ICL Inaugurates New Regional Headquarters and Shared Services Center in Amsterdam to Unify its Activities in Europe

TEL AVIV, Israel and AMSTERDAM, January 29, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

• At inauguration event, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte congratulates ICL on its establishment of its new operational headquarters and European Shared Services Center in Amsterdam 
• The Shared Services Center, as well as ICL's Global Procurement Center which will also operate from the new headquarters, are being established in accordance with ICL's 'Next Step Forward' strategy of implementing 'ONE ICL' to unify the Company's global activity and increase efficiency and cost savings 
• ICL will employ up to 300 people at its European headquarters and Shared Services Center 

ICL (NYSE and TASE: ICL), a company providing essential needs of humanity in agriculture, processed food and engineered materials, today announced the inauguration of its European headquarters and Shared Services Center in Amsterdam. The 5,500 square meter building, located in the Prinsenhof building adjacent to Amsterdam's Koningin Wilhelminaplein square, will also serve as the home of ICL's Global Procurement organization. The offices will eventually house around 300 ICL employees, including 250 new hires.

     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150129/727620 )

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte joined ICL President & CEO Stefan Borgas, and Idan Ofer, representing ICL's main shareholder (Israel Corporation) to inaugurate the new regional headquarters. They were joined by a number of officials, including Israel's Ambassador to The Netherlands, H.E. Haim Divon, the Deputy Mayor and Alderman for Economic Affairs of the City of Amsterdam, Kajsa Ollongren, and several high ranking representatives of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs. Also present at the inauguration were members of ICL management and a delegation of ICL's European employees.

Commenting on the opening of the regional offices, Mr. Borgas said, "We are delighted to establish our new European region headquarters, European Shared Services Center and Global Procurement Center in Amsterdam, a city that offers supports and encourages a business environment and culture that is a good fit with ICL's business culture. We are thankful for, and truly appreciate, the warm welcome extended to ICL by Prime Minister Rutte and his government, and we look forward to becoming an active member of Amsterdam's corporate community, as well as to expanding our European activities from this new regional headquarters. We trust that locating these offices in Amsterdam will further our strategic goal of creating 'ONE ICL', a global, united company that conducts business efficiently and competitively in the global markets in which we are active. The Shared Services Center in Amsterdam will join an existing Shared Services Center in the US and future Shared Service Centers to be located in Israel and Southeast Asia."

Mr. Borgas added, "Although ICL has maintained a strong presence in Europe for over half a century, we believe that the establishment of our new European headquarters in Amsterdam will strengthen our business activities as well as our long-standing relationships with our European customers, suppliers and other stakeholders. It also takes us a further step in the pursuit of our strategy to meet humanity's essential needs in agriculture, processed food and engineered materials by creating operational excellence and creating an empowering work environment for our employees."

As part of ICL's high level of corporate responsibility, ICL stresses the importance of its employees' well-being and places a high priority on long-term sustainability and environmental awareness. ICL's new Amsterdam headquarters is being designed to meet ICL's stringent environmental standards. The offices will play an important role in connecting the employees and increasing their efficiency and job satisfaction. The refurbishment of the Prinsenhof building will be completed over the next several months, and it is expected that ICL will occupy the building as of mid-2015.

About ICL 

ICL is a global manufacturer of products based on specialty minerals that fulfil humanity's essential needs primarily in three markets: agriculture, food and engineered materials. The agricultural products that ICL produces help to feed the world's growing population. The potash and phosphates that it mines and manufactures are used as ingredients in fertilizers and serve as an essential component in the pharmaceutical and food additives industries. The food additives that ICL produces enable people to have greater access to more varied and higher quality food. Other substances, based on bromine and phosphates, help to create energy that is more efficient and environmentally friendly, prevent the spread of forest fires and allow the safe and widespread use of a variety of products and materials.

ICL benefits from a broad presence throughout the world and proximity to large markets, including in emerging regions. ICL operates within a strategic framework of sustainability that includes a commitment to the environment, support of communities in which ICL's manufacturing operations are located and where its employees live, and a commitment to all its employees, customers, suppliers and other stakeholders.

ICL is a public company whose shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange and the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (NYSE and TASE: ICL). 45% of ICL's Shares are held by Israel Corporation Ltd, 13.9% by PotashCorp and the remainder by the public. The company employs approximately 12,000 people worldwide, and its sales in 2013 totalled US$6.3 billion. For more information, visit the company's website at http://www.icl-group.com.

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SOURCE ICL