Dead Sea Works
Encyclopedia
The Dead Sea Works is an Israel
i potash
plant in Sdom, on the Dead Sea
coast of Israel
.
. It was known then as the Palestine Potash Company. From 1936, it was a profitable enterprise despite attempts by the German potash cartel to strangle the business by dumping
potash at below-cost prices.
In the Israel War of Independence in 1948, the northern half of the production facilities was occupied by the Jordanian Legion, which destroyed the plant and looted the machinery.
In 1951, the company was nationalized by the Israeli government under the Ministry of Development
. In 1953, it was renamed the Dead Sea Works.
Dead Sea Works is the world's fourth largest producer and supplier of potash products. The company also produces magnesium chloride, industrial salts, de-icers, bath salts, table salt, and raw materials for the cosmetic industry. It has customers in over 60 countries. Dead Sea Works is part of the Fertilizers Division of Israel Chemicals Ltd
. It is located in the southern basin of the Dead Sea and the extracted chemicals are exported around the world.
Rather than extracting potash and other minerals from the Dead Sea by mining them directly, the company makes use of the energy of the sun by innovating 2-meter deep evaporation ponds. Nevertheless, Dead Sea Works has been blamed by conservationists for polluting the environment and contributing to the Dead Sea's slow demise.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i potash
Potash
Potash is the common name for various mined and manufactured salts that contain potassium in water-soluble form. In some rare cases, potash can be formed with traces of organic materials such as plant remains, and this was the major historical source for it before the industrial era...
plant in Sdom, on the Dead Sea
Dead Sea
The Dead Sea , also called the Salt Sea, is a salt lake bordering Jordan to the east and Israel and the West Bank to the west. Its surface and shores are below sea level, the lowest elevation on the Earth's surface. The Dead Sea is deep, the deepest hypersaline lake in the world...
coast of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
.
History
The company was established in 1930 by Moshe NovomeyskyMoshe Novomeysky
Moshe Novomeysky was an early Israeli pioneer, scientist, and developer of the Palestine Potash Company, precursor of the Dead Sea Works. -Biography:...
. It was known then as the Palestine Potash Company. From 1936, it was a profitable enterprise despite attempts by the German potash cartel to strangle the business by dumping
Dumping (pricing policy)
In economics, "dumping" is any kind of predatory pricing, especially in the context of international trade. It occurs when manufacturers export a product to another country at a price either below the price charged in its home market, or in quantities that cannot be explained through normal market...
potash at below-cost prices.
In the Israel War of Independence in 1948, the northern half of the production facilities was occupied by the Jordanian Legion, which destroyed the plant and looted the machinery.
In 1951, the company was nationalized by the Israeli government under the Ministry of Development
Development Minister of Israel
The Ministry for the Development of the Negev and Galilee is a ministry in the Israeli government. Established in January 2005, the current minister is Silvan Shalom of Likud.In the past, there was also a Development Minister...
. In 1953, it was renamed the Dead Sea Works.
Today
Israel Chemicals
Israel Chemicals Ltd. , also known as ICL, is a multi-national Israeli manufacturing concern that develops, produces and markets fertilizers, metals and other special-purpose chemical products.-History:...
. It is located in the southern basin of the Dead Sea and the extracted chemicals are exported around the world.
Rather than extracting potash and other minerals from the Dead Sea by mining them directly, the company makes use of the energy of the sun by innovating 2-meter deep evaporation ponds. Nevertheless, Dead Sea Works has been blamed by conservationists for polluting the environment and contributing to the Dead Sea's slow demise.