View at part of the Legacy mine production plant under construction. (Image courtesy of K+S)
While some companies in Saskatchewan, Canada’s and the world’s potash heart, are axing production or set to layoff employees, Germany-based fertilizer producer K+S AG is looking to hire more than one hundred.
According to the company, both its new mine — Legacy — and a production facility near Bethune, will require a number of tradespeople and operators in the production and maintenance areas.
Last week, the company held a two-day job fair in Regina, where it advertised over 150 positions it is looking to fill, News Talk 980 reported.
The Legacy mine, located approximately 50km north of the city of Moose Jaw, will be the first new potash operation built in the last 40 years in Saskatchewan, which contains 50% of the world’s potash reserves.
K+S, which rejected takeover bids by Canadian giant Potash Corp. (TSX, NYSE: POT) earlier this year, has spent over two billion euros on the project, located in southern Saskatchewan.
The global potash market has seen decreased demand and low prices, driving producers to take drastic measures. In October, Potash Corp. withdrew its bid for K+S citing “challenging macroeconomic conditions.”
The world’s biggest fertilizer producer by market value also said it planned to temporarily shut down its Allan, Cory and Lanigan mines for three weeks in December.
The move, along with the permanent closure of a mine in New Brunswick, will reduce the company’s production by around 500,000 tonnes of potash.
Comments
The Real John Smith
150 ≠ “Hundreds”