Morton Salt Statement in Response to Dismissal of Ohio Case

CHICAGO, June 3, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Morton Salt, Inc. today issued the following statement regarding the recent resolution to the legal proceedings between the State of Ohio, Morton Salt and Cargill, which originated in 2012.

The suit against Morton Salt and Cargill has been dismissed as all parties resolved the matter out of court with a settlement agreement.  Morton Salt's share is $3.795 million of the total $11.5 million settlement.  The State initially sought more than $100 million from Morton Salt and Cargill.

"For Morton Salt, this outcome most expeditiously ends ongoing legal proceedings and expenses, and allows us to redirect our energy and focus on providing our vital deicing salt products to the citizens of Ohio and to customers across North America.

"Throughout our 167-year history, Morton Salt has always operated in accordance with high ethical standards and in compliance with the law.  Our steadfast commitment to ethical and lawful behavior is why we denied and vigorously defended Morton Salt against the allegations made by the Ohio Attorney General in his 2012 complaint.

"In Ohio, and every state in which we do business, Morton Salt sets its deicing salt prices independently, competitively and in full compliance with the law, under the bidding procedures established by salt purchasers.

"Even after a multi-year investigation, the State found no evidence of communication between Morton Salt and Cargill regarding their bids to any public purchaser in the State of Ohio. Furthermore, the Ohio Department of Transportation's unique application of the State's Buy Ohio preference statute actually stifled competition in Ohio by limiting the ability of out-of-state salt suppliers to successfully bid against Ohio salt suppliers like Morton Salt and Cargill, as found by the Ohio Inspector General's report.

"If the Ohio Attorney General's case had proceeded to trial, Morton Salt is confident that the jury would have returned a verdict confirming that Morton Salt did not engage in the conduct alleged in the Attorney General's complaint.  However, we were willing to settle the case because the expected future legal fees to continue with the trial and inevitable appeals were estimated to be equal to the cost of the settlement. The Ohio Attorney General confirms this settlement in no way represents an admission of any wrongdoing on Morton Salt's part.

"Morton Salt is a longtime employer of more than 400 Ohio residents and is proud to play a vital role in the community as a supplier of deicing salt used to keep roads clear and safe during the winter season."

About Morton Salt, Inc.
Morton Salt, Inc., part of the K+S Group, is the trusted authority in salt in North America. Our iconic Morton® brand, coupled with the broadest footprint in the industry has made us a leader since 1848. We produce salt for culinary, water softening, household and road deicing, food processing, chemical, pharmaceutical, and numerous industrial uses. Our more than 2,900 employees are committed to safety, quality, service and the communities in which we operate. For more information, visit www.MortonSalt.com.

SOURCE Morton Salt, Inc.

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