
exist between these businesses. We
need to actively share and exchange information
to ensure that solutions to
challenges found in one region are leveraged
across the business unit so that
all regions capitalize on this knowledge.
But that’s only part of the story. After
all, how we think and act aren’t the only
decisive factors; our customers’ expectations
of us are also particularly important.
And today, our customers think increasingly
in global terms, examine
global trends, and prefer to work with a
global partner. Of course, that doesn’t
mean that we should in any way neglect
the regions in the future. I’m sure
that it’s possible to do both: to think
globally and act regionally. Yet it’s absolutely
essential that we grow together
as a business unit, join forces, and always
use our abilities and capacities for
the good of the business unit as a
whole.
What would a joint effort look like in
practice? Can you name any specific
examples?
Early this year, esco received a shipment
from Chile of 50,000 tons of de-icing
salt. With support from SPL in South
America, we managed to assist esco’s
“I’m convinced that it’s
possible to do both: to
think globally and act
regionally.”
supply chain after a period of heavy
snowfall last December in many parts
of northern Europe, which strained esco’s
existing production network. SPL
had already adapted and upgraded
their operations two years ago to be
able to produce and supply the specification
of salt needed in Europe, and it
doesn’t make a difference for our customers
from which of our units the salt
originally comes. No other salt producer
has the sourcing capability that we
have and this of course makes us an especially
reliable partner that can always
deliver, even in the most extreme winters.
Of course there are many other examples
where simply sharing knowledge
will result in long-term benefit to the
business unit. For example, Morton and
SPL have exchanged concepts regarding
consumer product package design and
retail category management, resulting in
new ideas for business improvement
with our retail partners and engagement
with consumers. These examples
demonstrate what real teamwork is –
and that's what I want to see much
more of.
What can management in the salt
business do to increase this kind of
collaboration?
First, we must provide the right tools
and support to the business leaders
so that they can make informed, data-driven
decisions about how best
to effectively manage the business,
considering all regional options
available. For example, we should
strengthen the Sales and Operations
Planning (S&OP) process and
evaluate structures, sourcing models,
and capacity targets, taking
into consideration the production
footprint of the business unit as a
whole, not just of the individual
regional entities.
Equally important, we must
provide the impetus for open and
collaborative cross-regional
knowledge sharing between the responsible
functional leaders, both to
develop and harmonize strategy work,
but also to take advantage of some of
the more tactical opportunities that exist.
This holds true in numerous functional
areas such as, for example, sales
and marketing, research and development,
and supply chain. We’ve put together
several key internationally
staffed working groups that are assisting
in the development of the business
unit’s strategic plan and they’ve delivered
really great work up to this point.
Additionally, it’s extremely important
that we consolidate the financial metrics
and present our business as a whole as a
true unit. We need to fundamentally
change the way we view our own activities,
and how others view us as well.
Why is it so important to think with
even more focus within the business
unit and thereby to present a united
front?
I’ve already pointed out the most important
reason: many of our customers
think globally, and we need to do that
too. This includes the fact that we not
only combine and coordinate our financial
activities, but that we also drive forward
a uniform strategy throughout all
of our markets. This is both more efficient
and especially more effective and
personally satisfying if we don’t stand
in our own way, if we leave our doors
open to each other. More things will
occur to us if we all bring our experiences
to the table as we look for opportunities
to develop and expand our business.
Every unit in our business unit has
very special expertise that can benefit
everyone else just as much. To make
that happen, however, we have to make
it available to everyone and therefore
work together as closely as possible.
“We are the world’s
largest salt producer, but I
am confident that our best
days are still ahead of us.”
That means a lot of development
work and a major effort for everybody
involved.
There’s a lot to do, and that’s
not always easy. But there’s
also a lot to gain! It’s a lot easier
if we work together. I view
our plans to bring the entities
within the salt business unit
even closer together as a
good opportunity for all of
our employees to work with
dedication on creating something
new and to further develop
themselves and their own personal
abilities – out of a feeling
of strength and not out of a feeling
that we are forced to do so. We
are the world’s largest salt producer.
And if we look at the markets we serve
and our competitors, then we can see
how much we can already achieve. If we
focus even more on our strengths now
and we manage to expand this even further,
then our best times are still ahead
of us.

6
WORKING ARBEITEN / TRAVAILLER / TRABAJAR / TRABALHAR
SCOOP 1/2013
THE FEELING
OF FREEDOM
Empremar’s fleet has a new freighter: the SPL
Atacama. Several weeks ago, it embarked on its
maiden voyage and crossed the Pacific. Carolina
Asenjo Riquelme was one of those on board –
she is the ship’s third mate.
Navigating a 180-meter freighter
across the ocean is not child’s play.
For Carolina Asenjo Riquelme, it
is her daily routine: “Naturally, it can be
a huge challenge to maintain control over
such a large ship at all times.” Although
she is highly focused and has plenty of experience,
it is this sense of challenge that
keeps her daily work exciting. The 27-yearold
Chilean has been crossing the seas
with Empremar’s freighters for four years
now. She was recently promoted to the
position of third mate on the SPL Atacama.
The ship, which is 180 meters long
and 30 meters wide, transports up to
200,000 metric tons of salt per year. For
Empremar, a shipping subsidiary of SPL,
the acquisition of this bulk carrier offers
two major advantages: On the one
hand, the ship has a very economical engine,
which is great for the environment
and also helps to keep down costs. On
the other, the SPL Atacama is designed to
hold a very large amount of cargo given
its size. “With a draft of ten meters, she
can hold more than 35,000 metric tons
of bulk goods,” says Andrés Llanos, one of
the controllers at Empremar. “This is truly
remarkable for a ship of this class.”
The maiden voyage started at the SPP
Shipbuilding dockyards in South Korea.
This was followed by the freighter’s first
port of call in Japan. On the open seas,
the brand new ship reached its maximum
speed for the first time: The SPL
Atacama can go up to 14 knots, which
roughly corresponds to 26 kilometers per
hour. Once the cargo hold was filled in Japan,
the daunting 18,000-kilometer journey
across the Pacific Ocean commenced.
During their 25 days at sea, the crew celebrated
both Christmas and New Year’s on
board. Chile finally appeared on the horizon
at the end of January. “I got goosebumps
when we entered the port of Lirquén,”
remembers Carolina Asenjo. “Once
the ship had anchored, the port authority
gave us permission to hoist the Chilean
flag. It was an unforgettable moment for
all of us.” Listening to the officer talk about
her ship and life at sea, her passion for
her chosen vocation is evident. It comes
as no surprise that she describes her job
as a dream come true. This is all the more
astounding as before her studies of naval
architecture, neither ships nor the oceans
were particularly important in her life.
From Farm to Freighter
“I grew up in the countryside of Chile. My
dad was a farmer, and I helped him a lot
with maintaining the fields and looking
after the animals.” However, Carolina’s
sights were set on a career in engineering
and technology, and her plan was to
study shipbuilding in the city of Valdivia.
But after she attended a lecture on celes-
Carolina Asenjo Riquelme
supervises the loading of
the salty cargo (top). More
often than not, she is the
sole female crew member
(left).

SCOOP 1/2013 7
The 27-year-old is responsible not only for navigating the bulk carrier,
she also supervises the maintenance and servicing tasks across the ship.
73 m
180 m
The SPL Atacama is 180 METERS long.
That’s more than twice the length of
the world’s biggest passenger plane,
the Airbus A 380.
18,000
KILOMETERS need to be traversed from
the dockyards in South Korea to the final
destination on the ship’s maiden voyage,
Puerto Montt.
tial navigation, she was so fascinated by
the subject that she decided she’d rather
go to sea herself than construct ships.
Navigation has remained a deep passion
of hers: “I find it simply amazing that people
have this ancient knowledge of how to
orientate themselves on the open seas. All
Arrival: Carolina Asenjo
Riquelme in front of the SPL
Atacama in the port of
Patillos, Chile.
of today’s modern navigational systems
can be traced right back to these earliest
navigating skills.” Thanks to modern technology,
of course, Carolina requires neither
the stars nor a clear view of the horizon to
determine her ship’s position. But technological
aids aside, there is plenty to do for
a third mate on board a large freighter. Not
only is Carolina responsible for navigating
the ship, she also takes care of all the maintenance
and servicing of the fire protection
system, the emergency facilities, and
the sick bay. “It’s quite normal for crew
members to have multiple jobs aboard a
ship. Everybody has their own areas of responsibility.
Of course, that does not stop
us from addressing larger challenges as a
group. When we encounter problems, we
can totally rely on one another.”
One For All, All For One
This is a very important aspect to Carolina:
“Having a good team spirit and a strong
sense of camaraderie is a crucial part of
our job.” On the high seas, it is absolutely
vital that all the crew members can rely
on each other – and it is also absolutely
vital that they get along, as they have to
share extremely tight quarters for weeks
on end. Carolina is usually one of a very
small number of female crew members,
or the only one. Not that this has ever really
been an issue; the teamwork is usually
great no matter what.
Efficiency and managing your time well
are important factors of life on board. Tight
schedules aside, Carolina loves the feeling
of unfettered freedom that the sailor’s life
is famous for. She also loves the idea of navigating
to far-off destinations. In her immediate
future, these will be mostly scattered
across South America: The SPL Atacama
will transport its salty freight from Chile to
ports all over the continent. The ship features
the latest in crane technology for
loading and unloading its cargo as quickly
and efficiently as possible. The modern
“When we encounter
problems aboard the ship,
we know that we can rely
on one another.”
equipment on board the freighter naturally
extends to other parts of the ship. There
also is a sophisticated monitoring system
with integrated navigational devices, there
are state-of-the-art fire alarm and extinguishing
systems, and the lifeboats also
feature the latest technology. “Safety and
security on board the ship are our top priorities,”
explains the third mate.
Life on Board
This is what a typical workday looks like
for Carolina: Following breakfast in the
crew quarters, she takes over the helm
from the first mate and is solely in charge
of navigating the SPL Atacama across
the ocean. In the afternoon, she completes
her assigned maintenance duties,
and in the evening, she starts her second
shift. After dark, the officers are always
supported by another mate. Carolina
is more than happy with this rule, as
she knows: “This is not about who steers
the ship but about having two pairs of
eyes on the lookout – they see twice as
much.” When she stands on the bridge at
night and navigates her mighty freighter
through the rolling ocean waves, this officer
knows one thing for sure: No matter
what the position is on the navigational
system, she’s where she wants to be.
Photos: Octavio López Avalos (4), thinkstock Illustrations: KircherBurkhardt

8 WORKING ARBEITEN / TRAVAILLER / TRABAJAR / TRABALHAR
SCOOP 1/2013
Javier Fernández Sonnenberg
came to Germany from Chile.
He works as a financial
controller at esco in Hannover.
Ground pork on a roll, a stein
of fresh beer at Oktoberfest,
or a pint of Kölsch at
Cologne’s carnival: Javier
loves Germany and its food.
DO YOU SPEAK INTERNATIONAL?
When posting employees abroad on
assignment,they need more than just good
language skills to succeed. That’s why K+S is
offering special training programs.
BY CHRISTIN BERNHARDT
Günther Müller and Gustavo
Gonzáles are frustrated. For years,
everything was going smoothly in
their careers, but since the German and
the Chilean started working together,
nothing seems to be going right anymore.
Neither of them can understand why the
other is behaving so poorly or why it is so
difficult for them to agree on seemingly
simple matters. In fact, without realizing
it, the two of them are taking every opportunity
to snub each another. Günther and
Gustavo don’t exist in real life. Just like the
two make-believe characters, the clichéd
stereotypes of each culture (see the info
box on page 10) bear no relationship to reality.
In the intercultural training sessions
for K+S employees, their escapades go a
long way toward keeping participants entertained.
But the things they find funny
during the seminar can actually cause real
problems in real life. For this reason, the
seminar teaches them a simple but often
overlooked fact: Misunderstandings and
conflicts between people from different
cultures arise when each side believes his
or her own cultural norms are universal.
This is exactly the mistake that experts
say most of us automatically make when
interacting with people from other cultures.
However, in order for everyone to
be able to work together productively,
each side must develop an understanding
of the other’s idiosyncrasies and learn
to respond to them accordingly.
Warning: Faux Pas Ahead!
Andrea Meergans is convinced of that
fact. As the head of human resources for
upper management, she advises all K+S
employees who are stationed abroad for
longer periods of time as expatriates, or
simply expats. The number of expats from
K+S has more than quadrupled in recent
years. While in 2007 just 20 employees
worked overseas, that number jumped to

SCOOP 1/2013
9
Anna loves that
there are so many
sunny days in the
Chilean metropolis,
but the traffic is a
nightmare.
From Kassel to Santiago
de Chile: Anne
Unterforsthuber
recently transferred
to SPL.
Photos: Michael Löwa (2), Christobal Olivares Illustration: KircherBurkhardt Infografik
73 in the first quarter of 2013, and it will
likely continue to rise. Anne Unterforsthuber
and Javier Fernández
Sonnenberg both belong to
this group. And the fact that
they are real people isn’t
the only difference between
them and Günther and Gustavo.
They also possess one crucial
thing: intercultural skills. But what
exactly does that mean? “It’s the ability
to identify cultural differences and deal
with them accordingly,” says Meergans.
The key thing here is to be able to think
in other cultural terms, in other words
go beyond the specific way in which you
normally view the world. That’s why K+S
in Europe, Morton Salt in the USA, SPL in
South America, and Potash Canada offer
training seminars that teach exactly these
skills and prepare CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 »
THE FAUX PAS FACTOR
Every country has its own customs. If you don’t know and
observe them, you can easily cause offense. What is permitted,
and what will cause problems? Read for yourself!
CHILEANS
stand close
together when
talking. Backing
away is considered
rude.
JAPANESE people
never pour their own
drinks at official
dinners. The person
sitting next to them at
the table always
pours.
Always take your shoes off
when visiting a private
home in the US. This is an
expected act of
courtesy.

10 WORKING ARBEITEN / TRAVAILLER / TRABAJAR / TRABALHAR
SCOOP 1/2013
Under the blue skies of
her adopted country:
Anne Unterforsthuber
against the skyline of
Santiago de Chile.
In BRITAIN it’s best to avoid criticizing
the royal family; only Brits are
allowed to do that. And if you
don’t want people to judge you
based on the tie you’re
wearing, avoid ones with
patterns on them.
‘Besito’ means
‘little kiss’ and is
a standard form
of greeting in
Chile.
FRENCH people
love to talk
about French
food and wine.
It’s an ideal
conversation
starter.
In ITALY,
business calls
at lunchtime
are frowned
upon.
In CHINA, dinner
guests must eat
everything on
their plates as a
sign of respect.
Who Is Right?
Gustavo Gonzáles and Günther
Müller don’t exist in reality;
they are cultural stereotypes.
Although they may be made
up, their experiences are real.
…Asking someone’s
age in the US is not
a good way to
make friends.
In GERMANY, crossing the
street at a red light is
forbidden. Arriving late is
even worse. People greet
each other with a
handshake.
»
employees to deal with new and unfamiliar
cultures. Employees who transfer to a
foreign country are required to attend a
seminar that not only teaches them about
general cultural differences – in both the
private sphere and in the business world
– but also makes specific recommendations
on how they should conduct themselves.
For example, it shows them how
to introduce themselves to business partners,
and it points out the differences in
management styles between countries.
Before making a final decision on a specific
country, employees can take a ‘look and
see trip’ to give them an idea of the country
and its people. If the employees have
a spouse and children, they are permitted
to go along. A physical check-up and other
individual preparations are also part of the
process. Beginning this year, an open sem-
Gustavo: Why
does everything
have to go according
to a fixed plan?
Customers want
spontaneity! But
when I take Müller
to parties, he just
sits in the corner,
and I have to carry
the conversation
myself. And when
customers visit our
offices, Müller just
complains that
they show up unannounced.
Things
can’t continue to
go on like this. We
need to be more
spontaneous!
Günther: People
are constantly entering
my office
without knocking.
Most everyone arrives
late to meetings.
After work, I
can’t just relax, because
I always
have to go to some
party or another.
The Chileans just
hang around there
for hours. Why?
They could be
making much better
use of their
time. Things can’t
go on like this.
We have to be
more efficient!

SCOOP 1/2013
11
QUIZ
Test your intercultural skills by completing the following
quiz and win a great prize!
1. Who pours the drinks in Japan?
a) The host
b) The person sitting next to you
c) You
2. What should be avoided in England
at all cost?
a) Criticizing the royal family
b) Complaining about the weather
c) Complaining about the food
3. What is part of everyday working life in
Chile?
a) Everyone is required to wear a tie
b) A long five o’clock tea break
c) A kiss on the cheek as a greeting
4. What is standard practice at American
restaurants?
a) The patron immediately sits down at
the bar
b) The patron sits down at an empty
table of his or her choosing
c) The patron waits to be seated by the
hostess
The first-place winner will enjoy an
assortment of international delicacies.
Second prize is a coffee-table book that will
take the winner on a virtual journey around
the world, while third prize is a light-up
globe.
Good luck!
The deadline for entry is 1 June 2013.
Please send your answers to:
Scoop Redaktion,
K+S Aktiengesellschaft,
Bertha-von-Suttner-Strasse 7,
34131 Kassel, Germany
Prefer to send it by e-mail?
scoop@k-plus-s.com
“A Key Factor
for Success”
Dr. Wolfgang Fritz is an
expert in intercultural
communication. He holds a
professorship at the University
of Braunschweig.
Why are intercultural skills
considered so important
in business?
The economy is becoming
more and more globalized,
companies are
entering into cross-border
agreements, and, as a result,
increasing numbers of people from different
cultures are interacting at the
workplace. Without intercultural skills,
misunderstandings and conflicts are
bound to happen. I myself once criticized
a Japanese co-worker’s presentation in
front of other colleagues at a conference
in Japan. However, because this type of
direct criticism is taboo in East Asian cultures,
I not only risked damaging my colleague’s
reputation, but my own as well.
After that, this colleague wanted nothing
more to do with me.
Photos: Christobal Olivares, TU Braunschweig, K+S Illustration: KircherBurkhardt Infografik
inar has been offered in Kassel, Germany,
targeting employees who are not expats,
but who are in contact with international
colleagues on a daily basis. These investments
in training pay for themselves. According
to the Institute for Intercultural
Management (IFM), 30 percent of all expat
assignments fail due to their lack of intercultural
skills. But what are the potential
faux pas that might trip up employees
? Dr. Jorge Peña, an expert in intercultural
communication who also trains K+S employees,
can think of numerous examples.
However, he warns that you should never
lose sight of the fact that no matter where
“When dealing with
other cultures, mutual
respect is extremely
important.
Sensitivity,
openness, and
acceptance will
come as a
result.”
Andrea Meergans, Head of
Upper Management and
International HR
Coordination
you are in the world, you are dealing with
individuals first and foremost. This means
you need to avoid falling back on old stereotypes
or, even worse, reinforcing our
existing prejudices.
However, we cannot deny that there are
major differences between cultures. One
good example is the tone of language
that people use with one another. “While
in some countries, it’s important to keep
things on a neutral, professional level; in
other countries, personal relationships
play a much more important role,” says
Andrea Meergans.
Anne Unterforsthuber has had firsthand
experience in this area. A few
months ago, she transferred from Kassel
to Santiago de Chile, where she manages
the Business Development unit at
SPL. “While Germans tend to maintain
professional distance with one another
at the workplace, Chileans are much
friendlier. A kiss on the cheek, even
the first time you meet, is by no
means unusual.” Javier Fernández
Sonnenberg fully concurs.
The Chilean came to Germany
four years ago, where he
works as a financial controller
at esco in Hanover. “Chileans
stand closer to one another
when they talk, with frequent
physical contact
common. But anyone
who acts that way in Germany runs the
risk of coming off as pushy or overly flirtatious,”
says Javier. However, the risk of
committing a faux pas of one type or another
isn’t necessarily lurking behind every
corner. Some cultural idiosyncrasies
can prove to be helpful and quite welcome.
“In Chile, colleagues spend a lot of
time together after work,” Anne explains.
“This is not only beneficial to the working
environment; it also helps newcomers
like me. My colleagues welcomed me
with open arms.”
Planning and Partying
Javier, who was used to the social life in
Chile, had a somewhat harder time. “At
the beginning, being alone was the most
difficult thing for me. It took a while until
I realized that in Germany, meeting people
means being proactive.” However, he
has also learned to love some idiosyncrasies
that are considered typically German.
“Chileans tend to be spontaneous. No one
would ever think of planning something
weeks in advance. But I’ve realized planning
not only makes sense; it can also be
really fun!” Javier says. But while making
those plans, Javier hasn’t lost his spontaneity
or his love of parties. From Munich’s
Oktoberfest to Cologne’s carnival, “Anyone
who thinks that the Germans don’t
know how to party really has a thing or
two to learn.”
What characterizes employees with
intercultural skills?
They should be capable of finding their
bearings in a foreign culture. Language
skills are obviously an enormous help
here, but they’re not everything. Knowledge
of cultural differences and how to
deal with them is equally important. At
the same time, they need to keep in
mind the professional goals that
brought them to the foreign country in
the first place. After all, assigning an
employee to a position abroad only pays
off for the company if he or she actually
achieves those goals.
What role do intercultural skills play in
a company’s success?
Studies have shown that the conduct of
employees posted abroad can make or
break a company’s chances of succeeding
overseas. An employee trained in
intercultural relations will increase the
likelihood of success immensely. Conversely,
however, an employee’s lack of
intercultural skills can cause serious
damage. Here’s an example: A large US
car company sent an American to head
its Japanese subsidiary. Up to that point,
he had enjoyed great success as an executive,
but he neither spoke Japanese nor
did he know the customs of the land. His
lack of knowledge of certain conventions
led to contracts that had been in
the works being lost. For the company,
this was more than just a financial disaster;
it also caused significant harm to its
reputation in Japan.

12 LIVING LEBEN
/ VIVRE / VIVIR / VIVER
HARD ON THE OUTSIDE,
DELICIOUS ON THE INSIDE
Although native to Asia, almond trees grow best in California. From here, the popular drupe is
shipped all over the world. K+S North America supplies mineral fertilizers for higher yields.
AUTHOR: KARSTEN LEMM

SCOOP 1/2013 13
A Sweet
Companion
For thousands of years,
almonds have played
an important part in
meals and in
traditional rites
PHARAOHS
The Bible mentions almonds as
one of the ingredients in the
bread made for the Egyptian
pharaohs. They were known as a
delicacy and were even used as a
grave food in the tomb of
Tutankhamun.
MARZIPAN
Raw marzipan consists
of scalded, peeled,
ground almonds and
sugar. The less sugar
there is, the higher the
quality of the
marzipan.
In spring, California’s
Central Valley is
transformed into a
pale, pink sea of
blossoms.
Bakersfield, two hours’ drive north
of Los Angeles, CA. The young
trees point skywards straight as
an arrow, their first tender branches already
emerging. The grid they create in
the landscape is one that is defined by
GPS precision. The older trees are already
beginning to flower, surrounded by eager
bees. Spring has arrived in the south
of California’s Central Valley. The young
trees don’t have to deliver high yields
this year. ‘Almond trees take three years
until they bear fruit,’ explains Trey Few,
Sales Manager for K+S North America’s
Fertilizer Division. The botanical name
for almond trees is Prunus Dulcis, literally
‘sweet prune.’ The plants that Trey
is driving past today are only just twelve
months old and still have plenty of
time ahead of them before they will
be tasked to help sate the world’s
appetite for almonds ‘made in
California.’ Agricultural production
centers, like the Donald
Valpredo Farms which Trey
is visiting here in Bakersfield,
are setting up new plantations
all the time. Thanks to growing
global demand, almond production
has nearly doubled over
the past ten years. Today, almonds
are California’s biggest agricultural
export product – outdoing even the
renowned Californian wine. More than
80 percent of all of almonds consumed
worldwide are grown in California. Germany
is the fourth largest importer of
Californian almonds, behind only China,
Spain, and India.
Many Californian growers have been
replacing their cotton fields with almond
plantations, which are less costly to irrigate.
The boom that this has created in
the market is great for K+S. ‘We’ve got
plenty of products to offer to these farmers,’
says Trey. One of these is KALISOP®,
a specialized fertilizer. Almond trees drain
the soil of potassium, which means the
farmers need to continually replace this
if they want their land to remain fertile
Around Half of the K+S
Potassium Sulfate Sales in
California Comes From
Almond Growing
and keep producing large quantities of almonds.
‘The almond boom has been a real
blessing for us,’ declares the 46-year-old.
‘We sell around half of our potassium sulfate
in California to almond growers.’ Trey
knows what he’s talking about; from his
office based in Georgia, he deals with customers
across the U.S. and Canada.
Almonds are a Superfood
Business is going well thanks to customers
like Enrique Martinez, manager and coowner
of Valpredo Farms. Born in Mexico,
Martinez has lived in Bakersfield since
1978. His family business grows dozens of
different fruits and vegetables on their
5,000-acre farm, ranging from cabbage,
lettuce, and carrots through to parsley,
peppers, and watermelons. The 51-yearold
still regards himself as a vegetable
grower first and foremost, but the almond
trees are starting to dominate; another
400 acres of almond fields will soon
be added to the existing 1,500 acres.
‘Fifteen years ago, would you have considered
putting almond slivers in your salad,
or drinking almond milk?’ Martinez
ponders as he sits behind the massive
wooden desk in his office. While he still
can’t quite believe it, he is very happy with
sales, a lot of which comes from Asia. In
India, he tells, there is a fast-growing middle
class that likes to celebrate its social
status with luxury goods like Californian
almonds. Across the world, people are also
becoming more aware of the health benefits
of eating almonds. ‘They are great for
your heart, your circulation, and your metabolism,’
states Martinez. ‘Much healthier
than peanuts!’
The Central Valley stretches around
450 miles from top to bottom. Bordered
by the Sierra Nevada and the other mountain
ranges, it runs north to south along
the coast. It offers ideal conditions for
growing almonds: dry, sunny summers,
and cool, but not freezing winters. In prehistoric
times, the Central Valley was a
gigantic lake, which is why its soil is naturally
rich in nutrients. For many decades,
this was perfect for growing a modest
amount of almonds. But as the world’s appetite
for almonds grew, a new approach
was needed. Suddenly, advances in farming
methods and technology meant that
harvests were getting significantly larger.
Aided by their partners in the fertilizer industry,
growers were now hand-planting
their trees, carefully CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
»
Photos: Inga Spence/Alamy, Peter Barritt/Alamy, Robin
Chapman/Alamy, Karsten Lemm, thinkstock
Farm talk: Trey Few from K+S
North America and almond
grower Enrique Martinez
Almonds: They
taste great and are
good for your heart.

14
LIVING LEBEN / VIVRE / VIVIR / VIVER
SCOOP 1/2013
LIQUID REWARD
Almond oil is a versatile
and easily digestible base
oil. It is equally at
home in gourmet
cuisine as it is
in skin care
products.
RELIGION
In Christianity, the almond
symbolizes redemption. As
early as the age of Charlemagne,
it was considered
an important agricultural
product, being grown on the
royal estates from 812.
LUCKY CHARM
In the Mediterranean region,
almonds are frequently
encased in colored candy
coating. Popular gifts at
weddings and baptisms, they
are meant to bring happiness
and health.
»
pruning branches, and installing irrigation
systems that use the water more sparingly
but also direct it in a more targeted
way to the roots. The same irrigation systems
are frequently used for fertilization,
which provides the plants with different
nutrients depending on the season. ‘It’s
all about providing support to the trees,’
says Martinez, ‘and timing is essential for
this.’ As he is growing more than two dozen
types of plants across his farm, Martinez
himself also needs support – which he
gets from his pest control advisor Jeff Rasmussen.
Rasmussen in turn works together
closely with Jon Collison, the regional
manager for one of K+S’ sales partners.
Fertilizer Makes All the Difference
‘California is an important strategic
growth market for us,’ says Trey Few, ‘and
the key to success lies in having a good
relationship with the farmers.’ Trey, who
has been working for K+S since 1998,
has been friends with Collison for many
years. Together, the two agricultural experts
use their networks of contacts to let
more and more growers know about the
importance of targeted fertilizing. ‘If you
want consistently high yields, especially
over the long term, you can’t get around
potassium sulfate,’ emphasizes Collison.
‘This is becoming really important now
that demand has increased so much.’
Last year, Californian farmers harvested
a total of 900 metric tons of almonds –
a record yield, once again. In part, this is
due to expanding plantation sizes; across
California, they now cover more than
USA
Central Valley
Bakersfield
Not All Almonds are
Created Equal
Nonpareil is the most common
almond variety. Nonpareil almonds
mature quicker than any other variety,
they are lighter in color, and they are
easy to blanch and chop.
California almonds have a darker skin
and more intense flavors than the
Nonpareil variety.
Largueta almonds are predominantly
cultivated in Spain. They are known
for their intense aroma and nutty
flavor.
6,500
CALIFORNIAN ALMOND GROWERS
produce around 80 percent of the
world’s almonds. Last year, around
900 metric tons of almond meats were
harvested in an area of 800,000 acres.

SCOOP 1/2013 15
What Almonds Really Need
Patrick Brown is a professor at the University of California,
Davis and an expert on plant growth. He has been a
scientific adviser to K+S KALI for many years.
On maturity, the
almond’s leathery
fruit shell bursts
open and reveals
its oblong seed.
800,000 acres. However, what’s equally
as important is that farmers use more sophisticated
growing methods to get the
most out of their soil.
Potassium Sulfate Boosts Yields
Enrique Martinez is convinced of the benefits
of potassium sulfate. ‘We’d always
used potassium chloride, but then there
was this promising new fertilizer,’ he recounts.
The change was worth it: The new
almond trees fertilized with the K+S product
bear significantly more fruit. ‘Since
switching to the new fertilizer, our yield
has gone up by a full 30 percent,’ says
Martinez. ‘We’re going to fertilize all our
almond plantations with it from now on.’
From Martinez’ office, we head out into
the plantations. Driving a mighty Chevy
Avalanche, Martinez does his rounds
around the extensive farmlands every
day. We drive across bumpy, dirt roads,
past rows of tomatoes and onions, until
we get to our final destination. This once
was a cotton field, but now it is covered
in rows of almond tree seedlings. The varieties
are alternated. Nonpareil is the most
popular, because it consistently produces
the most almond meat. The other varieties
grown here are Monterey and Sonora
almonds. ‘By alternating them like this,
the trees bear more fruit; they like the diversity
because they rely on cross-pollination,’
explains Martinez. What they also
need is humans who tend them and know
how to help foster their growth.
‘See that?’ Martinez points to the tree
trunks which are slightly offset from one
another, deliberately not side by side. This
way, the fully grown trees have a little bit
more space and their branches don’t
hit each other. ‘This kind of attention
to detail does take a
bit more time and effort,’ says
Martinez. But in the end, the
extra work is well worth it.
The new seedlings are predicted
to produce bountiful
yields.
Trey Few, Sales Manager for
K+S North America,
knows about the
importance of
fertilizers.
Over the past decade,
almond consumption
around the world has more
than doubled. Why is that?
Almonds used to have a reputation
as a slightly fatty
snack food. But then, lots of
studies were published that
showed that they are very nutritious.
This is because the calories coming
from almonds are easier for the human
body to process than calories
coming from animal fat. Some research
has even shown that almond
consumption can lower the risk of
heart attacks. In growth markets like
China and India, there are also cultural
reasons for almond consumption –
people like to serve their guests nuts,
especially almonds, as a show of
wealth.
How did California come to be the
world’s biggest almond growing region?
That’s due to its favorable climate and
conditions. A good almond crop requires
cold winters with temperatures
around zero degrees Celsius. It also
needs hot, dry summers – pests don’t
stand a chance in these. Additionally,
California has wide, expansive farmlands
that can be cultivated without
too much manual labor. Almond trees
happen to be very suitable for modern
planting methods. In other countries,
the conditions are often not quite as
perfect. In Spain, for example, land and
water costs are very high; Turkey, on
the other hand, has the land but not
the best climate and water supply; and
cultivation in China has not been hugely
successful either.
How have Californian growers managed
to keep up with demand?
Many producers have invested heavily
in mechanization. They operate automatic
irrigation systems and management
systems for fertilizer distribution.
Likewise, harvesting is largely done by
machines rather than by hand. As a result,
yields have more than doubled
over the last 20 years. Almond growers
here used to have a popular bumper
sticker – ‘Happiness is a Ton of Almond
Meats Per Acre.’ Today, efficient growers
are getting yields double that
amount.
Almond trees absorb
a lot of potassium.
For a long time,
growers were
unaware of this.
What’s behind these amazing
increases?
The two key factors are irrigation and
fertilization. Virtually all of the increases
in yields can be traced back
to improved methods for irrigating
and fertilizing the
plants. A big part of this is
to understand how important
potassium and a number
of other trace elements are
for the plants, such as boron and
zinc. Almond trees absorb unusually
high levels of potassium: Trees producing
a crop of 2,000 kilograms of almonds
will draw around 145 kilograms
of potassium out of the soil. Most
growers were never aware of this because
our Californian soils are so rich in
nutrients. But if you want to farm sustainably,
and make sure that your soil
remains fertile over the long term, you
need to put back in everything that
you took out.
Is there potential to further increase
yields?
I see plenty of potential to increase
yields using the same amount of land.
About half of the almond growers here
only produce around 300 kilograms per
acre, which is a lot less than what they
could be. Many of the smaller farms
are using outdated technology, and
many small-scale growers are content
with what they’re getting. Which is
fine, but from a scientific viewpoint,
they could be producing yields of over
a metric ton per acre. Of course, this
assumes that they use the most efficient
irrigation and fertilization techniques.
100 kilograms of poorly-applied
fertilizer results in the trees absorbing
just 50 kilograms, whereas in an ideal
environment that could be up to 80.
Do you like eating almonds?
Absolutely! It’s one of the perks in my
line of work. For our experiments, we
get the produce directly from the
growers. The almonds are dried,
peeled, and weighed in the lab. When
we’re done with them, they get eaten.
Personally, I like to roast them, and
sometimes I vacuum-pack them, too.
The taste of a freshly roasted almond is
amazing – so crisp, so much flavor. But
really, they’re best when they’re totally
fresh.
Photos: thinkstock, Agentur Bridgeman, Alamy (3), Karsten Lemm, Jill Carmel

16
LIVING LEBEN / VIVRE / VIVIR / VIVER
SCOOP 1/2013
THE STORY OF THE SALT THAT HEALS
Unbelievable but true, it helps relax muscles and
can be used to prevent vines from wilting in a
vineyard. Epsom salt is a universal, all-purpose
remedy for so many ailments. A portrait of a
miracle mineral.
The farmer was truly amazed and
didn’t know what to think. His
cows’ wounds, pulled muscles,
and swollen joints were suddenly healing
more quickly. It was a real mystery
to him. He hadn’t done anything differently
than he had in the past. He’d just
moved his cows to a new pasture near
a spring, and sometimes the animals
would stand in the water. Could that be
it? Even though the water was so bitter?
And that it was indeed. The farmer had
stumbled across a mineral spring with a
high concentration of magnesium sulfate.
That was in 1618 in Epsom, in the
county of Surrey in southern England.
News of this ‘miracle water’ spread like
wildfire, and Epsom became a pilgrimage
site for English high society. In 1695,
doctor and botanist Nehemiah Grew
conducted a chemical analysis that delivered
scientific proof of the effect of
the magnesium sulfate dissolved in the
water. Magnesium activates healing
enzymes in the body, while the sulfates
help to transport toxins and protein out
of the joints. So began the international
success story of Epsom salt, and for good
reason: Epsom salt is a universal remedy.
In the right dosage, it can be used externally
as well as ingested, and it is suitable
for people, animals, and plants. It helps
prevent muscle cramps, helps wounds
heal more quickly, and relaxes muscles.
It can also be used to soften leather, and
it can also promote plant growth.
K+S KALI GmbH is the world’s largest
producer of Epsom salt, which is used as
a fertilizer and is also required in a wide
“Our German
potash deposits are
the only ones in the
world that contain
magnesium and
sulfur.”
range of industries, such as agriculture,
the chemical industry, pharmaceuticals,
the food and beverage industry, and the
health care sector.
Magnesium sulfate can also be synthetically
manufactured in a laboratory,
but the mineral that K+S produces is allnatural.
“We mine the raw magnesium
sulfate at our German sites. Our process
is one-of-a-kind. No one else anywhere
does it,” says Enrique Jorge Tonagel,
Head of the Industry unit at K+S KALI
GmbH. “Our decisive advantage is that
the raw salt in the German deposits contains
kieserite, a form of magnesium sulfate
from which Epsom salt can be produced,”
explains Dr. Marcus Ross, Head
of the Kieserite, Epso, CMS Agro unit. The
kieserite is then separated from the other
minerals in the raw salt by means of
an electrostatic separation process. The
isolated mineral available at the end of
the process is then ready to be used in
the manufacturing of various Epsom salt
products.
The success of Epsom salt in the medical
field lies in its muscle-relaxing, detoxifying,
and enzyme-stimulating properties,
just as the English farmer so rightly
observed. It provides a wide range of
benefits to the skin, including nourishment,
activating its metabolism, and
stimulating the body’s own moisture
regulatory system. So it’s no wonder that
bathing in Epsom salt became extremely
popular after the discovery of this ‘miracle
water.’ However, when doctors began
prescribing Epsom salt baths as a remedy,
the fad was over. Medical applications
have never been particularly fashionable.
Rebirth of Epsom Salts
However, since the wellness industry rediscovered
Epsom salt, the mineral has
enjoyed a strong comeback. The industry
now markets Epsom salt in the form of
various relaxation and wellness products.
The mineral and its associated treatments,
which have been proven time
and again over the centuries, have been

SCOOP 1/2013 17
Versatility for
Industrial and
Everyday Use
K+S offers a number of different
products and finished goods that
consist of or are based on Epsom
salt. Here’s a selection:
Epsom salt, Ph. Eur., USP: High
degree of purity with corresponding
certifications for applications in the
pharmaceutical industry
Pure Epsom salt, technical: High
degree of purity, applications include
leather production (as a binder of
tanning agents)
Chemically pure Epsom salt, FCC:
High degree of purity, applications
include the food industry (as an
additive)
EPSO Top®, fertilizer: Magnesium
and sulfur fertilizer for use in
agriculture as a leaf or liquid
fertilizer
KaSa Mag49®, animal feed: For
the compound feed industry or as
straight feed, contains 49 percent
magnesium sulfate
ESTA® Kieserite, fertilizer: For
agriculture, gardening, forestry,
and specialized crops
given a modern image makeover in recent
years. Helping to spur a welldeserved
revival for good old Epsom
Salt. Epsom salt has earned
itself major sympathy points
in the minds of the British and
American public, in particular.
As a natural, traditional home
remedy, the mineral now holds
a place of honor in both home
bathrooms and upscale spas
and health resorts. K+S subsidiary,
Morton Salt, is taking advantage
of its popularity, launching its
own natural Epsom salt product line in
the United States. “For generations, Morton
Salt has stood for quality products.
This reputation provided us with a decisive
advantage when we launched our
line of Epsom salt soaking products and
lotion,” says Laurie DeCook, Director of
Consumer Brand Marketing in Chicago.
This is why one of the country’s largest
retailers, drug store chain Walgreens, decided
to stock some of Morton’s Epsom
salt products on its store shelves. “Morton
Natural Epsom Salt has been on
their shelves since January,” says Charlie
Post, National Director of Grocery Sales
at Morton Salt, clearly pleased with the
renewed popularity of Epsom salt. Ben
Scarbrough, Morton Salt’s Walmart and
Sam’s Club Team Leader, is particularly
Proud of their new Epsom salt products:
Sara Shenoha, Tammy Kosarek, Laurie De-
Cook, Sandra Cantlin (back, from left),
Cara O’Hare, Dave Harvey, Glen Nishimura
(front, left to right)
proud of the company’s partnership with
Walmart. The first shipment to the retail
giant left production lines in the first
quarter of this year.
While the US may be where it is sold,
the Epsom salt itself comes from the
Werra plant in Germany. The quality
controls implemented by the local
regulatory authorities (such as
the Darmstadt Regional Board)
and the US Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) ensure that
the products meet the highest
standards of quality. “This
is crucial to the success of our
products, since plain Epsom salt
in the U.S. can be used as a laxative
if ingested.,” says DeCook.
Lavender-Scented
Epsom Salt
Along with a body lotion, Morton Salt offers
plain as well as lavender and eucalyptus
scented bath salts. “These products
are unique in the market,” says the
manager proudly. The lotion is unscented
and quickly absorbed by the skin, so
anyone who doesn’t have time to soak
in a bath or who is on-the go can use the
lotion, says DeCook. The target group
is just as diverse as the product range:
young and old, men and women, athletes
and everyday consumers who just
want to relax. Epsom salt is a real multipurpose
remedy.
Morton Salt offers plain
Epsom salt as well as
lavender and eucalyptus
scented bath products. The
unscented lotion contains
concentrated Epsom salt.
Remedy of choice:
Epsom salt can be
used in baths for —
humans and animals
or as a fertilizer,
bleaching agent, or
colon cleanser
Photos: thinkstock (9), Alamy, K+S, PR

18 LEARNING LERNEN / APPRENDRE / APRENDER / APRENDER
These tiny huts were
the sleeping quarters
for the slaves
working in the salt
flats. In each hut, five
slaves had to share a
hard floor.
Photos: Philip Reeds / Alamy, Agentur Bridgeman, SZ Photo (2), Fototeca / Leemage, thinkstock (5), Collection Fraters van Tilburg / Stadsmuseum Tilburg (NL)Tilburg
SERIES
SALT IN
HISTORY
No other natural resource has played such a critical role in
human history as salt. A search through time and space begins.
Upon arrival at Flamingo International Airport on
the island of Bonaire, there is a warm wind that
smells like the sea and tastes like salt – salt, the
substance that has determined the fate of this tiny
island like no other.
AUTHOR: CHRISTIN BERNHARDT
The Spanish Conquistador Alonso de
Ojeda was not happy. Seven years
after Christopher Columbus had
discovered the West Indies, Ojeda’s fleet
stumbled upon a trio of small islands
to the north of the Venezuelan coast.
The Conquistador had hoped for treasures
such as those of the Incas and the
Bonaire is home to
17,000 wild donkeys
and countless
iguanas. These are
considered a local
delicacy.
THE PRICE OF THE
WHITE GOLD
BONAIRE is the secondlargest
of the ABC Islands
(Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao).
Geographically, it is part
of South America; politically,
it still belongs to the
Netherlands. The island
has 14,000 inhabitants,
most of whom are descendants
of former African
slaves. Next to Dutch, the
official language is Papiamentu,
which is a creole.
The capital of Bonaire is
Kralendijk.
Maya, valuable natural resources such
as Peru’s silver, or at least fertile lands.
These three barren islands offer none of
the above, and Ojeda found nothing that
would have won him the favors of Spain’s
Queen Isabella. In view of this, he hoisted
the Spanish flag to claim the islands
and named them ‘Islas Inútiles,’ literally,
‘useless islands.’ However, Ojeda had
dismissed the islands prematurely, failing
to recognize their potential. The Dutch
seafarers that followed were more perceptive
than Ojeda, and soon snatched
away the island triplet from their Spanish
archrivals in 1636. The islands are named
Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao, and are collectively
known as the ABC Islands. Curaçao,
the largest of the three, has a natural
harbor and a favorable strategic position,
which led to it becoming the New
World’s largest trading hub for goods and
slaves. Bonaire also soon assumed a vital
role for the Dutch economy as a seafaring
nation, as it had large reserves of
one of their most coveted goods: salt.
Being well versed in the construction of
Curaçao
Bonaire
Nether l ands
Antilles
canals, pumps, and windmills, the Dutch
were able to mine the island’s natural salt
flats, forever replenished by the ocean,
on an industrial scale. But why did the
Dutch need so much salt? Around 1670,
In the 17th century, the
Netherlands were the
world’s greatest sea
power, and salt was one
of their most prized
possessions
the small country of the Netherlands had
a population of around two million and
was the world’s dominant naval pow-

SCOOP 1/2013
19
SLAVE TRADE From 1674 to 1740, the Dutch
West India Company operated 383 slave ships.
Known as triangle voyages, the ships sailed
from the Netherlands to West Africa. Slaves
were captured or bought at slave markets and
then transported to America. At the time, the
largest slave ship held more than 600 slaves
and the journey took over 500 days.
ATLA NTIC
O CEA N
Netherlands
HERRING Salt was needed not only
for preserving the foods required for
sea travel; salted fish was a main staple
in the diet of the growing European
population, and the herring industry
was flourishing. In addition, tons and
tons of salt were also needed for glass
manufacturing in Leerdam and ceramics
production in Delft.
TRIANGLE VOYAGES On the return journey, the WIC ships took
colonial goods such as sugar, tobacco, and salt back to Europe, and the
triangle voyage would start afresh. The slaves were transported below
deck lying down and tied up. To prevent their bodies from seizing up,
they were frequently made to dance on deck.
SALT COLLECTION This photograph
from the early 20th century
reveals what salt harvesting in the
saltpans looked like in the slavery
era: The slaves hacked up the saline
crust with pickaxes, loaded the
chunks of salt onto wheelbarrows,
and carted these onto the ships.
er. With over 15,000 ships, its fleet was
five times the size of the English navy.
As a result, the Dutch were able to exert
a transport monopoly over the world’s
seas. Trade with Asia and India was handled
by the Dutch East India Company
(VOC), which was established in 1602.
Trade with Africa and the Americas, conversely,
was handled by the Dutch West
India Company (WIC), founded in 1621
with Peter Stuyvesant as the General-
Director. Stuyvesant was also the governor
of Curaçao and later of New
Amsterdam, which today is New
York. Science, culture, and the
economy flourished in the
Netherlands like never before;
this was the beginning
of the Dutch Golden Age. Incredibly,
all of this relied on salt. The sea voyages
so crucial to the Dutch economy usually
lasted many months, and this required
preserved foodstuffs such as salted fish
and salt-cured meat. Also in Europe,
salted fish was the most important staple
next to bread in the diet of the continent’s
fast-growing population. In the
17th century, the Dutch manufacturing
industries consumed vast amounts of
salt as well – not only for the production
of cheese, but also for glass manufacturing
in Leerdam and ceramics production
in Delft. Luckily, there was more than
enough salt on Bonaire. The Dutch began
to systematically extract the coveted resource
in the natural Salina di Suit in the
south of the island. They soon created
further, artificial salt flats in the lagoons
to the north; to this day, these make up
around ten percent of the island’s total
land mass. Until this point, the WIC had
mostly focused on its lucrative raids of
Spain’s gold and silver shipments, on the
trade of sugar from Brazil, and the trade
of slaves from the coast of West Africa.
However, by the late 17th century, salt
had become the most precious export
from the Netherlands Antilles. Collecting
the sea salt was CONTINUED ON PAGE 20
Peter Stuyvesant: Governor of the
Netherlands Antilles and General-
Director of the Dutch West India
Company (WIC). »

20
LEARNING LERNEN / APPRENDRE / APRENDER / APRENDER
SCOOP 1/2013
THE POWER OF THE SUN
Sea water is channeled into the shallow pools of the lagoons. The ongoing
evaporation of the water increases the saline concentration until the salt
finally crystallizes and forms crusts. The brine water is also an ideal
breeding ground for a particular type of algae. This not only colors the
water pink, but also the flamingos that have made it their diet.
HISTORIC SITE
Salt is being
extracted again
on Bonaire. A
plaque, along
with the original
huts, serves as a
reminder of the
era of slavery.
ABOLITION OF SLAVERY The
Dutch were one of the last colonial
powers to abolish slavery, which
finally happened in 1863. Without
slave labor, salt production was
abandoned for the next 100 years.
30,000
FLAMINGOS
live in the salt
flats. They are
the island’s
signature
species.
Photos: thinkstock (2), Uwe Moser Moser / Alamy, Prisma Bildagentur AG / Alamy, K+S
»
hard work. The Dutch soon found a solution
– slave labor. The sugar cane, cotton,
and tobacco plantations of the colonies
relied almost exclusively on the exploitation
of African slaves, hundreds of thousands
of whom were transported to the
colonies like cattle. Similarly, slaves were
used for all kinds of labor in the Netherlands
Antilles – on the fields, in the mansions,
in the saltpans. For salt collection,
slaves in chain gangs were used. These
had their feet chained together to prevent
them from fleeing. The work conditions
for salt collection were so inhumane
in the Pekelmeer brine flats that
slaves were willing to take the risk, even
though attempted escapes were punished
by chopping off hands and feet. In a
letter from 1835, Martinus Niewindt, the
most senior Catholic official on the Antilles,
described the situation thus: “From
sunrise to sunset six days of the week, the
slaves are forced to labor in chain gangs
under the scorching sun.
Inhumane Conditions
Standing in the brine bare-footed, even
the smallest cuts cause excruciating pain.
At night, they sleep on the hard stone
floors of the slave huts, covered only by
their wet clothes.” Exposed to the harsh
Caribbean sun, which was further intensified
by reflections from the white surroundings,
many of the slaves went blind.
Their labor was unrelenting: Hack up the
saline crust forming in the saltpan, collect
the shards into sacks, and cart these
onto the ships in wheelbarrows. Today,
bulldozers are used to remove the
12-15 cm thick crystallized saline crust,
which is transported to the cargo ships
on trucks. After slavery was abolished in
1863, salt production was abandoned in
Bonaire for the next 100 years. Dilapidated
huts and a memorial plaque serve as
a reminder of Bonaire’s past. Infamous
for centuries for its cruel treatment of
people, Bonaire today is a nature retreat
and a diving destination.
Driving south along the
coast road from the capital
Kralendijk to the salt flats,
one passes six-foot cacti,
dense mangrove forests, wild
donkeys, iguanas, and flamingos.
The glow of the ocean is
reminiscent of the well-known
‘Blue Curaçao’ liqueur, complemented
by a radiant, fluorescent
pink coming from the
brine pools. A colorful setting
indeed for the intensely bright
salt hills – the white gold of
the Antilles.

SCOOP 1/2013 21
SAFETY IN MINING:
HEAD PROTECTION
Wearing a helmet is mandatory at mining
facilities, where it is a standard measure
to protect workers. Since the early 1950s,
safety helmets have been made from
plastic. In many countries, the color of
a helmet also indicates the role of the
person wearing it.
HEAD
CIRCUMFERENCE
This helmet comes in
three sizes. In addition, a
suspension system inside
the helmet provides a
secure fit for various
head shapes.
6-POINT
BELT STRAP
SERIES
FROM THE
K+S WORLD
The interior features
include a special fireresistant
padded strip.
The straps additionally
act to spread out the
forces acting on the head.
PROTECTION
The helmet offers
excellent shock
absorption, high lateral
rigidity, and protection
against electrical shocks.
Photos: KircherBurkhardt (2), thinkstock, Nancy Greifenhagen/Alamy
MATERIAL
Duroplast (fiberglass
polyester) is a
particularly longlasting
plastic.
HOLE
This hole is provided
for those who want to
literally hang up their
hat after work.
Helmet on Top
of the Head
Throughout time, people
have worn helmets to
protect their heads. This
was a life-saving measure
not only for warriors.
PROTECTION ON
THE BATTLEFIELD
In the 16th century, knights wore
close helmets when they went
into battle. Helmets quickly
became the most important
head cover for heavy cavalry.
Unfortunately, they severely
limited the rider’s field of vision.
RAIN CHANNEL
For dry shoulders:
This stops water from
dripping down the sides.
COLORS
In Germany, white
helmets are worn by
climbers and
supervisors, blue
helmets by mechanics
and metalworkers,
and green helmets by
electricians. Miners
are recognized by
their yellow, security
staff by their orange,
and the mine rescue
brigade by their red
helmets.
PROTECTION FOR
RESCUERS
Firefighter helmets used to be made
of leather or metal. Today, they
are based on an exterior shell
made of fiberglass-reinforced
composite thermo-glass, which is
resistant to extreme mechanical
and thermal stresses.

22
LEARNING LERNEN / APPRENDRE / APRENDER / APRENDER
SCOOP 1/2013
Raw salt
1. GRINDING
In the first step, the raw
salt is ground down to a
size of 0.1 mm to 1 mm.
Kieserite
Potash
Rock salt
2. FLUID BED
This is where the various components in the
raw salt are electrically charged. In this step,
different minerals receive different charges.
The process requires conditioning agents
and a constant supply of air, as well as heat
and a precisely defined level of humidity
within the fluid bed. The rock salt receives
a positive charge, while the potash and
kieserite receive a negative one.
Conditioning agent
The ESTA process is carried
out in Hattorf’s large
production hall
Supply of air, heat, and
defined level of humidity
PURE ATTRACTION
When raw potash salt comes out of the mine, the process of refining the
minerals begins. Thanks to the invention of the ESTA process by K+S
researchers, this can partially be achieved without using water.
Even former Beatle Paul McCartney
knew that “courage means never
giving up.” In that sense, the team
of researchers at K+S went far beyond
courageous – they were also incredibly
resourceful. For years, they puzzled over
ways to separate minerals without using
water. And all their hard work paid off.
“Thanks to the ESTA process we’ve developed,
K+S is now the world’s only potash
producer that can separate out the
various components of raw salt without
generating waste water,” says Mario
Hofmann, Deputy Operations Manager
of the Magnesium Products unit at the
Hattorf plant. The term ‘ESTA’ is derived
from the word electrostatic, the principle
upon which the process is based. First,
the raw salt is ground down into tiny
grains and electrically charged. The
trick is that the rock salt receives
a different charge than, say, the
potash or the kieserite. The
gravity separator, which is a
tube of sorts, contains a positive
and a negative pole. As
we know, opposites attract
which means that the negatively
charged salt components
are drawn to the positive pole and
the positively charged ones are attracted
to the negative pole. While
other separation processes, such
as the flotation or hot dissolution
process, produce saline waste water,
the ESTA process is complete-
ly dry. It also offers another advantage:
It consumes far less
energy. “This does more than
save us money; it also protects
the environment,”
says Roland Keidel, Head
of Above-Ground Production
at the Hattorf site.
It’s no wonder the process
doesn’t just attract minerals;
it also attracts the competition, who
would give anything to learn the specifics
of how it works. “That, however, will
remain a company secret at K+S. After
all, it gives us a huge competitive advantage,”
says Keidel. The numerous benefits
that the ESTA process offers are the reason
that K+S uses it as often as possible.
The Neuhof, Sigmundshall, Wintershall,
and Hattorf plants have been using elec-
None of our competitors have developed
and implemented their own ESTA
processes.
Mario Hofmann, Deputy Operations Manager
for the Magnesium Products unit

SCOOP 1/2013 23
PARTICULATES
Dust is filtered out
and processed.
3. GRAVITY SEPARATOR
The differently-charged grains of salt
descend through a high-voltage field.
Along a length of two meters, a positive
pole runs down the right side, and a
negative pole down the left. Depending
on their charge, the salt grains are
drawn in one direction or the other by
the poles. This is how the positively
charged components are separated
from the negatively charged ones.
In step A, positively
charged rock salt
is attracted by the
negative pole.
The positive pole
attracts negativelycharged
potash
and kieserite
components.
TONGUES These two separator
elements at the bottom end of
the gravity separator ensure that
the rock salt and the kieserite and
potash go in separate directions. The
materials - or middlings - which fall
down the middle must go through
the entire process again.
1ST GRAIN CATEGORY
The mixture of usable
materials (potash
and kieserite) will be
processed further.
2ND GRAIN
CATEGORY
Middlings
3RD GRAIN CATEGORY
Residue (NaCl)
Photos: Bernd Schoelzchen (3), K+S Infographic: KircherBurkhardt Infografik
trostatic technology since
the 1970s, and starting in
2014, a facilities expansion
at the Hattorf
plant will allow it to
use the ESTA process
even more frequently.
However, after the
technology finally became
usable, the research
team didn’t simply
rest on its laurels.
“We kept researching
ways to make the process
even more costeffective
and environmentally
friendly,” says
Roland Keidel.
The ESTA process is
environmentally
friendly and
significantly more
cost effective than
the flotation or
hot dissolution
processes.
Roland Keidel, Head of Above-
Ground Production at the
Hattorf site
The gravity separator in Hattorf. Various salt
minerals are separated from one another along
the two-meter-long device.

24
LEARNING LERNEN / APPRENDRE / APRENDER / APRENDER
SCOOP 1/2013
SALT, A MIRROR OF THE SOUL
Whether as a path
to immortality or a
symbol for
transience, the uses
of salt are wide and
varied. Here are just
five examples of
how this versatile
natural resource can
preserve, help retain
heat, and fascinate.
SERIES:
SALT’S ROLE
IN CULTURE
SALT IN HISTORY
DEATH AND
BEYOND
The ancient Egyptians
believed that a person
could only be reborn if
their body remained
intact after death. To
achieve this, they covered
their dead in a
layer of salt for four
weeks. Because of
salt’s ability to absorb
moisture, it can be
used to draw out water
from the body. The approach
was so effective
that the skin and the
skeleton would be preserved
for thousands
of years. This made salt
a crucial ingredient in
the mummification of
pharaohs in ancient
Egypt.
SALT IN EVERYDAY LIFE
COZY AND WARM
THANKS TO SALT
SALT IN THE KITCHEN
SALTY SWEETS
People who enjoy winter and being active
in the frosty outdoors know what a great
feeling it is to get home and place a hot water
bottle on their chilled feet. And a bit of salt can go a long way
to help keep the water warm that much longer. Simply add a
couple of spoonfuls when the water is still cold. It will then
boil at a temperature eight degrees warmer than unsalted
water. Also, the hot water bottle retains its heat a lot longer.
If you’re lucky, it’ll still be warm come morning!
SALT IN ART
AN INSPIRING
NATURAL
RESOURCE
Ugo Dossi is an artist
fascinated by salt,
which he sees as an
“archaic substance
full of contradictions:
solid yet willing to dissolve at any time.” In the 1970s,
Dossi created his ‘Salz-Objekte’ (salt objects) artwork,
based on the idea that salt embodies both the temporal
and the ephemeral. This makes it “eminently suitable
for depicting the fleetingness of tools, which the flawed
species of man uses to replace its missing claws.” This
work has previously been exhibited at K+S.
Salted butter is very popular
in France, where it is
sold as a specialty product.
In Brittany, salted
butter is even used for a
delicacy that is not savory
but sweet: caramel candy.
The salt in the butter
creates an aromatic fusion
of opposing taste
sensations. The candy is
traditionally produced in
large copper vats. It is
available in its pure, natural
form as well as with
nuts, chocolate, or vanilla
added to the mix.
SALT IN RELIGION
THE PARABLE OF THE SOUL
The sacred texts of Hinduism contain a parable
designed to illustrate to readers how
not everything that exists can be seen. In
the tale, a father instructs his son to place a
lump of salt in a bowl of water and then, after
some time, tells him to remove it. When
the boy attempts this, he finds that the salt
has disappeared, and that the water has
taken on the taste of the salt. In Hindu belief,
this is an allegory for the human soul,
which – though intangible – inhabits the
human body.
Photos: Mike Nelson/dpa Picture-Alliance, thinkstock, KircherBurkhardt Illustration: KircherBurkhardt Infografik

SHARING TEILEN
/ PARTAGER / COMPARTIR / COMPARTILHAR
25
SERIES
MY HOME-
LAND
Daniel Marques in front of a mountain of sea salt, which is transported from the nearby saltworks to the packing facility in Olhão, Portugal.
TIMING AND RHYTHM
FOR THE OCEAN AND SALT
Photo: João Pina
Daniel Marques loves not only the ocean but
also the salt it contains. For this, he drives
non-stop along the Iberian coastline from one
esco site to the next.
AUTHOR: STINA BEBENROTH
Daniel Marques rarely misses a beat.
This should come as no surprise
seeing that he used to be a competitive
dancer, a hobby that he pursued
together with his wife Pascale for many
years. “While my work today doesn’t involve
choreographing movements to music,
a sense of rhythm and structure certainly
does help,” says Daniel. He is the
Head of Production at the Portuguese
esco sites in Alverca and Olhão, while also
serving as the Head of Technology for the
Torrelavega site in Spain. This means he
frequently needs to travel large distances;
At the sites near the Portuguese capital
of Lisbon and in the Algarve region, he is
responsible for everything organizational.
This includes production planning, product
inspections, negotiations with suppliers,
and, needless to say, overseeing and
supervising staff. “I love working with people,
even if it can be a bit more challenging
at times than just dealing with facts and
figures,” he says. The 50 people Daniel is
in charge of only have good things to say
about him. “Even though Daniel is on the
road a lot, he always takes the time to listen
to our concerns,” says Victor Teixera,
who is responsible for day-to-day production
in Olhão.
Commuting between different locations
is something the 47-year-old has
been doing all his life. Having grown up
in France as the son of Portuguese immigrants,
Daniel fluently speaks Portuguese
as well as French. His ties to Portugal have
remained strong. One place that he was
always drawn to independently of countries
and cultures was the ocean. When
the university-trained chemist left his first
job at Solvay in eastern France in 1999 to
move to Bayonne CONTINUED ON PAGE 26
»

26
SHARING TEILEN / PARTAGER / COMPARTIR / COMPARTILHAR
SCOOP 1/2013
TOURIST MAGNET
Portugal is rich in history and culture. This small country, located
at the southwestern end of Europe, has plenty to offer and has
long been a popular tourist destination. Visitors come to enjoy
beautiful beaches, culinary delights, and historical sites.
PORTUGAL
»
on the French Atlantic coast, the proximity
to the ocean was a major factor for him.
In Bayonne, close to the Spanish border,
Daniel worked as a product manager for
11 years. He prefers production work to the
laboratory: “There’s so much more variety,
you don’t have to put up with boring routines
all the time.” Although he was very
happy in Bayonne, it was time for Daniel
The sea salt is first cleaned and
then packaged for sales.
Close-up
“The fast-paced
driving style of the
Portuguese took some
getting used to.”
LISBON
STEEP STREETS
AND TIGHT
CORNERS
to move on in 2010. The company site he
was working at had closed down, and he
received an offer he couldn’t refuse for his
current job in Portugal. “It was an exciting
prospect – to finally live and work in my
native Portugal, rather than just coming
here for holidays.” After spending so many
years in France, Daniel did have to refresh
his language skills a bit, and the fast-paced
driving style of the Portuguese also took
some getting used to. Today, however,
he knows the route between Olhão and
Alverca like the back of his hand. Some-
The trams of Lisbon
are a nostalgic sight
indeed. Properly known as the
‘Eléctricos de Lisboa,’ they have
been in operation since 1901. A
large number of the original tram
carriages are still running today.
There are five routes along which
the tram passengers are transported
through the narrow and
hilly streets of the old town.
Daniel with his wife Pascale and their children
Guillaume, Benoit, Anne-Lise, and Adrien (left
to right). Right: Mountain biking trips.
what surprisingly, given that commuting
is such a big part of his work, Daniel’s leisure
time is also very much about staying
in motion. Although he no longer participates
in dancing competitions, he loves
criss-crossing the hilly Portuguese countryside
on his mountain bike most weekends,
usually together with his wife Pascale.
“When we’re on our bikes, we can
truly relax and put our everyday worries
behind us.” In addition, he and Pascale
and their youngest daughter – 14-yearold
Anne-Lise – go back to France once every
few weeks. The couple’s grown children
- Guillaume, Benoit, and Adrien - all
live there as well as many of their relatives
and old friends. The connection to France
remains strong. At this stage, Daniel does
not want to predict if he’ll ultimately end
up in France or in Portugal. One thing is
for sure: “Wherever I live, I want it to be by
the sea. It’s the air; it tastes and smells so
much better.” For Daniel, it’s the salt that
does the trick.

SCOOP 1/2013
SPECIALTY
27
DESSERT WINE
FROM THE NORTH
The northern Portuguese
city of Porto is the
original source of one of
the world’s most wellknown
digestifs – port
wine, or port for short.
This fortified white or
red dessert wine comes
from Portugal’s Duoro
Valley and is traditionally
consumed after
dinner to aid digestion.
Red port is very sweet
and strong, whereas
white port can also be
very dry.
Portugal
With a relatively small population of ten million, Portugal is one of
Europe’s smaller countries. Nevertheless, this sea-faring nation has a
history that is nothing if not impressive. After the Portuguese explorer
Vasco da Gama discovered the sea route to India in 1498, Portugal became
a world power. For a long time, it was the world’s dominant naval and
trading power; the Portuguese established colonies throughout Asia,
South America, and Africa. In the 17th century, the country lost several
wars against England and the Netherlands and had to relinquish most of
its colonies. Brazil, the largest and richest of all the Portuguese colonies,
declared its independence in 1822. With the handover of Macao to China
in Southeast Asia in 1999, the final link to Portugal’s colonial past had
been severed.
DELICACIES
Irresistible: Portugal’s
famous
filo pastry tarts.
SPINE-CHILLING
CHAPEL OF BONES
The town of Evora is home to
one of the country’s best-known
sights: the Capela dos Ossos.
This chapel, which was built by
a Franciscan monk in the 16th
century, is made from the bones
of over 5,000 people. The bones
are distinctly recognizable as
such and were intended to
inspire meditative states.
Sweet and Salty – Portuguese
Cuisine Has Many Friends
The country’s culinary specialties are popular not only in
Portugal but also across the world.
Bearing the traits of both Iberian
cooking to the north and African
cooking to the south, Portuguese
food is characterized by two main
ingredients: fish and sugar. Portugal’s
national dish is Bacalhau, consisting
of cod which is rubbed in
salt and sun- and wind-dried for
150 days. There are so many recipes
for Bacalhau that it is popularly
claimed there is a different Bacalhau
dish for every day of the year.
The Portuguese are also very passionate
about their sweet foods.
No matter if it’s desserts or baked
goods, they are always very sugary.
Pastéis de Belém, which are filo
pastry tarts, enjoy widespread popularity
as far afield as Southeast
Asia, dating back to colonial times.
Photos: João Pina (2), Ullstein Bild (2), in-house,
Biosphoto, JB-2078 / Alamy, Ian Dagnall / Alamy,
Martin Thomas Photography / Alamy
TOURISM
SUN, SAND, SURFING
The Algarve, Portugal’s southernmost region, enjoys more
sunny days than anywhere else in Europe. Together with a
wealth of sandy beaches and what some say are Europe’s best
waves for surfing, this means that during summer, there are
three times more tourists than locals in the Algarve.
A Tradition of Salt Crystals
As well as traditional sea salt,
the Olhão site also processes
the well-known Flor de Sal.
These hand-harvested salt crystals
are treasured all over the
world and have made Portuguese
salt famous. A crew of
25 employees produces some
25,000 metric tons of salt per
year, seven thousand tons of
which come from Alverca. Most
of the 25 employees work at the
headquarters of the Portuguese
esco sites. As well as sea salt,
evaporated salt from Povoa is
being processed here by jointventure
partner Solvay.

28
SHARING TEILEN / PARTAGER / COMPARTIR / COMPARTILHAR
SCOOP 1/2013
UNDERGROUND
It
RUNNING RECORD
is 21 degrees Celsius with zero humidity. The runners are adjusting
the headlamps on their helmets. Then, suddenly, the
signal is given for the athletes to start the Crystal Marathon
at Merkers, Germany. Many make the pilgrimage each year to
take part in this unique underground challenge – and this year’s
7th annual sporting event was no different. Runners came from
Germany and abroad.

SCOOP 1/2013 29
500
RUNNERS participated.
Along with a standard
42.2-kilometer marathon,
there was also a 10-kilometer
run and a half marathon. The
designated track, which was three kilometers long, needed
to be traversed many times by runners in all three races.
2:46
HOURS is all
it took Markus
Baldauf, this
year’s winner,
to complete the marathon. With his time,
the German runner set a new underground
record in Merkers.
75
WAS the age of the
oldest runner, with
the youngest being
a 16. Participants
came from Germany,
Austria, Italy, Slovenia, and the Czech
Republic.
Photo: Marc Tirl/dpa Picture Alliance

30 SHARING TEILEN / PARTAGER / COMPARTIR / COMPARTILHAR
SCOOP 4/2012
A SOFT SPOT FOR GIANTS
Enormous construction vehicles are par for the course in modern mining. While some
people are used to working with such heavy machinery, others – like Michael Rimus – find it
a source of fascination and excitement.The son of a K+S employee, Rimkus fell in love with
giants like the Caterpillar machines as a child.
Having the
opportunity to sit in
a Caterpillar D10 was
a dream come true
for Michael Rimkus
BR
D Heringen
USA New Iberia, Louisiana
CL
Kainita and Loberas
CAT D10
Horsepower 588
Weight 80 t (with accessories)
Length 9.26 m
Max. speed 15.8 km/h
Payload 27 l
Sandvik LH621 Load-Haul Dump
Horsepower 469
Weight 56.8 t
Length 12.3 m
Speed 25 km/h
Payload 22 t
CAT 775F Off-Highway Truck
Horsepower 797
Weight
109.7 t
Length
10.3 m
Speed
67.5 km/h
Payload
77 t
Photos: Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxx Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxxx
Volvo
Horsepo
Weight
Length
Max. sp
Bucket c

SCOOP 1/2013 31
Photos: Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxx Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxxx
After 45 years, his greatest wish has
finally come true. Michael Rimkus
is sitting in the operator’s cab of a
Caterpillar, beaming. “I can’t tell you how
often I’ve dreamed of this moment,” the
56-year-old says, hardly able to believe it.
But the day has finally arrived. High up on
Monte Kali in Heringen – the 220 meterhigh
slag heap near the Werra plant – he’s
finally able to get up close and personal
with his favorite machine.
Rimkus isn’t allowed to actually drive
the bulldozer. “That requires special training
and the right license,” Volker Schade
explains. He coordinates everything that
goes on at Monte Kali, which includes
managing the equipment and his staff.
There are three employees and two Caterpillar
operators on each shift. Sometimes
Volker Schade accompanies visitors
to the mine heap, like Michael Rimkus today.
Rimkus is even allowed to sit behind
the CAT’s steering lever. “Plant management
was kind enough to allow that,” he
says gratefully.
It All Began with a Yellow Giant
It all began in 1967, the year that the
Hattorf potash plant in Philippsthal purchased
a Caterpillar D9 to help spread
the mining waste out over the heap.
Back then, the D9 was the world’s largest
Caterpillar, and it caused quite a stir
in the Werra Valley. Rimkus’ father worked
at the plant, and he brought the exciting
news home to his family. “I was eleven at
the time, and I was immediately hooked,”
Rimkus remembers. He decided an enormous
vehicle like that was something he
just had to see. The boy badgered and
begged his father until he finally gave
in and took Rimkus to the heap. And
there it was: a 40-ton yellow monster
with 286 horsepower. Everything
about the D9 bulldozer was
gigantic: the tracks, the bucket…and
the operator’s cabin
Galinhos
Excavator EC210BLC
wer 145
22.3 t
9.6 m
eed 5.5 km/h
apacity up to 1,550 l
Michael Rimkus (above left) talks shop with Caterpillar operator Hans Wagner. For the
construction vehicle enthusiast, sitting in the bulldozer is the thrill of a lifetime. Rimkus
has many models at home, including one of the Caterpillar D10 (below).
was so far up. “It blew me away,” Rimkus
remembers. Since then, the massive machines
have been his passion, making it
all the more surprising that he didn’t go
into the mining business like his father.
Rimkus instead went in a completely different
direction. He studied to be a dental
technician, a job that calls for exceptional
precision. He is now a sales inspector for
the Hersfelder Zeitung newspaper. “What
draws me is the contrast,” he explains. “At
work, I deal with organizational issues,
while my free time revolves around these
steel beasts.” He buys reference and picture
books on the subject and travels to
Munich for the International Construction
Machinery Trade Fair. His son has also
caught the bug. At the trade fair, they admired
the CAT D10 – the 30-ton-heavier
successor to the legendary D9 – in all its
glory. For Rimkus, having the chance to
actually sit in one is absolutely fantastic.
Trusty Workhorses
By now, the D10 on Monte Kali is around
eight years old. “She’s a real workhorse,”
says Heap Supervisor Volker Schade. The
machine’s bucket can pick up 22 cubic meters
of pilings at once and spread it across
the flattened top of the mound according
to a specific plan. Fresh supplies come via
a 1.2 kilometer-long conveyor belt from
the Wintershall plant in Heringen. “We
need large, reliable, modern machines to
do this work,” says Schade, explaining the
need for the Caterpillar. And that’s what
they get from the construction machinery
manufacturer based in the US state of Illinois.
The company has been producing
large machinery and vehicles since 1925,
primarily for use in underground and surface
mines.
Other K+S locations also use heavy machinery.
At Salina Diamante Branco in Brazil,
for example, the salt works extract salt
from seawater and process it into various
products over the course of several steps.
Large Volvo hydraulic excavators help in
the process: They shovel dried salt onto
the conveyor belts. Morton Salt in the USA
uses the Toro LH 621, while in the salt mine
in Weeks Island, Louisiana, the massive 56-
ton wheel loader from Swedish manufacturer
Sandvik carries a full 22 tons of salt
in a single load to the collection point.
However, despite their impressive size
and power, these vehicles don’t do much
for Michael Rimkus. “I only love heavy machines
that run on tracks,” he explains.
That’s when Volker Schade of K+S decides
to share the latest bit of news. “Sometime
this year, we’ll be getting a new D10
on Monte Kali,” he says. And Volker gets
just the response he is looking for. Rimkus’
face immediately lights up. He absolutely
has to be there when it arrives. He leaves
his e-mail address, and Schade promises
to let him know when it arrives. Rimkus’
next visit to the mine heap is already
marked down in the calendar – and it’s
sure to be a thrill!
Photos: Heiko Meyer (6), K+S (3)

32
FUN PAGE BUNTE SEITE / PAGE DE FIN / PÁGINA EN COLOR / ÚLTIMA PÁGINA
SCOOP 1/2013
Did you
know that…
395
years have passed since the
healing properties of Epsom
salt were discovered? K+S still
produces it today.
5,116
employees on three continents
have made K+S the world’s
largest salt producer?
On june 29th, it will
be time to get the
ball rolling! For the
17th year, teams from our sites
around the world will meet at
Kassel’s Auestadion for the K+S
Soccer Tournament. Games will
be played on five large fields - with
men’s, women’s, and co-ed teams eligible
to compete. The competition is
SOCCER TOURNAMENT
THE
BEAUTIFUL
GAME
open to all employees, age
16 and up! Each game is broken
up into two 10- or 15-minute
halves, depending on the
size of the team. At the end of
the tournament, every team receives
a trophy. Some 20 teams
have already registered. We welcome
anyone who wants to join in
or just watch from the stands!
35,000
tons of freight can fit on
Empremar’s new ship? SPL
Atacama uses it to transport
up to 200,000 tons of salt
per year.
797
horsepower is the engine output
of a CAT 775F? This colossus
is used in strip mining in Chile.
EVERGREEN
In our holiday edition, Nuria Solier Villantoy from Kassel asked if potash
fertilizer helps Christmas trees stay fresh longer and lose fewer needles.
Read some of the many responses here.
At home or in the woods, potash
fertilizer keeps trees green longer.
Forest Dreams
If you place your Christmas tree
in water fortified with potash
right after it is cut down and set
your thermostat down a notch or
two, you can create the ideal conditions
under which the tree
thinks it is still in the forest. The
trunk absorbs the potash and
draws it up into the needles via
its capillaries. This prevents the
tree from losing its needles and
ensures they stay green long after
the gifts have been opened.
Hans Paulssen,
Schönhausen (GER)
Strong and Green
with Potash
Using a potash fertilizer when a
Christmas tree is still growing increases
the concentration of potassium
in the roots and allows
the tree to absorb more water
from the soil. The fertilizer also
prevents a great deal of water
from being lost through the needles.
This ensures that the Christmas
tree stays fresh and green
for weeks after it is put up. As an
added bonus, it will also lose
very few needles over that time.
Reinhard Elfrich,
Everswinkel (GER)
Aspirin in the Water
Putting a tablet of aspirin in the
water allows the tree to absorb
minerals more quickly. This keeps
the tree fresh much longer.
Dustin Hayward,
Bethune (CAN)
Winner of the
Salt Car
The following employees
will receive a POWERplus
Marlin car kit:
Gayle Gibbs,
Belle Plaine (CAN)
Kristel Heyndrickx,
Diegem (BEL)
Uwe Laudermann,
Bebra (GER)
IMPRINT Publisher: K+S Aktiengesellschaft Editor-in-Chief: Christin Bernhardt Phone: +49 561 9301-1424 Fax: +49 561 9301-1666
E-mail: scoop@k-plus-s.com Internet: www.k-plus-s.com Address: K+S Aktiengesellschaft, Corporate Communications,
Bertha-von-Suttner-Strasse 7, 34131 Kassel, Germany Photo Editing, Layout and Production: KircherBurkhardt GmbH
Printed by: Werbedruck GmbH Horst Schreckhase, Spangenberg Circulation: 23,800 Date of Publication: April 2013
THE SURVEY
What I always
wanted to
know…
Where is the deepest active
salt or potash mine in the
world? Isabel Aliaga of Levallois-Perret
submitted this
question.
TELL US WHAT
YOU THINK:
Send a postcard to the
Scoop editorial office
(see address under
‘Imprint’) or contact us
by e-mail at:
scoop@k-plus-s.com.
You can also win a
prize by answering our
quiz questions on
page 11!
Photos: K+S (6), KircherBurkhardt, Sonja Calovin/Fotolia, thinkstock