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Compass Minerals Outlines Strategic Investment Program at Lyons,
Kansas Site


Compass Minerals (NYSE: CMP) dedicated its new research and development
center today, marking a milestone in the companys long-term strategic
investment program at its Lyons, Kan., mechanical salt evaporation plant.



As a profitably growing minerals company, our ongoing investments at
our flagship consumer and industrial plant in Lyons strengthen our
capabilities, enhance the vitality of our consumer and industrial
business unit, and position us to better serve our customers, especially
those in the Upper Midwest and the Central U.S., said Angelo
Brisimitzakis, president and CEO. The new R&D center is an important
component of our investment strategy. It strengthens our ability to
create new products, improve existing products and develop improved
processes. The laboratory will support innovative research for Compass
Minerals consumer and industrial, highway deicing and specialty
fertilizer business units worldwide.



At the dedication ceremony, Dr. Brisimitzakis discussed the other
components of the companys multi-year, approximately $11 million
investment at the Lyons facility to be completed by the end of 2012:



Investments in the long-term production capability of the plant, such
as the upcoming addition of a new multi-unit brine well system to
support the plants long-term raw material needs and bagging line
automation that will improve efficiency, reduce costs and increase the
sites overall packaging capacity by 25 percent;


Improved supply-chain infrastructure, including a new, high-efficiency
warehouse that doubled on-site inventory capacity for packaged water
conditioning, agricultural products, consumer deicing, food-grade salt
and other products, and a renovated on-site railway spur to improve
delivery scheduling; and


Investments in overall plant and packaging line security, consistent
with the increased global emphasis on site and food safety.


The Lyons plant produces high-purity fine- and coarse-grained salt
products used in consumer, agricultural and commercial applications,
including water conditioning, deicing, livestock feed, food processing
and table salt. It is part of North American Salt Company, a subsidiary
of Compass Minerals, the leading salt producer in North America and the
U.K.



About Compass Minerals


Based in the Kansas City metropolitan area, Compass Minerals is a
leading producer of minerals, including salt, sulfate of potash
specialty fertilizer and magnesium chloride. The company provides
highway deicing salt to customers in North America and the United
Kingdom and specialty fertilizer to growers worldwide. Compass Minerals
also produces http://www.gaia-solutions.net/find-out-the-benefits-of-using-water-softeners/