K+S AG (formerly Kali und Salz GmbH) is a German chemical company headquartered in Kassel. The company is Europe’s largest supplier of potash for use in fertilizer.[2] The firm also produces and distributes other mineral fertilizers, such as those from magnesium and sulfur. K+S is mainly active in Europe, North and South America with almost 15,000 employees worldwide (2020).[1]
History
K+S was founded in 1889 as Aktiengesellschaft für Bergbau und Tiefbohrung, was renamed to Kaliwerke Salzdetfurth AG in 1899, and was again renamed to Salzdetfurth AG in 1937. After merging with the potash division of BASF subsidiary Wintershall in 1973, the company was renamed to Kali und Salz (Kalium = potassium and Salz = salt in German). In 1999, the company was renamed K+S. From September 2008 to March 2016, the stock was part of German stock index DAX, consisting of the 30 major German companies trading on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.[3]