AT&T and potash and salt producer K+S have signed a five-year contract to move K+S’s current network infrastructure to AT&T’s single global private network. This will enable K+S to connect its operations, comprising 200 locations in Europe, North and South America and Asia. “We are looking forward to working with AT&T as the optimal provider for this project,” said Kai Finke, Chief Information Officer, K+S AG.

AT&T is providing a hybrid virtual private network (VPN) service to K+S. Data flowing over its MPLS connections is complemented by a secondary Internet connection. This ensures the largest K+S locations have highly reliable access to the company’s global MPLS network. A second VPN connection offers the benefits of back-up and efficient use of network bandwidth. Other K+S locations can have secure, cost-effective Internet access locking these sites to the network.

“It’s clear that K+S wanted better visibility of its communications around the world. And that’s just what our strategic network services are designed to give them, providing them with a platform for supporting their future success,” said Vice President, Germany and Central Europe, AT&T, Joachim Kathmann.

K+S is an international commodities company. It has mined and processed mineral raw materials for 125 years. The products it produces from them are used worldwide in agriculture, food and road safety and are important elements in numerous industrial processes. The nutrients potash and salt are accompanying the megatrend for the future: a constantly growing global population is becoming increasingly prosperous and striving for a more modern standard of living, which results in an increasing consumption of mineral raw materials. K+S serves the resulting growth in demand from production sites in Europe, North America and South America as well as through a global distribution network. K+S is the world’s largest salt producer and one of the top potash providers worldwide.